《Contract Marriage with Devil Billionaire》


 Chapter 1: Forced Sex

    Kate Smith awoke suddenly in her sleep and found her husband, Joseph Smith, was on top of her.


    "Joseph, wait!" Kate groaned and tried to push him away with all her strength, "I''m on my period. You bastard!"


    "Period?" the man sneered at her, "Let me check!"


    He tore Kate''s clothes off and grabbed her wrists while biting her lips. Joseph was just like an angry beast in the dark who longed to catch the prey he was hunting. He grasped Katie''s breasts hard and then reached down, tearing off Katie''s panties, with his fingers digging into her moist vagina between her legs.


    Kate did her best to resist each time he touched her, but she always failed.


    "Period?" Joseph pulled out his fingers to show her, and he sneered again, "You are a bad liar, Kate."


    Not replying to his question, Kate laid on the bed quietly, hoping that his cruel sexual acts would be over before long.


    "Didn''t you say you love me? Why are you so reluctant to have sex with me? You should enjoy it!"


    Though Kate could not see Joseph''s expression clearly, she could keenly sense the extreme anger in his tone.  Yes, he was right, she did love him very much, but since Anna died, Kate''s love for him meant nothing in Joseph''s eyes.


    "Why didn''t you say anything? We are making love now. You want  this, don''t you?"


    "What do you want to hear from me? I only feel hurts now. Having sex with you in such a cruel manner only makes me wanna cry, but if you want me to do something, I will." She put her arms around his neck, pulled his body closer to hers and squeezed him tightly with her warm breast. Kate ran one hand through Joseph''s hair, and the other scratched his back.


    When they were done, Kate closed her eyes and realized it was the best sex they had in almost two years. Exhausted from the passionate lovemaking, both her and Joseph fell asleep without saying a word.


    The next day, Kate was woken up by the gurgle of water in the bathroom. She tried to roll over but felt her body aching. There were bruises, scratches, cuts, hickeys, and bite marks all over her; they were evidence of what had happened the night before. Even though she had enjoyed the sweet encounter, Kate could not forget the fact the woman in Joseph''s heart was not her, and it would never be her.


    Joseph was naked when he walked out of the bathroom, which startled Kate. He glared at her and said, "We have a family dinner tonight."


    He hadn''t given her any notice about it before that moment, yet she knew it was more of an order than a statement. Kate was accustomed to his way of speaking. After all, Joseph was a part of the Smith family as well as the head of the Smith Group, a leading enterprise in the domestic business circle.


    "Whatever!" He said, grabbing his coat and then opened the door to leave. Suddenly, he turned around and, with an icy-cold expression, stated, "By the way, do not touch my puppy!"


    "Are you afraid that I will kill him?" Kate looked straight into his eyes and grinned.


    "Listen, Kate. I keep you by my side not because our mothers are good friends, but because I want to torture you to death day by day. You have to pay for what you''ve done to Anna, you''d better keep it in your mind!" Joseph emphasized every single word of the last sentence.


    "So, what? I don''t care at all! She is dead, and that will not change, but I am alive and married to the man she loved." She said in a triumphant tone and laughed.


    "What the f**k?" Joseph quickly reached her side and squeezed her neck angrily. He mumbled under his breath, cursing her to die a painful death. However, Kate just stared into his eyes, tears streaming down her face. She was in so much pain, but she would not make a sound in front of Joseph.


    Joseph pushed her back on the bed and warned, "I know you don''t care about your life, but what about your father and grandma?"


    All of the ideas on how to die were gone when Kate heard Joseph''s comment. The only thing keeping Kate alive was to support her grandma. She thought as long as she could keep her grandma alive, bearing the pain and do what Joseph demand was worth it. She whispered to herself, "No, I cannot give up. I must live."


    Joseph turned and left the room, slamming the door behind him, then Kate pulled herself out of bed. She slowly walked to the bathroom, washed her face, then went downstairs for breakfast.


    As soon as she entered the kitchen, Alan, which was Joseph''s puppy, wagged his tail and ran toward her. Instinctively, Kate knelt down to pet his head, but Joseph''s warning echoed in her mind, and she stopped her hand in mid-air. She quietly asked him, "It has been proven that dogs take on their owner''s feelings. Why are you not like him, then?"


    "Excuse me, Lady Kate! Master Joseph said you can''t touch Alan." Amy commented seriously.


    "It''s just a dog left by Anna. I''m not interested in it at all."


    Amy took Alan to another room so that he wouldn''t have any interaction with Kate.


    Looking around the big, spacious mansion, a feeling of overwhelming desperation swept through Kate. Though she also owned the house, she was less important than a dog. Shaking her head, she walked out of the house without telling anyone.


    "Lady Kate, where are you going? I can give you a ride," Henry jumped out in front of her, asked politely.


    In the mansion, all servants looked down upon her. Only Henry was kind to her, but just sometimes when Joseph was not at home. She assumed it was only because she had lent him money before, and he appreciated it.


    "No, thank you. I can drive myself," Kate replied gently.


    I seldom have a chance to leave here alone. Why would I need someone with me? She thought to herself.


    "Okay, just be careful!" Henry said and waved goodbye.


    "Thank you." Kate left without looking back.

 Chapter 2: A Quarrel With Dora

    "Wow, it''s Lady Kate! Welcome!" She heard Dora''s deceptive words the moment she stepped out of her car.


    Why is she still at home? Shouldn''t she be playing bridge now? Kate was a little surprised to see Dora still at home.


    Not wanting to deal with her, Kate just ignored Dora and walked straight into the mansion.


    "Wait!" Dora White commanded, "It''s my home, not yours. You know clearly who you are here."


    That''s why Kate did not want to talk to Dora, not because she feared her, but because she didn''t want to deal with the nonsense and drama. Dora White was fond of making a big scene.


    "You say the same thing every time you see me. Can you come up with something new to say next time?" Kate replied with a loud and disrespectful tone. She had tried to be polite before, but it didn''t matter with Dora.


    "How dare you speak to me like that?" Dora yelled. "You not only killed my daughter but also married the man she loved. You shameless bitch!"


    Kate knew that Dora yelled because she wanted Leo White to hear her. She replied, "It''s none of my business. I did not do anything to hurt your daughter."


    "You..."


    "What are you two arguing about?" Leo came out in his wheelchair and asked Dora seriously. "Why are you still here?"


    Dora was a little scared and answered awkwardly, "I...I forget something."


    Then she stumbled inside to get whatever she had forgotten.


    "Come in the house!" Leo said coldly and then rolled the rear wheel to turn around.


    Kate stepped forward in a hurry to help and asked, "Dad, have you recently had any rehabilitation therapy? What did the doctor say? What..."


    "Don''t ask such stupid questions anymore. I don''t think I can even stand up now, but at least I am still alive. I am satisfied with that." Leo interrupted all of Kate''s questions before she could ask anything further.


    Kate felt very sad and apologized, "Sorry, if it were not for me¡­"


    "Let the past be the past. Otherwise, Dora will scold you again."


    "Okay..." She could feel her father''s attitude changed.


    After her mother, Flora White, passed away, Dora moved into this house with her daughter Anna. Kate gradually lost all importance in her father''s eyes; the only one he loved was Anna.


    "How are you getting along with Joseph?" Leo suddenly looked at her sharply, seeming to care about her marriage.


    "We¡­We are fine." No matter Leo truly cared about her, she still did not want him to worry about her.


    "That''s great!" Leo heaved a sigh of relief and added, "Be obedient to him, and he will forget the past. If he is happy, I think he will help our White Group."


    His words were very harsh, but Kate still nodded to show her agreement. She only hoped that what she did could ease her sense of guilt.


    "Okay, Dad." She got up to help but was pushed away by Dora.


    "Lady Kate, it''s not very good to have you do such tiring work," Dora said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.


    Kate did not want to reply to her words and went upstairs to her room.


    "You must know that the reason why you can marry Joseph is that my daughter had an accident! Otherwise, you would never have had the chance! So, show your respect, you ungrateful bitch!" Dora shouted.


    Kate slammed her bedroom door as a reply. She wanted to calm down, but she was shocked to see her room was completely different. Her warm-colored room was changed. It had white and black linens, and Anna''s black and white photos filled with the dressing table and all four walls.


    The whole room seemed very eerie, and Kate felt as if all her breath was being pulled out. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    Opening the door, she saw Daisy White standing there. Daisy quickly hugged Kate and cried, "Why didn''t you tell me that you would be here today? If I hadn''t got back early, I wouldn''t have seen you."


    Daisy''s hug gave Kate a bit of comfort; she said with a big smile on her face, "I was waiting for you."


    Happily wiping the tears from her face, Daisy asked, "Will you have lunch here? I can cook your favorite steak for you. Your mother taught me how to do it."


    Hearing someone talk about her mother, Kate shook head and said, "Let''s cook something else. I don''t want to eat anything that Dora will fault me for when she sees it."


    "You are totally right! She''s really pissed me off." Daisy stated, "She went crazy and made a mess of your room. I couldn''t stop her, and when I helped clean it, she messed it up again. Your father didn''t stop her, and I have no way¡­"


    "Whatever, I seldom come back. I really don''t want to argue with her."


    "I want to live with you so that I can take care of you¡­" Daisy wiped her tears again, "Your mother had treated so kindly before, but now not only me, even you are bullied by that evil woman¡­"


    Kate seldom talked to Daisy about her living condition now. Whenever Daisy asked about it, she would just say ''everything was okay'' because she did not want her to worry about her.


    "Daisy, please take my advice and leave here. I bought you a very nice house, and you don''t need to care about anything." Kate knew that Daisy suffered a lot because of her.


    "No!" Daisy rejected firmly, "Your mother treated me very well. I must stay here to protect your legal rights. Also, I need to stop that evil woman from taking away everything that belongs to you."


    Kate knew Dora was malicious, but she didn''t want Daisy to sacrifice her happiness for it.


    "Kate, you must be careful of Dora and try your best to inherit the White Group. Your mother begged your father to give it to you before she died. If you take it casually, Dora will plead with Leo to give her the Group. With no daughter by her side, Dora will, of course, seek more money to protect herself. You will get nothing, Kate."


    "Daisy!" Dora''s sharp voice echoed through the room out of blue.


    Daisy shook with fear and hid behind Kate quickly, saying, "Oh no! She heard what I said. I shouldn''t have said it so loudly."


    "Don''t worry! You are just telling the truth," Kate raised her eyebrows and stared at Dora with her eyes full of anger. She was about to ask her about the room but was stopped before she could say anything.


    "Who do you think you are? You are just an adopted daughter with no blood relation to this family. What a shame!" Dora stepped forward and raised her hand as if she was going to slap Daisy.


    Seeing Dora''s movements, Kate pushed Dora, "Don''t take this too far."


    Dora stumbled and then stabled herself, yelling at Kate with extreme anger, "How dare you push me?"


    "You attacked us first! I was just defending myself." Kate replied firmly.


    Dora exploded with rage, pointing a finger in Kate''s face and shouted, "You son of a bitch! I''ll make sure Joseph knows how bad you are!"


    She pulled out her phone and dialed a number.


    Daisy tried to stop her, "Dora, it''s our own business, and we can deal with it ourselves. Why bother Joseph?"


    "Hello, this is Dora. How are you, Joseph?" Dora said with a malicious grin.


    "Are you available to come to my house to help me? Kate beat me." Dora sobbed, pretending to cry.


    "You are so disgusting!" Seeing no tears on her face, Daisy growled, "Kate didn''t beat you at all. She just pushed you in self-defense."


    After hanging up with Joseph, Dora said, "Yes, you are telling the truth, but I think Joseph will handle it fairly."


    From the moment Dora stepped foot in the house, Kate clearly knew what kind of person she was. In the beginning, Dora bullied her when her father wasn''t around, then she began to make difficulties for Kate at any time. Kate did not want to bring up the past or fuss over the tiny things. However, Dora called Joseph to embarrass her, and she couldn''t stand it any longer.

 Chapter 3: His Threats

    "Welcome, Joseph! Have a seat, please!" Leo said. He knew about what had happened between Dora, Kate, and Daisy, but he chose to ignore it. However, when Joseph arrived, he needed to deal with it.


    "Sorry to bother you with such tiny things, Joseph." Dora pretended to apologize, lowering her head and cupping her face.


    Kate was sitting on the left side of the sofa. She could see Joseph''s eyes but did not dare raise her head; the anger coming from him could be felt by everyone.


    "What happened, mom?" Joseph asked Dora, but his eyes were focused on Kate all the time.


    Dora cast a glance at Kate and whispered, "I¡­, I just want to talk with Daisy. But Kate¡­Kate¡­"


    Kate looked up to see when Dora started to speak.


    "I¡­ I dare not to say something bad about Lady Kate. She is now your wife and is of decent status. If I offend her, she may seek revenge¡­" Dora cried, "Anna died so young. Just as they said, I have no one by my side and can only obey them. If not, I will be cast out¡­"


    "You¡­" Daisy was furious. She explained to Joseph in a hurry, "She is lying. In fact, she¡­"


    "Shut up!" Joseph interrupted her coldly and looked at Kate with a cold expression, "Did you hit her?"


    Kate hesitated then asked, "Is it that important?"


    Even though she knew Joseph had a hectic day, Kate knew that he would come whenever Dora asked him to. It made it even more apparent as to how important Anna was.


    "So, you did hit her?" He asked again with his eyes full of rage.


    Suddenly, Joseph stood up, bypassed the tea table, and stood in front of Kate, saying, "You think you don''t need to respect anyone just because you are my wife?"


    The cold and domineering breath made the atmosphere in the room even tenser.


    Leo looked confused; he was unsure of what was going to happen or what he should do. In the last two years, he acquired a new skill, which was keeping himself out of situations by being oblivious to everything. He thought it was the fairest way, and the only way he would not lose Joseph''s help.


    Dora was extremely happy. She knew that Joseph still loved Anna so she would take advantage of any situation she could to defend herself.


    "Dora doesn''t respect me at all. Why should I respect her?" Kate refuted, looking directly into Joseph''s eyes.


    Joseph grabbed her by the collar and said, "It''s better to deal with our own affairs at home in private."


    Though his words were polite, Kate knew that she would be tortured when they arrived home.


    Dora sobbed, "Anna died so unexpectedly. I can only remember her when I am looking at the photos. But I just don''t know Kate minds it so much¡­"


    Kate had to admit that Dora was using the fact the Joseph loved Anna so much to get him on her.


    Joseph commanded the servant, "Go upstairs and pack out all Anna''s photos. I will take them home with me. Be careful, don''t break them!"


    "Yes, sir!" The servant ran upstairs.


    Dora was delighted with this result. She sobbed again and finally cried out, "Joseph, I''m so glad that you still love Anna. She truly loved the right man."


    Dora''s words made Kate''s heart ache. She was not disappointed in losing the battle, though, she was sad that Joseph''s love for Anna was more profound than even she imagined.


    "Go home! We still have to go to the family dinner tonight, and you will see the one you desire to see." Joseph warned, casting a glance at Kate.


    Hearing what Joseph said, Kate was confused. She did not think that there was someone she desired to see at a family gathering.


    Dora didn''t want the argument to be over. She continued, "I really appreciate that you love Anna so much. However, I am worried that someone will destroy the photos if you take them to your home. I am afraid that I will not have a chance to see them anymore¡­"


    "Don''t worry. No one will touch these photos without my permission!" Joseph raised his voice and said directly to Kate.


    Kate did not say anything to Joseph; the pain she was feeling was too much. She knew that Dora still wanted Joseph to scold and embarrass her, so she argued, "I don''t think that I need to compete with a dead person for a man. After all, she is not even alive."


    After hearing the comment about her deceased daughter, Dora''s rage erupted. She shouted, "What the f**k?"


    "I''m just telling the truth. Can you ask Joseph to divorce me and marry your daughter? So funny!"


    It was the first time Kate had said something so evil to Dora. She normally would not argue with her because she was the one who had caused the accident two years prior. However, Dora went too far, and she couldn''t stand it, and regardless of what she said or did, there would be a punishment waiting for her when she and Joseph returned home. Therefore, she decided to hurt Dora viciously.


    Joseph was irritated. He grabbed her collar and said angrily, "I will not divorce you even if you irritate me in this way."


    Kate pushed him away and flaunted to Dora, "You hear that? He said he would not divorce me!"


    Yes, he would not divorce her unless Anna reappeared, and he needed to help Anna get revenge on her.


    "Go home!" he murmured to her and warned, "If you don''t care your grandma''s life, you can do whatever you want."


    Kate shivered to hear his threat. She looked at his angry face, and he mumbled, "Fine! let''s go¡­go home to prepare for¡­ for the family dinner."


    Her sudden change in attitude only made Joseph sick.


    Joseph turned around to Leo and Dora and said, "Don''t worry. I will take care of Anna''s photos."


    "Okay, good." Hearing this, Leo found that perhaps he made the wrong decision. After Anna''s death, he counted on Kate to gain Joseph''s favor and help the White Group. But he knew that Joseph did not love Kate at all.


    But how can a dead person help him? He thought to himself.


    "Joseph, I think Anna will be moved by what you do for her. She will be happy to be at your home." Dora shouted, full of gratitude.


    "Kate¡­" Daisy ran out to call Kate, but Daisy did not dare to say anything else.


    Kate did not want her to worry about her, so she smiled at her and said, "Don''t worry. I will be fine. Take care of yourself. If you cannot bear Dora, just move to the new house that I bought for you."


    "But¡­" Daisy thought Joseph and Kate got along well all the time, but what Joseph did showed her a different side of their relationship.


    After they left, Dora had a smug smile. She turned around to Daisy and said proudly, "You see, this is the result. If you and Kate dare to despise me, I will tell Joseph to teach you a lesson."


    "Good and evil will always be rewarded; it is only a question of time. Joseph will find out about the evil things you have done." Daisy shouted, which made Dora very angry.


    "How dare you shout at me? You are only an adopted daughter of this family." Dora added, "I guess you are still here because you want to inherit the property."


    "Holy shit! You are talking nonsense."


    "Shut up!" Leo interrupted them and asked Daisy to prepare for lunch.


    Daisy clearly knew her status in this family. She held her rage and nodded, then went to the kitchen.

 Chapter 4: A Cat Scratched Me

    On his way home, Joseph tried his best to calm down, but the moment he stepped into the mansion, he was full of rage once again.


    "Ricky, take Anna''s photos in my bedroom."


    "Emm¡­Okay¡­" Ricky collected the photos and glanced at Kate.


    "Let me help you," Amy said happily.


    Kate was not surprised at it. After all, they only recognized Anna as the only hostess of the house.


    "Kate, how can you be so rude to Dora?" Joseph shouted to her, "You led Anna to her death. What you own now all belongs to Anna, and Dora just wanted to put her photos in your room. Why did you beat her?"


    "I have said many times that Anna didn''t die because of me," Kate answered. She could bear all misunderstandings toward her, except that one. Over the two years since her death, Anna''s name hunted her like a nightmare every night.


    "She would not have a car accident if she did not come to pick you up."


    Joseph seized her by the throat and spat out, "You are jealous of her. You were afraid that you would lose your family''s inheritance if she married me."


    "Let me go!" Kate did not want to refute him with any words. She just wanted to get rid of his grasp.


    "You have the courage to murder her but dare not to admit what you''ve done. You are just as evil as your mother!"


    His word was like lightning striking; Kate suddenly raised her hand and slapped Joseph''s face. It happened so fast that he barely had time to move. Kate could take any insult people threw at her, but not about her mother!


    Joseph felt a stinging pain on his cheek, and then he grabbed Kate with all of his strength, wanting to kill her. However, she stared him directly in the eye, and seeing her brave face, Joseph suddenly loosened his grip and pushed her away.


    Then he calmly said, "I''ll not let you die so easily."


    "Oh my! You are bleeding, my dear!" Amy yelled, seeing the blood on Joseph''s face and ran to fetch the medical box.


    Joseph ignored her and went upstairs.


    Kate was still standing motionlessly beside the sofa. After about ten minutes, Amy came back downstairs. When she saw Kate there, she marched to her and scolded, "How could you slap him? He is a public figure!"


    Kate was still full of anger now. She replied, "It''s none of your business!"


    "I¡­" Amy was a little scared. She explained in a hurry, "Don''t be angry. I''m just worried that you still need to go to the family dinner tonight, and¡­"


    "I can deal with it myself. Just mind your own business," Kate repeated. In fact, she had never answered back to Amy in such a cruel way because she thought it was a waste of time. But today, she was angry and needed to vent her anger.


    Amy was actually frightened as it was the first time she saw an angry Kate and heard such sharp words from her.


    On the one hand, it was because her mother, Flora, was Cassie''s best friend; on the other hand, Cassie did not like Dora, who married Leo through evil means. However, Joseph was Cassie''s son, and the only person she could rely on. Perhaps she would be very disappointed that Kate hurt him.


    When she was lost in thought, Joseph came back downstairs.


    "Change your clothes and leave after half an hour." He commanded.


    Kate attempted to look at the scratch on his face, but he turned his head the other way on purpose.


    "You didn''t hear me?" He urged.


    Lowering her head, Kate went upstairs to get ready for family dinner. Her fair skin, pretty face, and big blue eyes were beautiful even without makeup. So, she didn''t bother with her hair or makeup. After changing into a beige dress, she was back downstairs in less than ten minutes.


    Knowing that Joseph was waiting for her in the car, she ran outside toward him. He felt that she looked like an eight-year-old kid rather than a twenty-five-year-old married woman.


    Quietly getting in the car, Kate put her seatbelt on and tried to her best not to stare at the scratch on Joseph''s face. Though he had applied ointment to it, it was still visible.


    She slightly opened her lips and wanted to apologize to him, but was stopped by his cold warning, "Don''t tell my mother about it!"


    She was a little confused and asked, "What? Are you afraid of me telling your mother what happened today?"


    "How ridiculous! I''m never afraid of anyone. I just do not want her to worry about us." he warned, "Listen! I will never forgive you."


    "Why don''t you let me go since you hate me so much? I don''t love you now," In fact, she still loved him but was fed up with his cruelty to her.


    During the two years passed, she had dealt with so much pain, physically and mentally. She was disappointed with him and their marriage.


    "I won''t let you go unless¡­"


    "Unless what?" she asked in doubt.


    "Unless Anna comes back to life." He stared at her with a smirk.


    "You¡­" Obviously, it was impossible.


    He would mistreat the woman he hated so much instead of giving her freedom.


    Neither of them said anything until they arrived at the Smith mansion. Joseph finally ordered, "Don''t pretend to be so pitiful in front of my family!"


    Kate stared at him and was about to comment, but was interrupted by the servant''s words, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you have finally arrived. I have been waiting for you."


    They smiled at him and then walked into the well-decorated mansion. As Kate had expected, all family members were present, and Samuel was among them. Kate had not seen him for two years, so when he was standing in front of her, she was caught a little off guard.


    Joseph, at the sight of her expression, took her hand and sat opposite of Samuel. The head of the family, Vincent Smith, was sitting on the armchair between the two sofas.


    "Kate, I''m so glad you were able to make it," An elegant voice said as she walked down the stairs. It was Joseph''s mother, Cassie.


    Kate stood up to greet her but felt very nervous.


    "Why do you look so tired?" Mrs. Smith asked in worry and took a seat beside her.


    "No, I''m not tired." She answered with a stiff smile on her face. She was just worried that someone would see the scratch on Joseph''s face.


    "Joseph, what''s wrong with your face?" Vincent Smith asked in a low voice at that very moment.


    Kate was so nervous that she could hardly breathe.


    "We had a pet cat at the house recently. She did not adapt to the new environment as we had hoped, so she scratched me when I approached her." Joseph quickly answered. He could always cope with everything calmly, except for when it came to Anna.


    Kate was thankful that he came up with an excuse so that she could be spared the embarrassment in front of his family.


    "Do you even like cats? I didn''t think you did," Vincent Smith said, "Regardless, it is an honor for it to be your pet. How could it scratch you?"


    "I have punished her." Joseph interrupted and looked over at Kate, saying, "If she scratches me again, I will hit her severely."

 Chapter 5: A Talk with Cassie Smith

    Cassie looked at Joseph and then turned to Kate. Seeing their expressions, she smiled and said to Vincent, "Dad, let''s forget about the cat. We should enjoy our reunion, shouldn''t we?"


    Then Vincent shifted his focus to Samuel and said, "You have not been home for two years. Will you be leaving again?"


    "No, Grandpa. I missed home very much when I was abroad. And now my parents are not in the best of health. I want to be at home to help take care of them," Samuel replied politely.


    "That''s great. The Smith Group also needs you. I think Joseph may be too busy to deal with all business affairs," Vincent said while looking at Joseph.


    Samuel nodded and said, "Yes, as a member of the Smith family, I should contribute my share to the Smith Group."


    "Okay, you can get started tomorrow."


    "Thank you, Grandpa." Samuel nodded in appreciation with a smug smile on his face.


    Vincent looked at Joseph and asked, "Do you have any objection?"


    "Of course not. It''s all up to you, Grandpa," Joseph answered.


    "Samuel, since Joseph has no objections, I want you to learn from him and cooperate with him to develop our Group," Mr. Smith said, "Our Group has developed quickly in the last two years that you have been away. However, I firmly believe it will make even more of a huge progression with your joint efforts."


    "I''ll try my best to learn from him and be as excellent as he is," Samuel looked at Kate and added, "I also hope to marry a kind and caring wife as he does. I think he is fortunate."


    Kate was a little uneasy when she heard Samuel''s comment. She suddenly thought of the scene that happened two years ago and realized what Joseph meant when he said, "you will see the one you desire."


    Joseph not only had a misunderstanding of what led to Anna''s death but also about the fact that she had an affair with Samuel.


    "But if you just keep focusing on other''s belongings, you will not be as fortunate as I am," Joseph answered him with a cold face.


    "Maybe I will, or maybe not. After all, nothing is impossible for a willing mind," Joseph argued. They seemed to be ready to quarrel with each other.


    Mr. Smith reprimanded, "I have said many times not to pay much attention to love. You will finally meet the right girl and get married."


    Samuel knew his grandpa was warning him. So, he nodded, though he did not agree with him at all.


    "You two, come to my study." Mr. Smith stood up with the help of his walking stick and went toward the study.


    Joseph looked at Kate and said, "You can have a chat with our mother."


    "Okay," Kate replied while nodding her head.


    All the Smith family members were present, therefore, they still need to act as if they were a loving couple.


    "Brian has to take some medication now, and I need to leave for a bit as well," Samuel''s mother, Gina, said.


    "Okay, see you later tonight!" Cassie stood up to walk them to the door. Kate followed quietly behind her.


    Vincent Smith had two sons and one daughter. The oldest son was Joseph''s father, Rowan Smith. He died of disease several years prior; the second son was Samuel''s father, Brian Smith. He was in bad health, so it was his wife, Gina, who took care of him now. Vincent''s daughter was Jenny, who had just turned eighteen.


    When the others left, Cassie turned to Kate and said that she wanted to talk with her in her room. Kate became very nervous when she heard the tone in Cassie''s voice.


    "Kate, tell me the truth. It was you scratched him, wasn''t it?" Cassie asked her seriously after they sat down.


    Kate paused and replied, "Sorry, Mom. I did not do it on purpose. I was just too angry with him, and before I knew it..."


    She did not feel bad for Joseph at all, just for Cassie.


    Cassie scolded, "I hope you can take good care of my son rather than hurt him. He is a public figure, so a good image is crucial for him. He will be the heir of the Smith Group!"


    Thinking of Vincent Smith''s order to have Samuel work in the Group, Cassie felt a little anxious because Samuel might threaten Joseph''s status.


    "Sorry¡­" Kate did not like explaining to others about anything. So, she could say nothing except sorry.


    Cassie shook head helplessly, saying, "I know he doesn''t treat you well, but you shouldn''t scratch his face. What if others spread it in public? Then he will lose his reputation!"


    "I understand that, Mom," Kate replied.


    "And I also need to remind you that you''d better keep your distance from Samuel," Cassie said, "Although they are cousins, they have also been competing since they were born. I hope you can fully understand it."


    "I do, Mom." To her surprise, Cassie also thought she had an affair with Samuel.


    Cassie nodded with satisfaction. She looked at her belly and asked, "Have you been able to make any effort in getting pregnant?"


    Kate faltered, "I¡­"


    "As long as you have a baby, he will secure a firmer place in this family and the Smith Group. And you will hopefully have a better relationship. It is of great importance, and you should see that," Cassie said in a mild tone, but it felt more like a command.


    Every time they spoke, Cassie reminded Kate of how important it was for her to have a baby. However, she knew that Joseph didn''t love her at all; she could not bring herself to have his child.


    Kate said, "Mom, you also know that he does not love me. He only loves Anna. If we have a baby, I don''t think it would be fair to my kid."


    She never usually said anything when Cassie spoke her getting pregnant, but this time she knew she had to face her, "I don''t refuse to have a child because I do love him, but right now I am extremely disappointed in him."

 Chapter 6: No More Contraceptive Pills

    "I know, but Kate, have you ever cared about your father? Without support from the Smith Group, how would the White Group survive? Not to mention that he is paralyzed from the waist down, he has no choice but to sit in a wheelchair all day long," Cassie chattered. Her voice was gentle, but there was an underlying tone of threatening.


    Kate did not reply to her questions; she just sat quietly.


    "Also, do you really want to lose to a dead person? Do you want to bear the blame for the rest of your life?" Mrs. Smith continued.


    "But Mom, do I have any other choice? We only torture each other the more we live together," Kate said as she hung her head. With a begging tone in her voice and a pitiful look on her face, Kate concluded, "Mom, Joseph is a handsome and smart man, I am sure that he could find a better woman in the future. Plus, you know that he has always looked at me as if I was the killer who led to Anna''s death. I am his enemy; he is discontented that he needs to face me every day."


    Cassie knew that Kate was telling the truth, but she also knew that it would be difficult to find such a compliant daughter-in-law if her son was to remarry.


    **


    After dinner, while Joseph and his mother went upstairs to talk, Kate sat in the living room to relax after the long day she had. Samuel walked in and took a seat near Kate; he casually asked, "Can we talk?"


    Kate ignored him, but Samuel began to speak anyway, "It has been two years since we met each other. Can I please have the opportunity to explain?"


    Explain what? Kate thought she was confused yet a bit curious also. She said, "We''re going to be leaving soon, could you make you long speech short?"


    Samuel grinned. He asked, "Are you happy to be Lady Kate?"


    That was a hard question for Kate to answer; she had no idea what to say.


    Continuing to bombard Kate with questions, Samuel asked, "I heard that Joseph initiated a charity project recently, called The Anna & Joseph Home, do you know anything about it? You should know that he doesn''t love you and only married you so that he can destroy your life and get revenge for Anna."


    "Stop," Kate didn''t want to listen anymore. However, Samuel had Kate in front of him, and he wasn''t going to stop while he had the chance to speak to her, "Kate, I still have feelings for you. Do you remember two years ago? It was not an accident; I planned and worked for you, especially. I love you. And now, my dear Kate, I am coming back to be at your side. I will be here from now on and protect you."


    "ENOUGH!" Kate couldn''t bear to hear any more of what Samuel was saying. She thought that he was going to say the event two years ago was just a misunderstanding, but instead, he confirmed it wasn''t.


    Joseph said that she was his wife, left Kate with a warm feeling in her heart. It may have only been a simple word to anyone else, but he had never called her his wife since they got married.


    Samuel didn''t back down from Joseph, though, "If you love Kate, I will leave her alone without any reason. But as far as I know, your true love was Anna and still is. There should be no reason for me not to take Kate away from you."


    Their grandpa had requested that Samuel return home, so he was much more confident with himself. Joseph was aware that their grandpa was supporting Samuel, but he wasn''t going to give up either. He continued to explain to his cousin with a charming voice, "So what? Kate married me, and I share the same bed with her, not with you. Not ever!"


    After speaking, he put his right arm around Kate''s shoulder. She was even more confused by the intimate contact in public. She knew that Joseph had no loving feelings toward her, so she didn''t understand why he was so kind. Kate assumed it was just to show off in front of Samuel.


    Joseph then continued, "When you failed after your confession two years ago, you should know that Kate doesn''t love you. You should know who she loved."


    Kate tried to speak up after Joseph''s comment. She wanted to deny that she had feelings for Joseph, then she might have the chance of getting a divorce. However, Joseph seemed to have sensed what she was thinking. He pinched her shoulder as if threatening her not to say anything.


    Samuel sneered, "If you don''t know how to cherish love, even the best love will vanish one day."


    "It''s none of your business," Joseph replied. He pulled Kate''s hand, "Let''s go home!"


    "Kate, don''t forget to call me. I didn''t change my number," Samuel yelled, trying to distract Kate from Joseph.


    When they reached their car, Joseph was still angry, he forced Kate into the car and slammed the door behind her.


    "Joseph, don''t you feel tired of playing these games all the time?" Kate couldn''t hold back any longer. Every time they went to see Joseph''s family, she had to cooperate and pretend to be a sweet, loving couple with him. It wasn''t so bad in the beginning, but it made her feel sick to her stomach now.


    "Well, Samuel''s back has some effect on you?" Joseph didn''t reply but asked with a sarcastic tone.


    Kate didn''t want to say anything anymore because she knew it would only end up causing an argument. She turned to look out the window, watching the scenery outside.


    It wasn''t a long drive home, but it felt like an eternity for both of them. As soon as they walked inside, Joseph immediately said, "Let''s go to the bedroom!"


    Kate knew what he was referring to, she was ready for the punishment, but she figured she would try to buy herself some time, "If you want to talk about something, why don''t we just talk about it here?"


    "You know damn well what you will happen when we back!" He commented.


    It was Joseph''s home, Kate had no choice and anything she did try was useless. Plus, she needed Joseph''s money to cure her grandma. She shrugged her shoulders and surrendered.


    Joseph slammed the bedroom door behind them, causing Kate to become even more nervous. She looked at the man with demonic eyes walking toward her. She had to try and save herself, she quickly said, "Now that you have Anna''s picture here, would you please let me ¡­?"


    Before she could say anything more, Joseph leaped toward her, grabbing her by the throat. With a fierce look on his face and anger in his voice, he said, "You are just trying to piss me off, thinking that way I won''t touch you?"


    Kate tried to resist, but the pressure from Joseph''s hands was too much. She couldn''t move as he whispered in her ear, "From now on, no more contraceptive pills."


    "Why?"


    "You''re Lady Kate; and you''re obliged to give birth to a baby for the Smiths."


    "But I''m a FAKE lady!" Kate didn''t want to give birth to Joseph''s child, even if she did love him.


    "Does it mean that you want to be the true lady?" Joseph sneered, "You don''t deserve it."


    "If I don''t deserve it, why should I have a child for you?" Kate asked back.


    "There are no reasons to argue. Grandpa wants to have a grandchild; you must be pregnant in the next six months," Joseph ignored Kate''s unwillingness and tore open her dress. He was tired of listening to his family, urging them to have a child.


    Kate felt mistreated; nobody considered her needs. She wondered who they thought they were to treat her like a baby-making factory.


    When thinking of this, she was outraged and said, "Joseph, do you have any conscious? I don''t want to give birth to a child for you, even if I became pregnant, I''d have an abortion!"


    I''ll never let you get what you want!

 Chapter 7: The Condition

    No, this''s not the life I wanted, I don''t want to be controlled by him anymore. Kate thought to herself, then she realized there might be a way out of the situation, "Fine, I will have your baby, but on one condition."


    "What is that?" Joseph was a little surprised at Kate''s reaction. No matter if he like her condition or not, he needed to have a child with her. His grandpa was dissatisfied with him; he had to do something to win back his trust.


    "I want money. Ten million dollars." Kate said.


    "No problem," Joseph promised without the least hesitation. He didn''t expect such a simple condition.


    "And¡­" Kate wasn''t finished though, she continued, "We will get a divorce after I have the baby."


    Kate needed not only money but also freedom. The payment was for grandma so that they could afford the treatments she needed. The freedom was for herself. She knew she shouldn''t use a child in the negotiation, but she had no choice. It was the only chance she had to get the money and freedom she needed to survive.


    "Kate Smith, don''t try to play tricks with me. You will never get out of my control as long as you live!" Joseph was furious with Kate''s divorce demand, and the fact that she threatened them with their unconceived child.


    "Fine, then we then have nothing to talk." Kate insisted, with a harsh tone.


    Joseph was so used to her usual obedient, wordless attitude; she had never stood up to him before. He couldn''t figure out what was happening, what had changed, and then he thought of Samuel. The rage in him grew stronger, the grip on Kate''s neck got tighter, "Kate, let me make this clear, your grandma will suffer without her treatments, and your father will go bankrupt."


    "I don''t care. You may have money, but you can''t get pregnant. You will have to explain everything to your grandpa. You can threaten me all you want; I am so fed up. Even if you say you are going to kill me, I won''t have a baby unless you agree." Kate was desperate, and over their marriage, she compromised with Joseph so many times. She knew that if she gave in, it would only lead to more suffering.


    Still in shock that she was standing up to him, Joseph was quiet for a long time before saying, "Okay, it is a deal."


    The marriage between them wasn''t built on love and trust; Joseph only married her to get revenge for Anna; he didn''t love her or want to be with her. The promise of having his baby was enough for him; after that, she would be useless anyway.


    **


    The next morning when Joseph stepped out of the bathroom after his shower, Kate handed him a piece of paper to sign.


    Joseph was shocked; he didn''t expect Kate to prepare an agreement so quickly. However, he was not going to let her see his panic; he murmured, "Hand me a pen."


    Kate let out a sigh of relief when she saw his signature on the agreement. She could begin counting the days until she was free.


    A sense of discomfort swept over Joseph seeing Kate''s pleasure.


    What is wrong with me? Am I really unwilling to let her leave? NO! I am just pissed that she took advantage of the situation.


    "You''d better pray to get pregnant soon, or you''ll get nothing." Joseph continued.


    Kate knew that what Joseph cared about was having a child, with a nasty tone, she said, "Having a baby takes two people. If you don''t work hard, my work won''t matter."


    Damn you, stupid woman. How dare you mock me?


    Then he put his head close to her ear and said in a sexy and luring voice,


    "Don''t worry; I''ll work hard before you have a baby."


    Kate blushed, and her heart was pounding out of control after hearing Joseph''s comment. She quickly calmed down, knowing that he could not get to her any longer, no matter how handsome he was.


    Even though it was the weekend, Joseph had to go to work. The moment he walked out of their room, Kate got up to get dressed to go visit with her friend, Lisa Green.


    **


    In a warmly decorated tea shop, Lisa was preparing for customers to arrive when she saw Kate getting out a taxi.


    It had been a long time since Lisa saw Kate; she was worried and quickly asked, "Why are you here today? Don''t you need to be with your husband?"


    Kate forced a smile, said, "Joseph? Did he need me? I didn''t want to stay with him." Kate told the truth, staying with that man only made her more depressed.


    Lisa agreed with Kate; she nodded and said, "You''re right. He didn''t care about you, whatever you did for him would be pointless. Let alone the fact that he hates you so much."


    As a close friend, Lisa knew Kate well; she knew how much Kate had suffered since she got married. She could do nothing but comfort her.


    "I have to end this," Kate said with a firm voice. She had made up the mind.


    "End?" Lisa knew how hard it would be to end; it wasn''t as simple as saying it. She continued to ask, "How can you end it? What about the fact that you love him? You have nothing to argue about."


    Kate explained the condition she and Joseph had agreed to the night prior.


    "But, are you going to be able to leave your child?" Lisa did not agree with Kate''s plan. She then continued, "Kate, I know you''re fed up with Joseph. You can''t wait to get rid of him, but one day, when you become mother, it may not be that easy to leave him."


    Kate understood what Lisa meant, but she had no other choice. There was no way she could live under his control.


    "Kate, I know how eagerly you want your freedom." Kate continued, "I just don''t know if you will be as firm in your decision as you are right now when you have a baby."


    "I know. Two years ago, when Anna died in the car accident, I married Joseph at the request of the marriage agreement between the two families.


    I was innocent at that time, thinking Joseph would change the attitude toward me as time passed. However, I underestimated his love for Anna and his hatred for me¡­"

 Chapter 8: Punishment in the Rain

    Kate smiled helplessly, "Maybe it was destiny, and Joseph has always liked the shining, sexy women like Anna. I am nothing but a boring woman like a bottom of mineral water just as he said."


    "Mineral water is so healthy, though!" She was trying to cheer Kate up, "that woman stabbed you in the back when she was alive. She got what was coming to her."


    "Alright, Lisa, there''s no need to be angry with someone who has passed away." Kate patted her shoulder to calm her down.


    The two friends talked for a while longer, and then Kate decided to go to the hospital. When she arrived, she checked in with the doctor to see how her grandmother was doing. Then Kate, stood outside of the ICU ward looking lost. Her grandma had been in a coma for two years; each day, Kate prayed she would wake up.


    Overhead Kate could her thunderstorms starting to roll in. She was lost in the thoughts of the storm when her phone rang, startling her. She took her phone out and looked at the caller ID.


    "What''s the matter?" There was profound boredom in her cold tone when she answered.


    "Take Alan to the veterinary clinic; he is sick." The caller''s demand was colder than hers.


    Kate asked irritably, "Didn''t you warn me never to touch Alan yesterday?"


    "It''s different now!" Joseph seemed to be irritated by her, "If anything happens to Alan, the same thing will happen to your grandma."


    "You are despicable!" Kate burst out savagely but reluctantly agreed, "I will go back and take him to the clinic right away!"


    When she had Joseph''s baby and got the $10,000,000, she wouldn''t have to worry about the cost of her grandma''s recovery and be bullied by some man.


    **


    Kate left the hospital and flagged down a taxi to rush home.


    "Lady Kate, you are finally home. Alan fell ill suddenly, Lord Joseph is in Tenley City on business, so I asked him to call you. Please take Alan to see the veterinarian; you know that Alan is the only reminder that Miss White left for Lord¡­"


    Kate took Alan from Amy''s arms and left the room without saying a word.


    Amy''s lip twitched as she pretended to follow in a panic.


    **


    While at the clinic, Alan received a vaccine, but there were no problems when the veterinarian inspected him.


    Kate and Alan arrived home to find Amy waiting for them with a smile on her face, "Amy, is something funny? If you are bored, you can take Alan out for a walk!"


    Since Kate had moved into the house, Amy had done nothing but fought with her, especially when Joseph wasn''t home.


    "Don''t play dumb with me when Joseph isn''t here!" She said bluntly, "I''m still your master even if Joseph dislikes me. I''m afraid offending your boss will not be tolerated anymore!"


    Hearing the seriousness in voice, Amy suddenly panicked, "La ... Lady Kate, I didn''t mean to offend you. I noticed that Alan did not have much of an appetite today and thought he was seriously ill. I called Lord Joseph in a panic¡­ I apologize if I troubled you, and I will never do it again¡­"


    Kate had no patience for Amy; she had bullied her for so long, why should she fight back?


    Kate knew that Ricky and Amy were friends, and therefore, he would not like to punish Amy. She quickly beckoned for Henry''s help.


    "Lady Kate, what can I do for you?" Henry asked respectfully.


    "People who don''t obey the rules and choice to offend their master should be taught a lesson!" Kate glanced at Amy, who looked terrified. "It''s raining outside; I think you should go out in the rain since it is so hot!"


    Hearing this, Amy stepped back in fright. She waved her hand and refused, "Lady, I ... I don''t feel hot ..."


    "Hot or not, it''s not up to you!" Kate turned to Henry, "Put her out in the rain. Don''t let her come in without my permission!"


    "Yes!" Henry said. Kate''s sudden aggressiveness surprised Henry a lot. He also knew that she didn''t have any status in the family, so her courage stunned him. However, he chose to obey her request. Besides, he knew she was the boss when Joseph was not home.


    Ricky tried to plead for Amy but had to bow his head or else risk being punished.


    Amy couldn''t believe what she had heard and began to resist, "No, Lady Kate, I''m not in good health. I can''t be out in the rain..."


    "Really?" Kate sneered, then looked at her aggressively, "Then it is a good opportunity to work on your immunity!"


    Amy knew that Kate was determined to punish her. She snarled, "I am polite enough to call you Lady, but we all know what you are in the eyes of the Lord!"


    Kate laughed instead of getting angry, "You respect me? With my permission? Why don''t you complain you''re unhappy with Mr. Smith or Mrs. Smith? Playing tricks won''t work!"


    "I... ..." Amy, of course, understood Kate''s inference.


    Joseph disliked her, but Cassie Smith took good care of her. No matter how arrogant Amy was, she was just a servant.


    "Speechless?" Kate sneered, "You may flatter Joseph when he comes back, but stop your tricks in front of me; otherwise... you''ll regret it!"


    Kate had an attitude and confidence about her that Amy had never seen before.


    "You, of course, can bully me while Lord is not here!" Amy complained unhappily, but she knew there was no way to avoid the punishment.


    Kate watched without sympathy as Amy was pulled out into the rain.


    Observing Kate''s expression, Ricky cautiously said, "Lady Kate, the cook is on leave, and if Amy catches a cold, nobody will be here to cook for you."


    "Do you really think any meal made by a disobedient servant is edible?" Kate asked.


    All of Ricky''s determination to help Amy was immediately gone.

 Chapter 9: Punishing Amy

    Kate went upstairs to her bedroom then took out her phone to call Lisa and tell her everything that had happened.


    "Really?" Lisa jumped with wild joy after hearing the story.


    However, Kate was not sure if what she had done was right, so she said, "I don''t know if it was a suitable punishment."


    "My dear, you are just too kind. Although it is a good virtue, it all depends on who the target is. Amy mistreats you, so I don''t think you went too far. You need to teach her a lesson." Lisa was worried that Kate would feel guilty, so she went on persuading her, "You must be strong, determined, and confident. Otherwise, everyone will bully you."


    "I also want to be strong and confident. But whenever I am around Joseph, I''m just so timid." she heaved and said, "If Joseph were there then, I would have had no opportunity to punish Amy. After all, I''m not even as important as a servant here."


    Lisa frowned and said, "Kate, you can do it for a bit longer. When you have a baby, you will be completely free!


    "I don''t want to think about the baby. Now, I just want my grandma to wake up and my father to walk normally. Then I will not feel so guilty."


    "Of course, they will. They will be blessed because you are so kind." Her heart-warming words reassured Kate. She said, "Thank you, Lisa, for encouraging me all the time."


    "That''s all right. We are best friends. I will always be here for you." Lisa said. "But, I need to go, a customer just came in."


    Kate then said to her, "You make the tea for your customer. Hopefully, we can go shopping together when we are both available."


    "Sounds perfect. Talk soon. Bye."


    After hanging up the phone, Kate put her phone down and laid back on the bed to relax. Before she knew it, Kate was being woken up by a loud clap of thunder and someone pounding on her bedroom door. Remembering that Amy was outside, she immediately ran to open it.


    "Lady Kate, Amy fainted," Ricky reported.


    "What?" She ran downstairs quickly and saw Amy lying on the sofa soaked from the rain.


    Kate looked at the clock on the wall; forty minutes had passed. She only planned to punish her for ten minutes, but she fell asleep.


    "Take her to the hospital," Kate said calmly.


    "I think she just got cold being out in the rain. She just needs to go to her room and rest," Ricky advised lowering his head.


    Hearing her advice refused, Kate realized something. She sneered and said, "No, it''s too serious. We must take her to see a doctor or have our family doctor give her an injection."


    "Emm¡­" Ricky did not know how to respond.


    When Ricky didn''t say anything, Kate added, "Don''t worry, when the family doctor gave her an injection, she will feel the pain and wake up."


    As she put her phone back in her pocket, Kate said, "You have a lot of work to do to improve your acting."


    The only punishment was going to be standing out in the rain, but when Amy tricked her, it made Kate even angrier. She sent Ricky to get her a shiatsu mat from the home gym.


    "You can do squats for an hour, up and down the entire time on the mat. This is a punishment but also a chance for you to get more exercise. Most importantly, you can''t play any more tricks." Kate commanded.


    "Lady Kate, I already know I was wrong. I will never offend you again. I beg you to let me go this time, please. I have learned my lesson." Amy pleaded.


    "It''s too late." Kate grinned, "You have lost my trust."


    "I¡­" Amy had no choice but to accept this punishment as well.


    Kate took a book from the shelf and sat on the living room sofa to read. As she relaxed, Amy was having a hard time and counted every second, hoping that Joseph would arrive home sooner than later.


    "Lord Joseph, you are home!" Ricky shouted.


    Kate looked up to see Joseph and Amy let out a sigh of relief. He would put an end to her punishment, "Welcome home, Lord Joseph."


    Though she was thrilled to see Joseph, Amy did not have the courage to step off the shiatsu mat. She only dared to watch Joseph, feeling both fearful and mistreated.


    Joseph glanced at Amy, then with confusion, asked, "What are you doing?"


    Amy answered quickly, ready to tell Joseph how Kate was treating her, "Lord Joseph, Lade Kate said it was too much trouble to take Alan to the veterinarian clinic and took her anger out on me. First of all, I had to stand out in the rain and then she told me to do squats on the shiatsu mat. She wouldn''t even let me rest after I passed out from being in the rain."


    Kate shook her head; she couldn''t believe how much better Amy''s performance was.


    "Is this true?" Joseph asked Kate seriously. Joseph often questioned her after listening to other''s explanations. She had already been accustomed to such unreasonable blame. Therefore, she just sneered, "Does my answer even matter? If not, don''t bother asking."


    "Is Alan okay?" Joseph asked Amy because the dog was what he cared about the most. He was the real reason why he came home sooner than planned.


    "Don''t worry; Alan is okay," Amy answered with a sweet smile, but her pain was evident.


    "You can stop, sit on the sofa," Joseph said to Amy, then turned his attention to Kate, "You still want to kill Anna''s favorite dog?"


    "I will tell you again. I''m not interested in Anna''s dog at all. If you didn''t call me, I would never have touched it." Kate snapped back.


    Why did I call her at a critical moment? Why did I trust her? Did she deserve my trust? Joseph thought to himself.


    Knowing that Alan was fine, he eased his anger and warned her in an ice voice, "I will kill you if you do anything to hurt Alan."

 Chapter 10: Going to Work Hand in Hand

    What if I was brave enough to say I saved him, not Anna? Would everything be different? Kate thought to herself.


    Amy had a smug smile on her face. Although she was punished, at least Joseph was on her side, and maybe if she was able to push Kate away, she could be Joseph''s wife one day.


    "Lord Joseph, please don''t blame Lady Kate. Alan is okay, and that is the most important thing, isn''t it?" Amy said kindly as if she was trying to help Kate.


    Kate despised her and then said to Joseph, "The doctor said there is nothing wrong with Alan. I don''t know why Amy lied to you. Again, I want to emphasize that I''m not interested in Alan at all. I just want to have a baby and then divorce you as stipulated in our agreement."


    Although she had said the same thing before, Kate was fed up and honestly meant what she said. She got up and walked up the stairs without saying another word to anyone.


    Amy put her head down and softly said, "Lord Joseph, Lady Kate vented her anger on me. I didn''t lie to you. Alan¡­"


    "ENOUGH!" Joseph interrupted and warned, "Don''t use Alan as your excuse to cause trouble. And watch your behavior in front of Kate. After all, you are only a servant."


    Amy was frightened by his words. She wondered what happened and if it was possible that he loved Kate.


    Once Kate was in her bedroom, she closed the door and squatted down against it. In the spacious room, she could not restrain her sorrow any longer. She would never show her weakness and cry in front of Joseph, no matter how maltreated and misunderstood she was. After each cry, she would hate Joseph more and be more eager for the divorce.


    **


    The next day, Kate and Joseph sat at the table, eating breakfast when Joseph suddenly said, "Samuel will be serving as the supervisor of your department."


    Kate paused for a moment and then continued to eat without acknowledging Joseph''s comment. She understood what he meant, and since she had no feelings for Samuel, she didn''t believe it was any of her business.


    "What a pity that you are not an actress? You can always hide your happiness very well." Joseph laughed at her.


    Kate still remained silent.


    "I have to warn you. Behave yourself in public. Otherwise, there will be hell to pay."


    "Are you so afraid of me cheating on you?" Kate asked grumpily.


    "You can try." He stared at her.


    "It''s not a difficult thing if I have a try," Kate said with a cold smirk.


    Ever since Samuel returned, Joseph felt that Kate was braver more confident. She not only dared to joke with him, but also bicker with him. Though she was more interesting than before, he felt uncomfortable with it.


    "If you do cheat on me, I will break your leg!" He stood up immediately and started to walk out of the room. Then, he spun around and demanded, "You will be going in my car to Smith Group today."


    Kate wanted to ask why, but he disappeared before she had the chance. When she finished breakfast, Kate walked out the door to find Joseph sitting in the driver''s seat of his car, waiting for her. Since they got married, Kate had been working in the planning department at Smith Group, and each morning Henry would drive her there. Even if she were leaving at the same time as Joseph, he would not drive her, so she was quite surprised.


    Looking out the window, Kate continued to wonder why Joseph was acting so strangely. She was more nervous than happy, though. She was so lost in her thoughts that they were at work before she had time to talk to him.


    "Get out!" Joseph ordered.


    Kate snapped back to reality and then glanced back to see Joseph before she got out, but he was faster than her. He was standing by the car door and reached out to hold her hand. Kate felt her heart rate increase, but quickly calmed down and pulled her hand away. She questioned him, "This is work, we are not around your family. Why is there a need to pretend we love each other?"


    Joseph glared at her and said, "Don''t bullshit. Just follow what I say."


    The more domineering Joseph was, the more arrogant Kate became. She refused to hold his hand and walked toward the building. Joseph grabbed her hand, then pulled her closer. Kate had not expected that he would react aggressively; she tried to push him away, but he was too strong.


    She looked at him in resentment and cursed, "Are you crazy?"


    Joseph was about to warn her about refusing his actions when he saw Samuel walking toward them, so instead, he kissed Kate on the lips.


    Staring at the man in front of her, Kate was shocked, and her entire body was frozen with fear. Since the wedding two years ago, he had never kissed her; not even at the wedding, he only kissed her hand. They had sex many times, but he was never romantic, he was only doing it to torture her before, but now it was to have a baby. Thinking of the situation, Kate wiped her lips, trying to get rid of any trace of him.


    "Good morning Joseph! Good morning Kate!" Samuel greeted them when he approached.


    Joseph smiled at him. He took Kate''s hand and asked, "Do you think this job worthy of your talent?"


    Samuel answered, "I think it is. Kate is here, so I can have her help me." He still kept a smile on his face, even though he hated the fact that Joseph just kissed Kate.


    "You are a supervisor; she is just an editor. I think you should be more


    competent than she is. If you ask her and need her help, I''m afraid the planning department may not develop as we hope."


    "I mean to ask her to help me get familiar with the working environment as soon as possible. As for other aspects, I think I can deal with them very competently. You don''t need to worry about it; I am sure we will see results in the next two months."


    "Okay, I hope you can live up to Grandpa''s expectations," Joseph said as he grabbed Kate''s hand again.


    Seeing Kate and Joseph hand in hand, walking into work, left Samuel feeling frustrated and angry.


    When Kate reached her desk, the morning''s events were weighing on her mind.


    She repeatedly replayed Joseph''s weird actions and wondered why he was acting like he was toward her.

 Chapter 11: New Supervisor

    The colleagues who usually ignored her each day, stopped by her desk to compliment and help her.


    "Lady Kate, your cup is empty. Let me help you to get some water." Lena picked up Kate''s glass and went to fill it.


    "Lady Kate, there is some dust on your desk. Let me help you clean it." Larry said as he wiped her computer desk with his elbow.


    "Kate, I¡­"


    Of course, Kate knew why they were so nice. She reluctantly smiled at them and said, "Everyone, it is time to get some work done. We are getting a new supervisor today, and if he sees us gathering¡­"


    Before Kate could say anything else, the people near her all ran back to their desks.


    "Kate, here is your water. It''s hot; please be careful when you drink it." Lena said with a big smile on her face, which was completely different from her usual actions.


    Kate smiled at her and said, "It''s probably better to have cold water." Then she poured it into her garbage can.


    Seeing Kate''s disapproval of her offering, Lena had her smile disappeared. She then said, "Yes, it is too hot today. It''s my fault. Let me help you with some cold water."


    Kate held onto her glass and said, "No, thank you. I can do it by myself."


    ¡®I¡­"


    In the past, Lena had no respect for Kate. She even came up with evil ideas to frame her because she thought that Kate was just Joseph''s so-called wife and that he would never love her. However, when Lena saw them walk in together, she became frightened.


    If I am not kind to her, it may be difficult for me in the future. I may even get fired. Lena thought to herself.


    "Hello, everyone!"


    Lena was daydreaming when she heard a strange male voice.


    Everyone turned to see the well-dressed Samuel standing in the doorway.


    "Wow! He is as handsome as Joseph!" Some female employees exclaimed.


    Kate thought of the comments behind her back about Joseph. Many people praised how handsome and smart Joseph was. He was always the best-looking man she ever saw, since the first time she met him.


    "I''m Samuel, the new supervisor of this department. I''m glad to be here, and I hope we will have everyone''s cooperation when it comes to developing further."


    Samuel made a brief self-introduction to all, but his eyes were focused on Kate all the time.


    All of the employees clapped their hands warmly to welcome Samuel.


    "Okay, please get back to work now." Samuel signaled them to stop applauding.


    Kate sat down, just about to start her computer when Samuel approached her. He playfully knocked on her desk and said, "Come to my office, Kate. I have some questions that I need to ask you."


    "Grandpa and Joseph both told me to ask you if I have any questions," Samuel said with a smug smile on his face.


    Kate believed that Vincent might have said that, but she never believed Joseph would.


    "Kate, we will be around each other every day and need to cooperate. If you dodge my request, it will not be beneficial for work."


    Knowing that Samuel was right, Kate realized that she had to leave everything that had happened between them in the past, it was just a misunderstanding.


    "Okay, but it needs to be quick. I have my work to do." She said impatiently.


    Samuel stared at her and asked, "Do you know why I ask Grandpa to arrange for me to work here?"


    "I don''t know and don''t want to know." She answered truthfully because she already knew what Samuel would say.


    "It is because of you," Samuel said, not caring that she didn''t want to know.


    "Don''t forget that I''m Joseph''s wife; we are family. Please behave yourself. I don''t want others to think that anything is going on between us."


    A saying came to Kate''s mind, "Those that lie with dogs will wake up with fleas."


    She had been with Joseph for a long time; she was aware of his warnings and took them seriously.


    "Don''t cheat yourself, Kate. Everyone can see that you and Joseph don''t get along very well." Samuel was full of jealousy and resentment toward Joseph.


    "I know," Kate just replied to him calmly.


    "Then why do you still love him? If you live with him, you will have no happiness in life. Leave him and be with me. You will be the apple of my eye, the love of my life, the¡­" Samuel rambled on.


    Seeing Samuel''s excitement, Kate interrupted, "Even if I didn''t marry him, I wouldn''t be with you? It is impossible."


    "¡­Why? I love you. I love you more than Joseph does! Why impossible!?"


    "Because I don''t love you at all." Kate refused him because she only had Joseph in her heart, even if Joseph didn''t love her.


    "You¡­You might never feel how deeply that comment hurt me. It was just like a knife that was stabbed directly into my heart."


    "Then please don''t say such words to me again. I don''t want to hurt you again."


    Kate said as she got up and walked out of Samuel''s office.


    Samuel was furious; he clenched his fists and mumbled to himself, "Am I not as good as Joseph? He may be the president of Smith Group, but that is only because of his father. I have the capability to manage it!"


    He remembered what his father told him, "You take Joseph as your brother, but he may not do the same. His father, to take control of the shares of Smith Group, tried everything he could to hurt me. Due to his scheming, I have been unable to accomplish anything in my life. I hope you will disappoint me!"


    Samuel vowed that he would push Joseph out of the company one day.


    "Lord Joseph, Lady Kate was just in Samuel''s office for some time." John shook as he reported to his boss.


    Joseph nodded and said, "Follow her closely and report to me immediately if they become too close."

 Chapter 12: Refuse His Invitation

    If Joseph was worried about Kate getting close, Samuel, why did he allow them to work together? Why didn''t he ask her to work under him? If he did, I would not need to spy on her. John thought to himself.


    He knew that the relationship between Joseph and Kate was not good, so he was amazed like the others when they were holding hands. He thought that maybe things between them had improved. However, Joseph asked him to spy on her, so it didn''t make any sense.


    It was lunchtime when Kate finished her work; she was planning to go to the canteen for lunch. However, Samuel approached her and said, "There are too many people in the canteen. How about going to a restaurant to have lunch?"


    "No, thank you." She declined him and then buried her head to sort out the files on her desk.


    "I have come to an understanding, though we cannot be lovers, we are still family. I just invited you for lunch as a family. Don''t overthink it." Samuel proposed hoping to get her to agree.


    "Sorry, I have an appointment." Kate took her bag and was getting ready to leave.


    Samuel looked around and saw nobody near them; he grabbed her hands and said, "Please don''t be rude to me. I cannot stand the fact that you are so cold to me."


    Kate gathered all her strength to pull her hands away, but couldn''t get Samuel to let go of them. She gave in and said, "I don''t want to avoid you. But you see, if we are too close, others will misunderstand. I hope you can see the predicament I am in with the Smith family.


    "I know it, so I want to save you." Samuel couldn''t restrain his love for her; he bent down to kiss her.


    Kate quickly moved so he would miss her lips, then she heard a cold voice from the door, "What are you doing?"


    The familiar voice made her trembled.


    Samuel let go of Kate and said, "Sorry, I just can''t restrain myself around her."


    Joseph marched towards them, with his cold eyes focusing on Kate''s face, "You are shameless!"


    Hearing the insulting words, she refuted full of anger, "How can you say that to me?"


    Obviously, it was Samuel who approached Kate, but Joseph never trusted her. They had been married for over two years, but he never intended to trust or get to know her.


    Samuel, instead of defending her, just remained silent. He wanted them to go a divorce, so if their relationship became worse, it would happen sooner, and he would win.


    "I know what are you thinking," Joseph pulled her into his chest and whispered in her ear, "But, I will not let you be with Samuel."


    Kate was speechless. Joseph obviously knew she loved him, so why would he think she wanted to be with Samuel? Although she was his wife, he wasn''t angry because he cared about her, but because she embarrassed him.


    "Oh! My dear husband, I only love you. I still remember my commitment to you on our wedding day. How could I love another man?" Kate flirted and then buried her head in Joseph''s chest. It was totally different from the way she would usually react.


    Joseph didn''t anticipate that she would respond so gently. He was stunned but put his hand on her shoulder and said, "It is fine."


    Kate knew that even though Joseph didn''t love her, he still didn''t want Samuel to profess his love for her.


    Seeing the two of them acting so loving in front of him, Samuel was confused and didn''t know why they were acting so oddly.


    If they do not love each other, why are they acting so intimate? Did they grow to have feelings for each other after being together for so long?


    Samuel said to them out of politeness, "I''m happy to see you are getting along so well. I just hope that it is not only in public but also in private."


    After Samuel left, Joseph shoved Kate away so hard that if there were not a desk for her to fall on, she would have slammed to the ground.


    "You are not working here tomorrow!" Joseph warned coldly.


    "Really?" She was shocked but wanted to confirm.


    "Yes, I will not allow you to be here with Samuel."


    Kate was delighted inside. If she didn''t work here, she could escape from under the control of both men. She had only agreed to work at the Smith Group because Cassie Smith asked her. She did not want to refuse the offer, but since Joseph fired her, she could leave and have a good reason for doing so.


    "Okay, I will submit my resignation report this afternoon," She agreed.


    Joseph looked at her and said scornfully, "It would be more convenient for you to date Samuel."


    "Why do you even care? Have you fallen in love with me?"


    "Of course not. I would never fall in love with you."


    His answer was what she expected, she was not sad but felt a little happy about it, "That is fine. It might have too painful for you. After all, you believe that I killed Anna."


    Joseph found that after Samuel returned to their lives, Kate became more confident and was not so weak in front of him. He felt disappointed.


    "Have lunch with me!" Joseph commanded.


    If it were in the past, Kate would agree immediately and just follow behind him, but she didn''t seem to want to have anything to do with him.


    She refused, "No. I have no appetite if I need to have a meal with you."


    Others seldomly refused Joseph, but she was determined not to give in.


    "So you are hungry?"


    "As long as you are not there with me."


    "Really? Are you sure you don''t want to see me? You told me you love me just now in front of Samuel. How can you change so quickly? You are such a good actress."

 Chapter 13: Find a New Job

    "Okay, if you don''t have lunch with me, collect your items and go home now!" Joseph ordered.


    Kate was stunned at first and then nodded in a hurry, "Sure, I''ll disappear immediately."


    To spare the trouble for herself, she reminded him, "Please explain to Grandpa and Mother why I have left."


    "Don''t threaten me with them. You will not succeed."


    Really? But I remembered you married me at their request. Kate thought to herself but dared not say it out loud.


    As Kate collected her belongings, Joseph stood behind her with his arms crossed. Once she was ready to leave, John would directly drive her home.


    "Lady Kate, Lord Joseph, is not available to take you home, so he asked me to drive you." John took the box of things from her.


    "Joseph asked you to take me home?" Kate asked she could not believe it was true. But then she realized why Joseph did not want her to speak with Samuel.


    After arriving at home, Kate got lunch then began to search the internet for another job. Suddenly her phone rang, "Hello?"


    "Hi, Kate! Are you available after work today? I was hoping we could have dinner." Lisa asked.


    "Tonight?" Kate looked at her computer screen and answered, "I''m not sure whether I''ll be available. I''m looking for a job. Can I call you back to let you know?"


    "Looking for a job?" Lisa was totally confused, "You lost your job?"


    "Joseph fired me. This afternoon¡­" Kate told her everything that happened.


    Lisa was angry, she said, "I think he had it planned it for a long time. You entered the company only at the request of his grandpa and mother. Then he finally finds an excuse to fire you."


    "Whatever, I am thrilled. I finally get some freedom! I think it is better for me to leave there. At least I can get out of Joseph''s control and even Samuel''s entanglement for some time. You should be congratulating me!"


    Lisa understood what Kate was saying.


    "I''m thrilled now. Don''t worry about me!"


    "Okay! So, what kind of job are you hoping to find? How about working in my tea shop? I will repay you."


    "Thank you, Lisa. But if I work there, you will protect me, and I will not be able to advance on my own. I want to be an editor for another company. All of these years that I worked at Smith Group, I have learned a lot." Kate said calmly.


    "I will support you forever. If you have any difficulties, you can come to me."


    "Thank you, Lisa."


    "We are best friends. Don''t be so polite," Lisa said, "But if you can say thank you to Joseph, maybe he will change his attitude to you. After all, all men love gentle women."


    "Okay, I will not confuse you anymore. I will support you to leave him! But Kate, I think you are not certain about what you want. You loved him, so you married him. Even though he doesn''t love you, you still sacrifice a lot for him. I don''t think you have given him up. You are just hiding your love for him temporarily."


    She could not deny that Lisa was right, but she still told Lisa firmly, "Don''t worry, I will stop loving him."


    After hanging up the phone, she sat on the sofa for a while thinking, then sent her resume to a few different companies. Not thinking that she would receive an immediate reply, Kate was shocked to get three messages within an hour. They all said the same thing, "Sorry, Mrs. Smith, but after a preliminary review by our human resources department, you do not meet the requirements for the position."


    Kate thought that there might have been something wrong with her resume, so she looked at the job descriptions again. She clearly met all the requirements but was not invited for an interview. She could not understand why. However, she was not going to get discouraged and continued to send out resumes. Kate sat by her computer the entire afternoon, waiting for replies.


    Joseph usually arrived home late in the evening, so Kate was surprised that he was home early in the day. When she heard the car door shut, she closed her computer and went downstairs. As she passed by Joseph, he grasped her arm and smiled, "How do you feel being rejected?"


    "Being rejected? How do you know?" She immediately realized and yelled, "It''s you!"


    No wonder three companies sent the same message to her almost at the same time. Someone was behind it.


    "Kate, it''s not easy to find a job." He was so confident that she would never get out of his control.


    "You mean you will create obstacles for me so that I cannot get a job? I am afraid that you over-estimate yourself. Do you think I can''t find a job? There are many in the city."


    "Then, let''s wait and see!" He said. Then he pulled down his tie off and went into the bathroom.


    Kate was so angry that she refused to eat with Joseph. She went back to her desk so that she could send out more resumes.


    When Joseph saw her still sitting in front of the computer wholeheartedly, he scoffed, "Your name has been blacklisted. What you are doing now is in vain!"

 Chapter 14: Reject to Have Dinner

    "Na?ve? I think it is interesting! Don''t give up! You will eventually find a job. Believe in yourself!" Joseph scoffed.


    Though Kate was full of anger, she didn''t are to say anything because she knew she would lose the fight. She stood up and ran out of the room; Joseph stood in the middle of the room, laughing.


    Seeing Kate running down the stairs, Amy approached her and said, "I have prepared your favorite dishes for dinner. I think you will like it."


    Kate was surprised at her sudden attitude change, but she was still cautious. Amy had been faulting her for two years, so she must have had an ulterior motive for being helpful. She didn''t stop to say anything, though; she just ran straight for the door.


    "Where are you going, Lady Kate?" Amy asked. She wanted to follow her but was afraid of irritating her. Since Kate punished her and she was warned by Joseph, Amy was scared to say too much. She was even more confused by the relationship between Joseph and Kate.


    About two minutes after Kate ran out, Joseph walked into the dining room.


    "Lord Joseph, dinner has been prepared. I will get it for you."


    Joseph didn''t see Kate, so he asked, "Where is Lady Kate?"


    "She¡­She seems to be still angry with me and said she doesn''t want to have the meal I prepared. She ran out!"


    "Leave her alone," Joseph said and then sat down to have dinner.


    Amy smiled to herself when she heard Joseph''s reply; he was as cold to her as before.


    "These are your favorite dishes, and these two are Lady Kate''s favorite dishes. But she¡­" Amy said, "She has been taking out her anger on me more frequently. I don''t know why she has become so¡­"


    He did not know why, but Joseph did not feel comfortable without Kate sitting and eating dinner with him. He put his fork and knife down, then walked away from the table.


    Seeing him leave, Amy asked in a hurry, "Lord Joseph, are you not satisfied with the dishes? I¡­"


    The area around the mansion was beautiful. There were trees and a mountain in the distance, but it was cool in the summer evenings.


    As Kate laid back on the grass, she was a little cold, but she closed her eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze.


    "Do you think I will get your name off the blacklist when you refuse to have a meal with me?" Hearing Joseph''s voice, Kate became distracted by her peacefulness.


    She opened her eyes and stared at him, "Go away! I don''t want to have dinner. It''s none of your business."


    "Of course, it''s my business." He bent down and said, "I will not allow you to die of hunger. It''s not torturing enough."


    Hearing this, he grasped her shoulder and asked fiercely, "What do you mean by that?"


    Kate laughed suddenly, seeing his anger and repeated, "You just love the words she comforted you with, not the person. I will say the same thing even if you ask me thousands of times."


    "Holy shit!" Joseph shoved her and said firmly, "I love Anna''s everything!"


    "Including her cheating you?" Kate did not want to mention what happened in the past. But when she saw him so confident, she wanted to destroy his love for her.


    What if I didn''t trust Anna? What if I didn''t love him so deeply? Would everything be different?


    She often asked herself these questions, but she would eventually feel the harsh reality. She got the chance to be his wife; still, in two years, their love has not developed but worsened.


    "Kate, do you think it''s suitable to slander a dead person?" Joseph got angrier and tightened his grip.


    Kate frowned because of the pain, but she still answered, "Yes, I do. She indeed cheated on you! I''m just telling the truth."


    "What the f**k?" He loosened his hand and cursed himself, "Why did I come out to look for her? I must be crazy!"


    When she saw Joseph was out of sight, Kate laid back again and let out a sigh of relief. Gazing at the stars in the sky, she remembered what her mother told her, "My dear daughter, never devote yourself to a man. If you do, you will be looked down upon."


    She did not understand it at the time, but she felt it after being married to Joseph. Kate knew how deeply her mother was hurt.


    **


    The next morning Kate realized how much power Joseph had in Aubi City after she received more messages declining her for an interview. Still unwilling to give up, Kate printed copies of her resume and then went out to look for a job.


    After spending the entire morning being rejected by not only big companies but also by smaller ones, Kate was furious. The only response she seemed to get was, "Sorry, we have found someone suitable."


    Kate walked to Lisa''s shop as she wondered how Joseph could reach so many companies in such a short time.


    "Is he out of his mind? He fired you but won''t let you get a job. I think he is doing this just to bully you." Lisa was full of anger when she heard what Joseph was doing.


    "This is his normal response. If he doesn''t bully me, I will think he is out of his mind."


    "How about asking for help from your mother-in-law? You said she is nice to you. Or complain to his grandpa?" Lisa advised, thinking that they could help her.


    "Indeed, Mrs. Smith is nice to me. But she cares more about her son. Plus, though he respects them, he will not obey them all the time. He has his principles and will not change them easily."


    "Then what can we do?" Lisa questioned. Suddenly, it occurred to her an idea, and she said, "How about you help me with my tea shop? I have been swamped recently. How about you help me, and I give you half of what we earn?"

 Chapter 15: Work in Canteen

    "Kate, in fact¡­" Lisa looked at her. She wanted to say something but stopped.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "To be honest, Joseph also asked me not to hire you. But I don''t want to betray you because of his threat. I swear I will support you forever regardless of what he says or does." Kate puckered her lips and tried to restrain the pain in her heart.


    She knew Lisa was a righteous person, but also knew how domineering Joseph was. If she worked for here, Joseph would be bound to take some measures to destroy the tea shop.


    Lisa spent all her energy to run her own business. I cannot let Joseph destroy it.


    "Lisa, I have something urgent to deal with. I have to leave now." Kate stammered and ran out of the shop.


    After half an hour, she arrived at the Smith Group.


    "Lady Kate, the president said¡­"


    John wanted to stop the angry woman, but he did not dare to do so. Kate pushed the door open to Joseph''s office and stood in front of his desk.


    "I''m sorry, Lady Kate rushed into the office. I couldn''t stop¡­" John lowered his head, fearing that Joseph would blame him.


    "You can wait outside, John," Joseph commanded and put his files down on the desk. He smiled and asked, "How has your morning been? Any luck finding a job?"


    "Tell me what you want to do. I don''t want to play with you anymore. I don''t want my friends to be affected."


    "Okay, you can work in the canteen here starting tomorrow."


    "What?" she didn''t know what he wanted to do, "You just fired me. Why are you asking me to come back? This is so confusing."


    "If you work in the canteen, it is very unlikely that you will see Samuel. Then I will not need to worry about your secret dates with him." Joseph scoffed.


    "Are you deaf? I have told you many times that nothing happened between us. Why you¡­?"


    "Whatever! You must stay away from him!" he stood up immediately and interrupted, "If you see him privately, I will stop buying drugs for your grandma."


    "What!?!" Of course, she could promise not to meet Samuel, but Kate was so tired of being threatened with her grandma''s life. It left her frightened and angry, even more than the misunderstanding about her killing Anna.


    "So, you will work in the canteen, right?" He asked coldly.


    "Do I have any other choice?" She asked.


    **


    The next morning, Kate arrived for work at the canteen.


    "Lady Kate, Mr. President, you must wash all of them and not break them. If you break one, you have to wash an extra 500." Mike, the manager, explained while pointing at piles of dishes and plates.


    "I understand." She knew that Joseph would make her job difficult.


    Kate washed over three thousand dishes her first morning.


    The other employees apologized, "Sorry, Lady Kate. Mr. President won''t allow us to help you."


    "That''s okay. I will be fine. I just hope that after two or three days, I will become accustomed to it." Kate assured them. She was able to do all kinds of difficult and dirty jobs as long as her grandma had medical care.


    When she finished her work, Henry was waiting to drive her home. Kate was so tired that she fell asleep in the car, sleeping helped her to ignore the nagging pain in her hands and legs.


    Henry got out of the car and was about to wake Kate up when Joseph''s car pulled up beside them. Henry reported in a whisper, "Lord Joseph, Lady Kate is asleep."


    "Why don''t you wake her up?" Joseph stared at him.


    "Yes, sir." Henry trembled with fear. However, when he was about to wake up Kate, Joseph pushed him away.


    When Joseph pulled her out of the car, he heard her say, "I love you so much! How can you treat me like this?"


    Joseph was shocked to hear Kate''s words. On their wedding day with all of their relatives and friends around, she confessed to him that she had been in love with him for a long time and would be a good wife. At that time, he felt sick hearing her feelings; he thought she killed Anna on purposed so that she could replace her.


    "Joseph, those comforting words are¡­"


    "Lord Joseph, what''s wrong with Lady Kate?" Amy walked briskly towards him and asked.


    Joseph suddenly commanded, "Wake her up!"


    Amy nudged Kate gently and said, "Lady Kate, you have arrived home. Please wake up."


    Kate woke up, her eyes still heavy. She looked at Amy and then looked around, saying, "Sorry, I fell asleep!"


    "Yes. Lord Joseph asked me to wake you up."


    "Lord Joseph?" She hated to hear this name right now.


    When she got out of the car, she saw him walking towards the house. Dinner was on the table when they arrived home, but Kate found her fingers were to numb to hold on to her fork and knife.


    "What''s wrong, Lady Kate?" Amy thought she would lose her temper again, so she asked just to make Joseph angry at Kate.


    Kate did not reply. Joseph saw her swollen hands, then remembered that arranged for her to work in the canteen. He thought he would be happy seeing her in pain; instead, his heart ached.


    What was wrong with you? Why are you showing sympathy for her? Don''t forget that she killed the woman you loved. Joseph thought, trying to convince himself.

 Chapter 16: Feeding Her for the First Time

    Kate shook head and said, "No, thank you."


    She tilted the glass of juice on the table to her mouth and drank all of it, then pushed herself away from the table, "I am full. Please enjoy yourself."


    Unknowingly, instead of ignoring her, Joseph said seriously, "Eat the meal in front of you. Don''t waste food."


    His tone sounded as if he was talking to a child.


    Kate stared at him, thinking he was just picking fault with her. She said, "My hands are numb. I can''t hold a fork and knife, and I''m not in the mood to eat anything."


    "Feed her, Amy!"


    Although his tone was as harsh as usual, it sounded as if he cared.


    Was it because she disobeyed him frequently, or because of Samuel being back? Was he afraid of her causing trouble?


    "Lady Kate, let me feed you," Amy asked politely for fear that she might be refused.


    Kate didn''t answer her.


    Joseph stood up immediately. He bypassed the dining table and said, "Let me do it."


    "What¡­" Amy was stunned, "It''s my job. We do not need to bother you. Please enjoy yourself!"


    Hearing that Joseph planned to feed her, left Kate feeling quite nervous. She began to wonder if he was falling in love with her.


    Amy was jealous of Kate the majority of the time, but it was the first time she had ever seen Joseph being so nice to Kate.


    As Joseph approached her, Kate felt her whole body stiffen. She subconsciously opened her mouth, unsure if it was out of fear or because she was mesmerized by his unique smell. Kate wondered if she was dreaming, she could not believe that the man who hated her was feeding her so gently. She was nervous and could feel her heart beating fast.


    Not only was Kate confused by his actions, but Joseph was also confused. He could not believe that the first woman he was feeding was a woman he hated. He felt ridiculous.


    Amy was standing back, watching the situation in front of her; she was shocked and upset. She could not stand Joseph being so caring and sweet toward Kate. However, she could not say anything because she was only a servant, and they were a couple. All she could do was stare and curse Kate under her breath.


    After feeding Kate all of the food in the bowl, Joseph went back to his seat and warned her, "Don''t attempt to use the ruse of self-injury to seek my sympathy. I will not buy into it!"


    "A ruse of self-injury? How ridiculous! If you think it is a ruse, then why did you personally feed me?"


    Joseph was speechless; he couldn''t find an excuse to defend himself. So, he paused for a while before saying, "To be pregnant."


    "What? You mean I will be pregnant if you feed me a meal? What about overworking? Do you think that will affect my pregnancy?"


    Joseph looked at her swollen hands again and said to her, "Take tomorrow off and rest."


    "Why?"


    "You don''t want to rest?" He looked at her coldly.


    Kate lowered her head and saw her swollen hands and legs then whispered, "Okay."


    Unable to do anything else, Kate laid on the sofa to watch television after dinner while Joseph went to his study.


    At bedtime, Kate knew it would be a struggle to put her pajamas on and brush her teeth. The cup she was using fell into the sink, and before she could pick it up, she saw a hand reach out and fill it for her. There was nobody in the room except for Joseph, but she didn''t believe that he would be so kind to her.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Joseph questioned.


    She took the toothbrush out of her mouth, "You should go to the other washroom. I will be very slow because I still have no strength in my hands. I don''t want to waste your time."


    Instead of walking away, he held the cup and fed her the water, saying, "Be quick. We need to work on..."


    "Work on what?" She didn''t understand.


    Joseph gazed at her in the mirror and uttered each word loudly, "Work on your pregnancy."


    Kate''s face flushed immediately. She should be angry about him talking about her like she was good for nothing more than having his baby, but she felt shy.


    "Uh-huh?" He increased his strength on the hand holding cup and said, "Be quick!"


    Due to her extreme nervousness, Kate drank the water Joseph was holding to rinse her mouth.


    Joseph tried his best not to laugh out and scoffed, "Are you stupid?"


    "You raised the cup too high," She argued.


    Joseph did not want to argue with her. After she finished brushing her teeth, he pushed her out of the bathroom.


    "I didn''t take a shower." There were two bathrooms, but he was in the one she was using.


    Joseph pretended not to hear her and slammed the door immediately.


    Kate had no choice but to go to the other bathroom. They both had their bathroom in the room and never used each other''s bathroom. However, Joseph seemed determined to use hers.


    After her shower, Kate remembered that her pajamas were in her bathroom. She stood at the bathroom door, considering whether it was appropriate to run to the wardrobe to get a t-shirt.


    Just as Kate stepped out of the bathroom, Joseph scoffed, "You are prepared and waiting for me?"


    Kate was scared, she quickly pulled out a random shirt and put it on, "Don''t bullshit with me! I just forgot to take my pajamas when you pushed me out of my bathroom!"


    "Why not wear a bathrobe?" Joseph approached her and gazed at her back, saying, "Or do you know that I don''t have any interest in you, so you decided to seduce me?"


    "I¡­" Maybe it was because of his sudden approach that Kate was quite nervous and did not know how to answer him.


    Joseph didn''t have the patience to listen to her explanation. He just hugged her, put her on the bed, and began to have sex with her like routine work.

 Chapter 17: Dont Need Your Love

    Was it because he desperately wanted a baby?


    Having a good sleep, Kate not only felt more refreshed but also felt no pain in her fingers or legs. As she got up out of bed, she saw ointment on the bedside table.


    Did Joseph hurt himself? She thought to herself.


    "Lady Kate, Lord Joseph, said for you to apply the ointment." Amy placed the ointment on the table and told Kate while she ate lunch


    "It is for me?" Kate asked in doubt, pointing to it.


    Since Joseph warned Amy, her attitude toward Kate changed. Amy was kind to her, even if it was superficially.


    "Lord Joseph had the family doctor send the ointment this morning. He applied it for you before he left and asked said to apply it at noon. He hopes you will get better soon."


    Amy was filled with jealousy when she told Kate.


    Kate was amazed; she thought that Joseph despised her and would never care about her.


    After struggling with her feelings, Kate finally calmed down and told herself, "Don''t be moved by his actions. He did just for a baby. He does not love you."


    Thinking of the freedom she would have after giving birth to Joseph''s baby, Kate was not so disgusted with the thought of getting pregnant.


    Later in the afternoon, Kate went to visit Lisa at her shop. She told Lisa all about Joseph''s odd behavior.


    Lisa asked, "So, have you changed your mind?"


    "No!" She shook her head, "I just felt it very strange. Why did he change suddenly? He hated me so much before!"


    "Maybe for the baby, as you said." Lisa paused for a second and added, "Have you ever thought about how he will treat your baby?"


    Kate felt shocked and said with fear, "You mean he will go on torturing my baby?"


    Although she was not pregnant, she felt uncomfortable at the thought of it.


    "I have to ask him."


    "Kate, I just mentioned one possibility. Maybe he won''t because he is the father of the baby." Kate said to her while preparing tea. However, when she turned around, she found Kate was gone.


    Twenty minutes later, Kate was at the Smith Group.


    "Lord Joseph, Lady Kate wants to see you."


    "Ask her to leave here immediately!" Joseph yelled.


    "I have to ask you something." Kate pushed open the door.


    Seeing the anger Kate had, John closed the door quietly and walked away.  He knew it was between the married couple, and he had no right to intervene.


    Joseph glanced at her and impatiently asked, "Why are you here?"


    Joseph scoffed, "Do I need any excuse to torture you?"


    "You''d better not be planning that. Otherwise, I will not leave my baby to you!"


    She knew that it was a selfish action, but since he always threatened her grandma''s life, she had to make a decision.


    "You overthink. I just want to make my grandpa and my mother happy! It has nothing to do with you!" He told her. He didn''t need to explain to her, but he wanted her to get pregnant quickly.


    Having got Joseph''s answer, Kate was assured, "So, you are just nice to me because of the baby, right?"


    "Why else? You think I am in love with you?"


    "No!" Kate snarled, she was a little disappointed at his answer, but she still pretended not to care.


    "Then go home!" He ordered.


    "I will. I don''t want to see you either."


    Joseph thought everything would be fine after she left. However, he found it hard to calm down and continue his work.


    For their entire marriage, he had been bullying Kate and didn''t feel guilty at all. Yet, recently she began to bicker with him, and he found it fascinating.


    What kind of woman is she? He thought to himself.


    **


    At White Group, Leo shouted at Dora, "Let''s talk about this at home. I have a lot of work to do."


    Though Leo was impatient with Dora, he dared not to get too angry with her.


    "At home? Daisy likes to listen to our conversations. If she finds out our plan from two years ago, our plans will have been pointless." Dora stood up and banged on Leo''s desk. She shouted, "When can you authorize me the right to manage White Group?"


    "Dora, Anna is now¡­"


    "Don''t make an excuse. You can authorize me with the excuse of your bad health. Plus, Joseph loves my daughter, Anna. He will give me anything I ask if I use Anna''s death." Dora commented, "My dear, I''m the only one in the world loyal to you. Kate hates that you betrayed her mother. If you didn''t have a car accident two years ago, would she speak to you at all?"


    Leo thought for a while and nodded in agreement.


    Dora was delighted; she rushed to him and, like a spoiled child, said, "I know you love me the most. From now on, I will be loyal to you and manage White Group very well."


    Leo agreed only because he thought Dora could develop White Group with Joseph''s power. His original plan was to take advantage of Kate to gain Joseph''s kindness, but since he saw how they got along, he changed his mind. Even though Leo was not determined because he still regarded Kate as Joseph''s wife, it was in name only.


    "Then, ask Kate to come to the house tonight and tell her your final decision," Dora advised, fearing that Leo might change before telling anyone else.

 Chapter 18: Do as I Say

    Dora twisted her face and pulled away from him, scolding, "Have you forgotten what we set out to do two years ago? And now you are going to hesitate? If you don''t give me the White''s property, I will tell Kate the truth of what happened!"


    "Are you out of your mind?" Leo shouted at her in fright, "Impulses are like demons. Calm down, don''t screw up our plan!"


    Dora believed that she had total control of Leo''s temper. As long as she brought up the traffic accident that happened two years prior, he would be scared.


    "Alright, do as I say, and then I will calm down!" Dora acted like a nice woman but remained tough, "I am your wife, and I won''t hurt you, but Kate will hate your guts if she found out the truth!"


    "Then, how are you going to convince Vincent and Cassie Smith?" After all, Leo still cared about his dignity.


    "Leave it to me!" Dora had her trick ready.


    Leo had no better solution, so he let her do as she pleased, "Just don''t shame me in front of the Smiths. The Whites can''t afford to lose their reputation."


    "Don''t worry; we are all in the same boat." Dora put her arms around him and gently said, "Our combined strength will overcome all obstacles. The Whites will get better and better, and so will our life!"


    **


    Dora invited Vincent and Cassie to have dinner at her home the next night. She wanted to solve the problem as soon as possible, so the next part of the plan could be implemented. However, what Joseph and Kate didn''t know was the Smiths would be attending dinner also. When they arrived at the Whites home, they were both shocked to see Joseph''s parents there.


    "Our families have got together for dinner in such a long time!" Dora cheerfully said.


    "It is nice. I think the last time was at  Joseph and Kate''s wedding." Vincent replied with a grin.


    Cassie frowned with no intention of responding to Dora.


    Joseph had greeted Dora politely when they arrived, she replied, "Have a seat and relax, Joseph."


    Each time they were together, Joseph called Dora his mother-in-law, but Kate knew it was only because of Anna.


    "Kate, have you been on a diet? You look much thinner," Dora asked with a shameless tone.


    Kate was too tired to argue with her, she replied with a faint smile, "Maybe it is the idea of becoming pregnant that is stressing me."


    "Really?" Dora smirk froze on her face, and the cup in her hand almost fell to the floor.


    Seeing the look on Dora''s face, Kate knew that she had not been expecting her to reply that way. She smiled again and looked at Joseph, "Ask Joseph if you don''t believe me."


    Aha, he was the one who asked her to have a baby, but now he was too coy to talk about it in front of others.


    "Then I guess you have to work harder!" Knowing that he was already provoked, Kate decided to piss both him and Dora off.


    Joseph was livid, and it was apparent how displeased he was. He probably felt as if having a baby with Kate would betray his love for Anna.


    "Joseph, Kate, really?" With a hopeful look in her eyes, Cassie pulled Kate toward her and told her warmly, "Just let me know if you need any help."


    "Sure, I will." Kate nodded.


    Vincent''s tone also became kind, "I reminded Joseph the other day that he is almost thirty, and it is time for them to have a baby."


    Dora swallowed her displeasure and smiled, "Yeah, they have been married for two years, it''s time to..."


    "Joseph, did you hear that? Dora is also urging you to have a baby!" Cassie echoed.


    "Kate''s baby would be my grandchild. It was also Anna''s wish to have a baby with Joseph. It is¡­is¡­is a good thing!" Dora was horrified by the topic but tried her best to hide her true feelings.


    Many people, including Dora, believed that a woman''s status would increase when she had a child. Kate was not Joseph''s favorite person, but having a baby might change that. She had to plan the next step as soon as possible, or it would all go down the drain.


    Joseph didn''t have anything else to say, so he just kept the grim look on his face and listened to his family''s ramblings.


    When Leo heard that Kate was trying to get pregnant, he began to consider whether the next part of his plan was right or not.


    **


    To avoid any hesitation from Leo, immediately after dinner, Dora said, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Joseph and Kate, I have to speak to you about a crucial matter."


    Kate had no idea what Dora was up to, but she guessed it would only benefit Dora, according to the smile on her face.


    "What is it that requires all of us to be present?" Cassie mocked her like nothing was that important.


    Dora was aware of Cassie''s prejudices against her, but she continued to smile, "Cassie, as you know, Leo''s legs have been bad lately. The doctor told him not to work too hard, and he can''t spend so much time working on things to do with White Group. So, we discussed it and decided that I would take charge of it for him."


    Cassie folded her arms, and politely asked, "Do you have any management experience? Do you think taking over a business is as simple as running a roadside stall?"


    "Umm ..." Dora didn''t know what to say. She didn''t consider the work to be hard; she just intended to take over the White Group.


    "I don''t think Mr. White will hand White Group to an inexperienced person so rashly." Cassie turned to Leo.


    Leo smiled awkwardly. When he was about to speak, Dora blurted out, "Leo has always regarded White Group as his own life, and I just can''t bear to see him so tired so ... Though I have no experience, I''m willing to learn."


    "You don''t have to go to all this trouble, leave it to Kate. Furthermore, when her mother died, Mr. White had promised Flora." Cassie looked at Leo with a fixed gaze, "Did you forget, Mr. White?"


    Leo stammered in a panic, "Of ... of course I didn''t forget."


    "Since you haven''t forgotten, shouldn''t you fulfill your promise?"  If it was not about Kate, Cassie was reluctant to speak with Leo, who was the bastard who brought great harm to her good friend Flora.


    Dora was anxious and complained with a frown, "Mrs. Smith, Leo did promise Flora then, but things have changed now. Kate became part of the Smith family; it is unreasonable for her to inherit White Group, isn''t it? If she is working hard to get pregnant, why should we stress her so much?"

 Chapter 19: Leveraging Strength

    "So ... what does that mean for Lady Kate?" Dora panicked, wondering


    that Joseph would be her wingman.


    "We definitely will find a qualified administrator to help Kate to manage White Group." Cassie sounded calm, and like her plan was the logical one.


    Sensing Cassie''s hostility, Dora smiled embarrassedly, "I just being kind and wanted to help Leo, besides, my Anna is gone. I have nothing to do all day, and if I don''t do something, I''ll be lost  in the grief of losing my daughter."


    It was only possible to use Anna to obscure the topic, eliciting Joseph''s sympathy.


    Just as Dora hoped, Joseph spoke up, "Mom, it''s not our business to decide the White''s affairs."


    Dora felt assured with Joseph''s words, but Cassie knew that Joseph was only siding with her because of Anna.


    Cassie said seriously, "Mrs. White said that we are family. Of course we can give her advice. Dora hopes to get a reasonable opinion from us. I am just stating my thoughts for the sake of developing the White Group.


    Dora knew that Cassie was a fluent talker; she couldn''t contradict her. Instead, she chose to complain and look for sympathy because of her daughter''s death rather than reasoning with Cassie.


    "Joseph, Mrs. Smith, I am sincere about Leo and the Whites, and I have no intention of hijacking all this. I just thought that since when Anna was alive, she sweetly told Leo that when she would share the burden with him to manage White Group...." Dora burst into tears as she spoke. She wiped the stream of tears away as she said, "She will never have the chance to repay her father¡­"


    "It was a pleasure for our families to get together, don''t be a downer." Cassie saw through Dora, knowing what tricks she played, "The heir to White Group can only be Kate, and even if you want to share the burden with Mr. White, you must get Kate''s permission."


    "Umm..." Dora looked at Joseph helplessly.


    When receiving Dora''s message for help, Joseph immediately said, "Let''s no push so hard about this matter when she is trying to become pregnant. I am sure she is not interested in business management at all."


    Dora tried to make it sound like she was doing everything for Kate''s sake, but most people in the room knew the truth.


    Kate had a cold feeling in her heart and eyed Joseph with a sour smile, before saying, "Who said I am not interested in business management? Since my mother passed away, I am very interested!"


    Joseph was right, she wasn''t interested, but to keep Dora from seizing the White''s wealth, she had to play devil''s advocate.


    Joseph glanced coldly with a warning, "You don''t be distracted during this time!"


    Joseph was staring at Kate with anger in his eyes, "You not only got Anna killed, but you injured your father''s legs. What qualifications do you have to inherit White Group''s property and business?"


    "I can understand your bias toward Anna, but please understand this. My mother founded the White Group. When she died, my father promised my mother that I would inherit White Group." Kate didn''t want to mention it, even when her grandmother was seriously ill and needed a hefty sum for treatment.


    She tried to consider Leo''s feelings, but she always felt that her mom, Flora, traded her life for it.


    Kate''s heart ached even to bring it up, but Dora was blatantly trying to take over White Group and used Joseph''s power to force her. She would be doing her mother a great disservice if she didn''t fight back.


    "Good, White Group will be destroyed if you are in charge within ten days!" Joseph said with a sneer.


    Kate read the hidden message and glared at him angrily, "Shameless!"


    "Shut up, Joseph!" Cassie hastened to stop the situation from getting any worse, "Kate, keep your focus on trying to get pregnant and don''t worry about White Group."


    Dora said with delight, "Since we can''t agree on this, let''s just leave it. I''ll try my best to assist Leo, and White Group can still belong to Kate in the future."


    Even though Dora said that Joseph''s partial attitude had reassured her in the following plan, the discussion seemed to be pointless to continue, so they decided to end it.


    As soon as Kate got in the car, Joseph grabbed her neck.


    "What do you want?" She stared at him with a bold look in her eyes.


    "Great, you already think you are strong?" Joseph stared at her, sarcastically, "Don''t think that you can keep your eyes off anyone with my mother backing you up."


    Kate greeted his outraged eyes and sneered, "Big shot Joseph Smith, do you worry that I''ll look down on you? Even if I don''t put you in my sights, do you care about it?"


    Once she only had eyes for him, and she would never forget the moment she fell in love with him. But now, her love for him was less after his continual ridicule and insults. Even though she still had feelings, she no longer had any expectations.


    "Kate, you can''t be too careless. You indirectly killed Anna, and you owe her your life!" He coldly looked at her, "You have two choices, watch the White Group go bankrupt by your hand or hand it over to Anna''s mother."


    Joseph was forcing her to compromise again; she refused, "I would rather the company go bankrupt than lose it to Dora White!"


    Joseph''s expression changed, and a cold and dangerous light burst into his eyes. "You have finally arrived. This is who you truly are, isn''t it?"


    His expression, his tone, and his words...all revealed his disgust toward her.


    "Have you ever known or cared who I am?" She thought she lost herself and her principles because she loved him even though the years of bullying. Kate was considered a murderer by Dora and Joseph.


    "In my eyes, you and your heart are evil. I am not interested in understanding anything you have to say!" He sneered coldly.


    Kate smiled apologetically, "So, I''m not going to let Dora succeed!"


    She didn''t care about most things that involved the White''s, but she had to respect her mother''s last wishes.


    Joseph''s eyes were as deep as a black hole, and his thin lips flicked, "Then you should be prepared to fight against me!"

 Chapter 20: Help Me

    "All right, maybe we should give this matter more thought." Leo comforted her.


    "This is your fault. Why didn''t you take a tougher stand? Had we been more united, Cassie wouldn''t have been so aggressive." Dora snapped; she was still angry and couldn''t control her temper.


    Daisy heard the conversation and was delighted for Kate. She knew that the cranky old woman would be taught a lesson one day.


    **


    The next day, Kate was leaving to work at the Smith Canteen, but when she walked out of the mansion, she saw Joseph waiting for her in the car. She was caught off guard by his actions.


    The moment Kate arrived at work, Mike said enthusiastically, "Lady Kate, you only need to clean those five hundred cups today."


    "Is that Joseph''s order?" Kate was a little confused as she looked at the cups in front of her.


    "Yes."


    But why? Did he ease my work so that I would be in less pain and get pregnant easier? That has to be the reason!


    Kate didn''t feel touched over it; she knew that Joseph was always a result-oriented person.


    Joseph was busy with work the entire morning, but not long after his last meeting, Dora showed up at the office.


    "Hi, dear Joseph. How are you? I''m sorry to disturb you while you''re working." Dora greeted. She was a little cautious when talking to Joseph, both of her hands tightly grasped her bag.


    "That''s okay, I finished up the working I was doing," Joseph replied and handed her a cup of water.


    "You mentioned that Dad was not in the best condition yesterday, did he go to see a doctor?" Joseph continued to ask.


    "He is reluctant to go to the hospital at any time. I called a doctor to come to our home to see him yesterday. There nothing serious going on; he just needs more rest." Dora replied casually. She wasn''t there to talk about Leo; she wanted to ask Joseph to help her get White Group back.


    "White Group has developed well in recent years. Dad hasn''t needed to put too much effort in." Joseph said.


    "It''s your help that makes White Group strong," Dora replied immediately.


    Seeing that Joseph''s talking about the White Group, she then jumped straight to the point. She said, "Joseph, there is something that has been troubling me."


    Joseph frowned then replied immediately, "Mom, you can talk to me anything if you like. Anna had passed away; it''s my duty to take care of you now."


    "If so, I will continue¡­" Dora said.


    "Please go ahead." Over the years, because of Anna, Joseph showed great respect for Mrs. White.


    "That''s why I wanted to fight something for Anna."


    Joseph kept silent for a long time after hearing what Dora had to say. He was always silent after hearing anything about Anna, though. He gently said, "Anna was a kind and caring woman. She wouldn''t care for this if she were alive. We are better off letting her rest. Mom, I know you want to do something for Anna, but it is not necessary."


    "NO!" Dora became excited immediately. She couldn''t cover her resentment toward Kate; she continued saying, "I hate Kate Smith. How could she force us to sign the agreement? I thought we could live happily, but Anna, Anna, had¡­"


    Joseph couldn''t stay calm at the thought of Anna''s death. Dora''s instigating only caused his resentment toward Kate to increase. He couldn''t forget the fact that Anna''s death had something to do with Kate.


    How could Kate have been so mean to Dora? I treated you so well, Kate. This morning, I even asked the canteen manager to give you less work.


    "Joseph, I never asked you to do anything before. However, at this time, I hope you can help me," Dora said while crying, "I have lost my daughter, so I have nobody to depend on. I expect nothing but for the White family to keep me safe."


    Joseph couldn''t refuse Dora''s pleading. It was Anna''s letters that helped him on the hard days. He loved her, and it was a pity that he couldn''t protect her when she needed him most when she had the accident. There was no way he could deny Anna''s mother''s pleas.


    "Mom, I''ll handle this for you. Don''t worry, just go home and get some rest." Joseph said.


    "Do you promise?" Dora was so happy that Joseph would help her, "I always knew you were a good man. Anna would rest in peace if she knew what you have done for her."


    "Mom, you said that they didn''t find Anna''s body. Is there anything I can do to help?"


    "Can''t we just ignore the fact? Two years have gone by, two years! Let it go, we have to move forward, don''t we..." Dora interrupted him in a hurry as if she was trying to hide something.


    Joseph tried to hide his suffering and said, "I''ll take you home."


    "Oh, no, I came here with my driver," Dora replied and quickly walked out of the office.


    Dora couldn''t hide her happiness after she left the Smith Group.


    Kate, you will never win over me. Lady Kate, having Joseph''s baby?


    So what! You''ll never be as important as my daughter in Joseph''s heart.


    **


    Kate finished washing all the cups before lunch and was about to go home when Mike walked in, "I am sorry, Lady Kate. You have to clean more cups this afternoon."


    "What?" Kate asked. She couldn''t understand, she wondered if Joseph changed his mind.


    "You can''t leave the canteen until Mr. Smith says you can¡­" Mike said nervously.


    Kate sneered. She''s not surprised at all.


    Maybe he was not happy again and vented his anger on me.


    On her lunch, Kate took a nap and then returned to wash more cups in the canteen.

 Chapter 21: No One Wants to Touch You

    At 9:30 p.m. most of the canteen workers were gone, only two were there preparing midnight snacks for those working overtime. Kate still didn''t know if she could leave, so she sat in the lunchroom, playing games on her cell phone.


    Lisa called, and after a few minutes of talking, she said, "It is so late, why are you still at work? Do you need me to come to pick you up? What on earth is wrong with you? Don''t you need to try to get pregnant?"


    Knowing that Kate was at work so late, worried Lisa a lot, so Kate didn''t tell her that she had to clean hundreds of cups. She calmly said, "Don''t worry, Lisa. I am okay, just a little bored right now. How are things with you? If everything good at the shop?"


    "Everything is okay," Lisa muttered.


    ¡­


    They talked for another half an hour, after which, Kate still hadn''t got permission from Joseph to go home.


    "Lady Kate, how about calling Mr. Smith? Maybe he forgot that you''re still here," One of the on-duty workers commented.


    "Don''t worry; I can wait¡­"


    A few minutes later, Kate''s phone rang again. It was Henry, "Mr. Smith asked me to pick you up; I will wait for you at the front gate of Smith Group."


    "Fine."


    Kate finally arrived home at 11 p.m. The big house was empty and quiet; Ricky was waiting for her in the dining room.


    Kate thought Joseph was at home until Ricky asked, "Lady, did Mr. Smith come home with you?"


    "No," Kate answered, confused, and then went upstairs. She didn''t care much about Joseph. Without love, their marriage was vulnerable. Kate had been used to it. She was even a little happy that Joseph wasn''t home.


    After a long day''s hard work, Kate laid back on the bed, still dressed. She fell asleep quickly, then woke up at 2 a.m. and noticed that Joseph still wasn''t home; she wondered if he would come home. She decided to get up to get a shower, then go back to bed.


    Just as she was almost asleep, Kate saw a tall, familiar figure stagger into the room. She knew who it was, it was Joseph, but she didn''t understand why he was stumbling.


    Suddenly, he fell to the floor. Kate rushed to him and could smell the alcohol on his breath from a few feet away.


    Is he drunk?


    There was no way that Kate was able to lift a tall, drunk man, so she yelled and pushed him, "Wake up, Joseph, wake up!"


    "Don''t touch me." Joseph pushed her away and murmured.


    "No one wants to touch you." Kate immediately moved her hands away from him. She decided to leave him lying on the floor.


    "Why should I care about him? He doesn''t care about me." Kate mumbled to herself and was about to walk away. The room was quiet, and only the smell of wine fluttered in the air.


    Kate was confused, she wasn''t sure what was going on, but a few moments later he said, "Anna, I am sorry¡­"


    Joseph was apologizing to Anna; Joseph got drunk because of Anna.


    Kate thought that she would care, but her heart was broken.


    Joseph couldn''t forget Anna! Joseph still loved Anna, even two years later.


    Looking at the drunk and hurt face, Kate was deeply bothered. She reached out her hand to touch his face as if she could erase his sadness as well.


    As expected, Joseph relaxed, but the name he mumbled became clearer and clearer, making Kate''s heart hurt even more.


    **


    The next day, Joseph woke up to a beautiful face in front of him. He was still lying on the carpet, but the air was filled with the pleasant smell of shampoo and aged wine. He moaned and remembered that he had gotten drunk the night before.


    Joseph pushed Kate away from him immediately; she woke up and looked at the angry man beside her. She realized that she had slept on the floor next to him all night.


    I was asking for it. Even if he held my hand, I could have stopped it and slept in the bed. Why didn''t I? It is not easy to give up on my love for him.


    "Don''t touch me except for getting pregnant!" Joseph said to Kate with resentment.


    Funny, it''s you who held my hand last night, why did you blame me for getting close to you?


    Kate was angry with Joseph''s words and actions. She said, "Joseph Smith, I don''t care about what you did when drunk last night. You have been cold and mean to me all the time, and I''ll never show excessive passion to you anymore. Just leave me alone."


    She got up and walked to the bathroom. A bang echoed through the room; Joseph kicked the door open. He stepped forward, reached out his hand to grab her jaw, and slammed her into the corner of the wall.


    Standing naked in front of Joseph, Kate was both embarrassed and frightened. Living with his mood swings was a challenge; she never knew what would happen from one moment to the next.


    When she caught her breath, she asked him nervously, "What do you want?"


    "You should do something to reduce your guilt." Joseph sneered and continue,


    "You''re Lady Kate in Smith family now; you''d better not get in the Whites family business."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Anna''s mother will take charge of the White Group business. You are not going to stop her," Joseph commanded.


    It turned out that he was shouting at her because of Dora White.


    When she found out that it was because of Dora, Kate had no intention of listening to him. She said, "Joseph Smith, this is my business. Don''t forget that my father promised¡­"


    "If you were not the reason for Anna''s death, I would never have gotten involved in it. But, Anna passed away, you must do something to repay her," Joseph interrupted; his eyes were full of anger.


    "You should be thankful that you are still alive while you have made such a big mistake. If you do not learn from this lesson, I will do something to your grandma."


    "You''re¡­" Kate was angry too, but her grandma was her weakness, and Joseph always used it to his advantage.


    "And don''t threaten me by your mother''s last words." Joseph continued saying, with ridicule. "I could destroy the company, and then just make another Smith Group."

 Chapter 22: The Exchange

    "I can promise you, but I have a condition." After thinking for a little while, Kate said.


    Joseph was confused by Kate''s comment; she had yet another condition for him. He had no idea what she could be thinking.


    "Go ahead," said Joseph. He was not afraid of anything that she wanted, as long as it wasn''t too excessive he would comply.


    "It''s okay to let Dora take charge of White Groups'' business, but I won''t give up my shares," demanded Kate. Her father had told her that he would hand over all of his shares and assets in the White Group to her at her mother''s last request. He made the promise to her because the success and efforts were all because of Flora.


    Kate had no interest in the property ever since Leo lost his legs in the accident on the way to pick her up, but Dora was forcing her. Her grandma was in the intensive care unit at the hospital, so Kate needed a lot of money. She to pave the way for her and her grandma''s future.


    Joseph wasn''t sure if he was angry or impressed at the way Kate was thinking. He took a moment to think.


    How crafty this woman is! She would still hold the majority of White Group shares, meaning she would have absolute control. However, Dora would be able to manage the company, but if Kate didn''t like something that was happening, Dora would have to listen to Kate.


    Seeing that Joseph was quiet and silent, Kate continued, "Dora can buy my shares if she can''t accept my condition."


    Money, money again! Why does this woman love money so much?


    Joseph was becoming angry again but asked Kate to give him a chance; he definitely had enough money to meet her condition.


    Kate had her own plan and knew there would be challenges with both the Smith family and the White family.


    Dora had longed for the chance to take charge of White family, as well as the White Group. With the support of Joseph, it''s would not be hard for her, even though she didn''t have any management experience.


    Kate knew that she would have to hand over the shares of White Group sooner or later because Joseph would threaten her grandma. She would have no choice at that time but to compromise, but at the moment, she was going to try to get money, even though it would betray her mother''s last wish. Kate knew that her mother would understand, and she wouldn''t be in the position she was if her mother was still alive.


    "$10,000,000," said Kate directly.


    It cost her more than $10,000 each day to treat her grandma in ICU. If she were to take a turn for the worse, it would require a lot more so even $10,000,000 wouldn''t last long, but it would help.


    "No problem!" Joseph replied without any hesitation.


    "Do you plan to invest and start a business with the money?" Joseph didn''t want to look interested in her life, but his curiosity got him better.


    "Money makes the world go around," said Kate with a smirk. She didn''t want to tell Joseph her plan. She was afraid that he would find fault with it or do something to sabotage it.


    "With only $10,000,000? You really are childish." Joseph sneered.


    Kate didn''t care about Joseph''s opinion of her; she just cared about Grandma. The next time he threatened her with her grandma''s health, she wouldn''t need to be so scared, she would have her own money to treat her.


    When Kate thought about the freedom she would have, she lowered her head and smiled. Joseph saw how happy she was out of the corner of his eye; the smile touched his heart. He realized that she was beautiful, and the smile only made her more attractive. He was so used to her cold, expressionless face, so a smile was rare to see.


    Kate noticed that Joseph was looking at her with a funny expression on his face. She assumed he had seen her smile and immediately changed back to her cold appearance then said, "I will hand over the shares after I receive the money."


    "You''ll get the money tomorrow morning," said Joseph, who also returned to his usual grimness.


    "Don''t forget that we will get a  divorce after I give birth to a child for you." Kate reminded Joseph of their previous agreement.


    Living with Joseph had too many surprises. The sooner she could get out of the mansion and out of his grasp, the better.


    "So desperate to leave me? Can''t wait to run to Samuel?" Joseph sneered.


    Kate didn''t answer him. She didn''t plan to give him any explanation. She knew Joseph was only being sarcastic; it wasn''t because he was concerned.


    "We''ve finished talking; you can leave now," Kate said while turning away from him. She had been standing naked in front of him during the entire conversation. The embarrassment was enough, but then as Joseph was leaving, he said, "Continue getting ready to make a baby tonight!"


    His voice monotone as if having sex was a business transaction, but between the two, it was a business transaction.


    "You''re¡­" Kate said. She was angry and sad at Joseph''s indifferent group.


    **


    The next morning when Kate woke up, there was $10,000,000 in her bank account, and Dora became the new CEO of White Group.


    Daisy called Kate when she heard the news. Before Kate could explain anything, Daisy said, "Kate, it''s you who should be the CEO of the White Group, why did that old bitch take the position?"


    Kate told Daisy what happened and tried to comfort her, "Daisy, money, and power can fix everything. I don''t want to quarrel with Dora about this anymore. Having enough money to cure Grandma is the most important thing to me right now."


    "I was afraid that the old bitch would bully you when she got the power. You know that Joseph will support her no matter what she does. You will have nothing to fight back with."


    Daisy always thought that her sister was living happily with her husband until she saw how Joseph treated Kate with her own eyes.


    "I won''t be weak again," replied Kate. She had to make some changes; she was always obedient to Joseph, which didn''t gain any respect.


    "Anyway, take care of yourself. Keep the White shares well; you can rise from the ashes one day." Daisy was afraid that Kate would forget her shares in the White Group; she needed to remind her not to hand over her shares.


    "I know, don''t worry." Kate knew Daisy''s intention. She changed the topic and asked, "Are you going to continue living at the house?"


    "Yeah, I have enough reasons to stay here. The old bitch has no reason to force me out even if she doesn''t like me. Furthermore, how would I be able to get the latest news about the Whites for you if I wasn''t here?"

 Chapter 23: Never Found Annas Body

    "I will be fine. Don''t worry about me. I know how to deal with the old bitch since we have lived together for so long."


    "Well, in that case, any help would be great."


    ¡­


    Nearly as soon as Kate hung up with Daisy, Leo called.


    "Kate, come to the house as soon as possible. There''s something you need to deal with right now." Leo said seriously.


    Leo''s urgent demand confused Kate, but she assumed that something had happened with Dora. Even if she had the power to manage the company, she was still unhappy?


    Kate received permission from Mike to leave and headed to the White''s mansion immediately.


    "Kate, don''t think that you can offset your mistake by handing over White''s shares," Dora shouted at Kate the moment she stepped into the house.


    Kate didn''t know what happened. She ignored the crazy woman, turned to her father, "Dad, what''s wrong?"


    "We never found Anna''s body two years ago after the accident. To comfort Dora, we lied to her. I told her we found the body and had it cremated."


    Kate was surprised to hear her father''s confession; she didn''t know how to respond.


    Dora was still furious. She pointed at Leo and continued to shout, "You''re a liar. Why didn''t you die? You caused my daughter''s death, and you lied to me. My poor daughter¡­ we don''t even know where she is!"


    "Well, Dora, it is all of my faults. Don''t be angry anymore. Let our daughter rest in peace¡­" Leo deeply signed. "I wish it was me who died."


    "You owe our daughter and me, but you will never be able to pay me back in this life or in the next," Dora snarled. She was so upset; she picked up the last picture taken of Anna and shouted, "Anna, my poor Anna¡­I have been so lonely since you left me. Take me away, please, I don''t want to live anymore!"


    Kate knew nothing good would happen when Dora shouted and cried. She didn''t want to waste her time listening to Dora''s ramblings any longer and was about to leave.


    After saying goodbye to her father, Kate walked out of the room, but behind her, she heard Dora scream, "STOP! You will not leave this room without giving me an explanation."


    "Are you make this my fault?" Kate knew Dora well and was not going to give in to her. Kate looked at her, sneered, "If you are not satisfied, go and ask my father for help. Don''t get me involved in this mess."


    "Do you want to avoid this problem? No way!" Dora said bluntly.


    "To ease his guilt, your father had handed over all of his assets to Anna. I will be taking them in Anna''s place."


    Leo carefully looked at Kate''s reaction; she coldly said, "Dad, did you forget that you promised Mom? If you did, I can give you a copy of the tape, or ask Mr. and Mrs. Smith to help you remember."


    "I..." Leo almost forgot that they had recorded the promise he made to Flore. He did want to give everything to Kate in the beginning. He felt that marrying Dora and accepting Anna as his daughter was the best thing to do. However, Dora changed and was now annoying him with the whole situation.


    "You''d better save effort and don''t bother," Kate wasn''t giving up, "My mother contributed a lot to make the White Group succeed. She always cared about me; even in the last seconds of her life, she was only worried about my future. I will not let my mother''s efforts go to waste."


    "You!" Dora turned red with anger and scolded, "If you say so, I will make you pay for my daughter''s death."


    "Compensate for your daughter?" Kate thought it was funny, "She was an adult and was free to do anything she wanted. Did I force her to pick me up?"


    "You bitch-hearted slut, I am today...ah!" Dora ran toward Kate.


    Kate took the palm of her hand and pushed her away, angrily, "If you''re really that dissatisfied, sue me! The law would give a reasonable sentence!"


    "Kate, you bitch!" Dora knew that she had no reason to argue with her. She had no way but to scold her to vent her anger.


    "I advise you not to be so hard on me; this will only be counterproductive!" Kate looked at Leo, who frowned deeply, "If necessary, I will find a lawyer to deal with it."


    "Kate, don''t be angry. I''ll not push you if you''re not willing to accept it. You know I am also in a hard situation right now!" Leo was caught in the middle. When he comforted Dora, he lowered his head and was afraid to look her in the eyes.


    Kate was happy to see that Leo surrendered, and Dora was still angry as she walked out. She would be upset by the outcome, but she would get used to it.


    "Leo, you are good for nothing. Don''t you forget how you promised me in private? Why do you need to be so timid in front of Kate? Are you not a responsible man?"


    The moment Kate left, Dora began to shout at Leo.


    "How could you treat me like this? How could you do this to our dead daughter?"


    "Enough! If you have anything else to say to me, talk with me in the room." Leo interrupted Dora, afraid that she would say something more.


    "How could you¡­" Dora wanted to say more, but she seemed to realize something and closed her mouth. Then she walked behind Leo, pushing his wheelchair into the other room.


    Daisy was behind the door; she ducked her head out and gave them a meaningful smile.


    "Leo, I''ve been enough with you. If you can''t give me a reasonable explanation, this will be a situation of life and death," Dora threatened.


    "Dora, would you please consider this for me? Kate''s also my daughter. And to marry you, I betrayed Flora¡­"

 Chapter 24: The Figh

    Leo felt ashamed, he lowered his head and tried his best to explain to Dora, "I strived for it, but failed. You know what we did was not right. I really did try my best."


    "How can you say you tried your best?" Dora was still very angry. "If you really wanted to attempt to do something for me, you should make quicker decisions, giving Kate no chance to react. You saw how Kate behaved in front of us just now, overconfident and arrogant. If she got more support from Joseph, do you think she would respect us?"


    Leo thought for a few moments then said, "I have an idea. Kate can''t inherit my treasure while I am still alive. So, I can transfer it to you at this time. However, with Flora''s shares, I have no right to transfer them."


    Being Kate''s father, Leo did care for her, but Dora acted so aggressively that he had no choice but to surrender.


    "How silly you are! Flora held a large share of the treasure, why should I let Kate have it?" Dora didn''t give in.


    Leo was getting angrier after hearing Dora contesting his offer, "Dora, I have agreed with you about everything in the past. Don''t push your luck."


    Dora didn''t want to ruin her relationship with Leo. After all, they were a couple, and they had to live together, even if she didn''t get her way.


    Sensing Leo''s frustration, Dora said, "I just want to tell you how I am feeling. You don''t need to get angry. Right now, it seems that Kate is more important than Anna and I. Darling, it is me who will be by your side for the rest of your life, not Kate."


    Dora''s words touched Leo. He grasped her hands and said gently, "Dora, now that you have taken control of White Group, you''d better manage it well. When you need Joseph''s help, just asked him for help. We must take advantage of his love for Anna as much as possible to achieve our goal."


    "Don''t worry; I''ll make good use of it," Dora said, putting her head on Leo''s shoulder.


    "Don''t be angry, okay?" Leo said to Dora fondly. "You''re my wife now; it''s my duty to treat you well. What I own right now is all yours."


    Dora nodded, but still reminded him, "I just want to finish this matter soon. You know, there is not enough time for Anna."


    Leo''s face soured when he heard Anna''s name and said, "I know what you mean."


    **


    Kate went directly back to the Smith Group when she left the White''s mansion.


    "Kate, get in! I can drive you home." Samuel shouted as he got out of the car and walked toward Kate.


    "It''s kind of you, but I can take a taxi by myself." Kate declined politely.


    "Kate, why do you reject me all the time? I haven''t seen you for several days.  Joseph told me that you stayed at home to get some rest and prepare for your pregnancy. But, as far as I can tell, you are here doing odd jobs in the company canteen." Samuel kept speaking; he was obviously unhappy about how Joseph was treating Kate.


    Kate was also unsatisfied with Joseph, but she still coldly answered Samuel, "That is a matter between my husband and me. It is none of your business."


    Samuel was embarrassed, but he continued to say, "If you don''t like talking about Joseph, I''ll stop. Come on, though, let me drive you home. We''re family, aren''t we?"


    "Never mind." Kate refused again.


    The smile disappeared on Samuel''s face; he was disappointed to be refused again. However, he continued to ask, "Why? Are you afraid of Joseph''s misunderstanding?"


    Kate was not afraid of him, misinterpreting the relationship between her and Samuel. She knew Joseph didn''t love her; a misunderstanding would only make her life harder in the Smiths. Plus, she didn''t want to give Samuel the impression there was any kind of relationship between them. People were still talking about something that happened between her and Samuel years before.


    In addition to all of that, Joseph and Samuel''s mothers were fighting furiously behind the scenes even though they acted like they were loving sisters-in-law in public. Joseph''s mother always treated Kate well, and she didn''t want to let her down.


    "Since you know why I will not explain more," Kate said coldly.


    Samuel frowned, but still said, "Why are you acting so silly? You would rather suffer the pain inflicted by Joseph than accept my love. Kate, I''m so sad for you."


    He then tried to push her into the car.


    "Let her go!" A cold and angry voice yelled then when Samuel reached out to grab Kate.


    Kate spun her head around and saw a handsome man walking toward them.


    Samuel didn''t let Kate; instead, he held her waist tighter as he smiled provokingly.


    "Don''t want to listen to me?" Joseph snapped and pulled his fist back to hit Samuel.


    Not having any time to react, Samuel fell to the ground, trying to take Kate down with him. Joseph quickly responded and grabbed Kate, pulling her close to him.


    "Why did you feel the need to sneak up and attack me?" Samuel muttered as he stood up.


    Joseph continued to hold Kate close to him, even though he could feel her struggling to escape.


    "Are you sure you want to fight with me?" Joseph asked.


    "Why not? Or why should it only have taken one hit for you to beat me?" Samuel replied. "Joseph, you took my love away two years ago; now you want to hurt me physically. No way!"


    Kate began to tremble as Samuel stepped closer to them. She was about to say something to stop him, except Joseph pushed her behind him. She was surprised that he was protecting her.


    "Joseph Smith, it''s for this to end. Right here, right now!" Samuel yelled and reached out to hit Joseph.


    The movement was so quick that Kate was scared Joseph would be badly hurt. She realized she still cared for Joseph; she still loved him.

 Chapter 25: Give Her a Hardtime!

    With just a little effort, Joseph grabbed Samuel''s arm, twisted it, and pushed him away.


    Kate was relieved to see that Joseph defeated him. He turned to her and said, "Let''s go!"


    "Okay..." She hurried to catch up to Joseph.


    Samuel also tried to catch up to Joseph but was stopped by two men who suddenly appeared. He was defeated again and was livid, "Joseph, this is not over!"


    As she got into the car, Kate was so nervous that she was afraid to look at Joseph.


    He wouldn''t think that she was dating Samuel, would he?


    Because he grabbed her and shielded her behind his back, Kate felt attracted to Joseph as she never had before.


    "You will not be going to work anymore!" Joseph finally said as they pulled into the driveway.


    Kate retorted in discontent, "How can you limit my freedom?"


    "You can''t keep away from other men!" Joseph snarled.


    "I didn''t plan to meet Samuel. The whole situation is a huge misunderstanding, and I¡­"


    Joseph quickly interrupted her, "No matter whether you planned to meet with him or not, you are not allowed to go to Smith Group anymore. You will stay home and get pregnant!"


    "Did you mean I can''t leave the house until I''m pregnant?" Kate questioned.


    "Yes!"


    "What if I refuse?!" Kate had $10,000,000 in her bank account, so she had the confidence to fight back. He was used to beating her down and making all of the decisions.


    "You should know by now what will happen." Joseph gave her a cold look.


    Kate snorted, "Stop grandma''s drugs?"


    He frowned slightly, wondering where her calm attitude came from. "Do you think I''m just bluffing?''


    "I''m sure you can do it." She laughed ironically and faced his strong warning eyes, "That''s why I traded with Smith Group''s shares!"


    She planned to have the $10,000,000 as a provision in case of an emergency. However, she didn''t expect it to come in handy quickly.


    The saying ''Money Talks'' was accurate when it came to fighting with Joseph.


    "Heh, I wondered what you wanted the $10,000,000 for," Joseph whispered as he shook his head, then looked at Kate in disbelief, "You truly are getting more and more calculating."


    "I''m far from you," Kate said in a belittling tone.


    "Do you really think I can''t do what I want with that $10,000,000?" He was staring straight into her eyes, but she couldn''t tell what he was thinking.


    Kate had to be alert and try to stay a step ahead each time they spoke, "What else can you threaten me with besides my grandma? White Group? Dora is already in charge; I have nothing to do with it."


    Joseph was even more shocked that she continued to rebel against his demands, "Kate Smith, how could you¡­"


    Seeing Joseph walk away from her filled with fury made Kate smile. Winning the argument with him gave her more confidence than she had before.


    **


    The next morning when Kate woke up, she decided she was going to look for a job, with or without Joseph''s permission. She assumed she would reencounter the same obstacles, but the first company she applied to offered her an interview immediately.


    Kate was nervous, but she honestly answered all the questions the recruiter asked. When they were done, he told her to wait a few minutes, and someone from the Human Resources department would speak with her.


    A short time later, a sweet-looking woman opened the door, "Hi, Kate! I am happy to inform you that you can begin work here tomorrow if you would like?"


    "Really?" Kate was in shock, she saw Symantec''s job description, she thought it didn''t hurt to apply, but she never expected to get the job. Symantec was an Internet company, and she was worried that she didn''t have enough experience.


    "Miss Smith, with your work experience and ability, it''s our honor to have you as part of our company," the woman stated and reached out to shake Kate''s hand.


    After being rejected just a few days earlier, receiving a job so quickly was a big surprise for Kate. She was trying not to show how excited she was when she said, "Thank you! I will be ready to start tomorrow."


    "You are welcome! I hope you will enjoy working here."


    When Kate left the front lobby of Symantec, she was as happy as a child in a toy store. She immediately called Lisa to share her good news.


    "Wonderful!" Lisa was also surprised, "Joseph must have a guilty conscience."


    "I don''t know if he does or he just missed contacting this company. What the hell, though? I will take the chance and show up for work tomorrow!" Kate was still worried that Joseph would try to sabotage her new job.


    "Kate, be brave. Just like when you encouraged me to start my own business before. Now, you have to face these things; you are braver than me!"


    Kate was relieved with Lisa''s encouragement, "Alright, be brave!"


    **


    At Smith Group, John was speaking to Joseph, "Mr. President, I have done as you asked. Lady Kate will be starting work at Symantec tomorrow."


    Joseph nodded, then asked, "How is everything going at White Group?"


    "Don''t worry. It is running stable."


    "Try to arrange more suitable resources to White Group."


    "Got it."


    Joseph''s gaze fell on the face of the girl in the framed photo. With just one look, his eyes were locked firmly on her. John left without saying anything more.


    **


    Kate went to the hospital after leaving her job interview; she needed to see her grandma. Although she could only look through the window, she was relieved to know she was still safe.


    When Kate arrived home, she was expecting Joseph to be there waiting to tell her; she was fired from her new job. He always took so much pleasure in hurting her, but he didn''t arrive home until 10 p.m.


    Unsure if Joseph knew about her job, Kate decided not to say anything until he did. However, he didn''t even sleep in the same room as her, so the following morning, Kate quickly got ready and rushed downstairs to go to work. She hoped that Joseph had already left to go into the office.


    "Wait!" Just as she was about to leave the house, Joseph Smith walked up to her and sneered, "Getting arrogant after finding a job?"


    Kate realized he knew she didn''t want to argue, though. She put her phone in her purse, then calmly asked, "You are not going to destroy things again, are you?"


    "What do you think?" Joseph mocked, "I have so many things to do every day, and I don''t have any extra energy for you!"


    "I''m relieved that you think so." Kate worried about being late, she quickly put on her shoes and left the house.


    Joseph was beginning to feel frustrated at the fact that she didn''t want to pay attention to him anymore. Once she was happy, he felt sorry for Anna. He placed a call, "Linda, don''t treat her kindly for my sake! Give her a hard time!"

 Chapter 26: Drink with Me

    **


    After reporting to her department head, Kate found her desk, then took the initiative to greet all of her colleagues as they arrived. Each colleague responded courteously, yet had no intention of saying more to her.


    Kate had to deal with a lot of hostility from her colleagues at Smith Group, so she didn''t care about their attitudes. She went back to her desk and began to work.


    **


    Three days later, Kate thought she was adjusted well to the job, then a co-worker, May, shouted, "Kate, the director wants to see you."


    "Sure!" She stopped what she was doing and walked to his office.


    "You did this program?" As soon as she entered the office, Albert, the director, questioned angrily.


    Kate looked at the page on the computer, then nodded silently.


    "The online program must be more attractive than the previous one. Instead, you caused our partner to lose a lot. They are going to terminate the contract with us now and asked for compensation!" Albert pounded the table angrily.


    Kate didn''t expect to be in trouble on her third day of work.


    Albert had asked her to plan the program and said that the result would be part of her trial period appraisal, which needed to be done before she could become a regular employee. She agreed to participate without another word.


    Kate stayed up all night to do the program and asked for suggestions from many of her colleagues. She submitted to the team leader and was praised for her work, but the situation had turned on her.


    "Director, how about replacing the new program with the original one for now? And I''ll change it ..."


    "Kate Smith!" Albert pounded the table again, "Do you think this is a game? Do you know that all of us will suffer just because of your fault?"


    "I''m ... sorry ..." Kate whimpered.


    The phone rang; Albert answered and kept apologizing to the person on the other end. He repeatedly said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Peter, and we here at Symantec will take full responsibility for the loss caused by this program. Please calm down."


    Kate Smith clenched her hands together, feeling guilty.


    "Did you hear that? Our partners are furious!" Albert yelled at Kate, "Do you think you are somebody important just because you worked at Smith Group for two years?"


    "Sorry, I didn''t expect ..."


    "Enough!" Linda suddenly walked in and commented to Albert, "Now is not the time for accountability, we need to find a way to undo some of the damage as soon as possible."


    Then, she turned to Kate, "I invited the partner to dinner tonight. You must come with me to apologize."


    Kate wanted to refuse, but had no choice, assuming that everything was her fault.


    **


    "Hello, Mr. Peter," Linda said and shook his hand.


    Peter entered the room, looking stern. He glanced at Kate standing behind Linda and asked impatiently, "Is she the person who was in charge of the program?"


    "Yes," Linda said with an apologetic smile, "I''m sorry, Mr. Peter. Kate worked at Smith Group, so we want to give her a chance to show her ability. We never expected that it would go wrong and cause such a huge loss. I brought her here in person to apologize to you. I hope you will understand."


    Linda remembered what Joseph said and resisted the urge to expose Kate''s identity. Since Joseph had ordered her not to be kind, it was not too much to expect.


    "Apologize?" Peter squinted at Kate and grumbled, "How are you going to compensate me for my loss?"


    Linda immediately went to Peter''s side, took his arm, and said in a charming voice, "Oh, Mr. Peter, Symantec, and your company go way back, and we hope you can make more profit than anyone else. That is also profitable for us!"


    Peter''s smiled, "Since you have shown your sincerity, I will let this loss go. However, punishment is inevitable!"


    Linda was thrilled and quickly flattered him, "Oh, Mr. Peter, as long as we don''t hurt each other, we will accept any punishment!"


    "You have spoken, but the person who made the mistake is hiding behind you. Peter''s eyes fell upon Kate.


    Stepping aside, Linda shoved Kate toward the man, "Mr. Peter, I brought her here to make amends, so feel free to suggest whatever punishment you want!"


    Kate was feeling extremely uncomfortable but was too scared to say anything. She just reminded herself to stay calm and not to screw up at a critical moment.


    "Would you like to have a few drinks with me, Ms. Smith?" Peter handed her a glass of wine.


    Kate stared at the glass and shook her head, "I don''t drink."


    Peter lost his temper and asked angrily, "Do you always have an attitude when you apologize?"


    Linda quickly answered, "Mr. Peter, calm down. Kate is a naive newcomer, why not drink with me?"


    "You want to drink for her?" Peter''s face was dark with rage, he shouted coldly, "If she doesn''t drink, not only will I hold Symantec accountable for our losses, but also I will terminate our partnership!"


    "Mr. Peter, don''t ..." Linda''s face was pale with fear. She grabbed Kate''s wrist and stared at her as a silent warning, "Don''t pretend to be so perfect. If this thing can''t be solved, we will all be in trouble!"


    Kate took a deep breath, then choked down the entire glass of wine.


    Linda smiled at the sight she won.


    "I knew Ms. Smith wasn''t sincere!" The older gentleman poured another glass of wine and handed it to her, "Ms. Smith, I am an easy man to please. As long as you drink this, I will forget all about the program, and will continue to partner with Symantec!"


    "I would like to see that happen!" Kate never drank, even when Joseph hurt her badly. So, after two drinks, her stomach burned like it was on fire.


    "Ms. Smith, there''s a third of this bottle left. If you can drink it all, then we will forget everything. I am busy!" Peter handed her the bottle.


    Linda looked at Kate and said, "Mr. Peter, Kate will get hopelessly drunk. I''ll drink the rest of the bottle for her."


    Peter turned his head and ignored everything Linda said.


    "It was my fault, so it is only right that I accept the punishment¡­" Kate slurred. Her stomach was churning but closed her eyes and drank the rest of the wine straight out of the bottle.


    When the wine was gone, Kate shook the bottle and said with a smile, "Mr. Peter, I am done. Now, I hope you will keep your promise."

 Chapter 27: Take a Hin

    Linda was happy; she reached out her hand to shake his, "Mr. Peter, thank you for your tolerance."


    "Miss Smith, you can hold your liquor, but I am sure you can do better,"


    Peter said as he held his hand out to Kate.


    Kate reluctantly smiled, and politely reached out. She thought it would just be a handshake, she never expected Peter to grab the back of her hand, and then approach her, forcing her into his arms.


    The world was spinning, and Kate''s stomached burned, but she managed to violently push him away, "What do you think you are doing?"


    Knowing the longer, she stayed with Peter and Linda; she would be in more danger, Kate politely said, "I have apologized and accepted my punishment. Can you please let me go?"


    Peter gave Linda a meaningful glance and said coldly, "She cannot take a hint at all. Why does your company let her work there?"


    Linda pretended to be embarrassed, "Don''t be angry, Mr. Peter. I guess Kate is drunk, so she ¡­"


    Kate tried to leave, but she got dizzy, she grasped the door handle and reached for her phone before she passed out. She managed to say, "Lisa, pick me up at the River Hotel immediately!"


    Lisa was confused, but from Kate''s tone, she assumed she was in extreme trouble. When she hung up with Kate, she remembered that she had Joseph''s number and quickly called him.


    As soon as the call connected, she didn''t wait for him to say anything; she just anxiously said, "Joseph, it is Lisa, and if anything happens to Kate, I will hurt you!"


    Even though he was the distinguished CEO of Smith Group, to Lisa, he was nothing more than the one who bullied her best friend. She was angry and upset that she didn''t care about threatening him.


    Joseph frowned and questioned Lisa, "What has happened to her? Where is she?"


    Lisa wondered if Joseph was acting like he didn''t know, but then she realized he might be worried when he hung up on her.


    He called Amy to see if Kate was home, but she wasn''t there, so he called Linda.


    **


    "Huh, am I a criminal?" Peter''s face changed suddenly, and he viciously walked toward Kate, "I am not stupid enough not to take advantage of a special delivery!"


    Linda took a step back in fear of Peter''s actions. She knew that Joseph didn''t love Kate, so she wasn''t to do anything to stop him; she planned to watch the struggle.


    "Let me go!" Kate shouted madly, "Linda, Mr. Peter has drunk too much. Can you... ah!"


    Before she could finish speaking, Peter''s mouth was on her neck. Kate was so stunned that she froze. Suddenly, a smile appeared on Linda''s face; she took out her phone and began to take pictures.


    When Linda''s phone rang, she almost dropped it. She was too scared to answer Joseph''s call.


    "I advise you to take the hint, or I will show you true bullying!" Peter slapped Kate, knocking her to the ground, then pounced on her like a beast.


    Kate was so scared that she cried out angrily, "Son of a bitch, get off me!"


    Fearing that Joseph would hear Kate''s cries, Linda stepped into the bathroom, and cautiously answered her phone, "Lord Smith, what can I do for you?"


    "Where is Kate?!" Joseph questioned coldly.


    "Miss Smith? She should be home from work now." Linda was afraid of getting into trouble, so she tried to play dumb.


    "You have two minutes to find Kate!" Joseph hung up the phone after he gave Linda her orders.


    Linda was so frightened, but she could not understand why Joseph was worried. She thought that he told her to be tough on Kate, but yet he was looking for her.  She knew that it was not a good idea to offend Joseph; she rushed to open the door and stop Peter.


    "Mr. Peter, I am so sorry. I misunderstood what Joseph Smith said. He told me to be cruel to her, but he meant only at work; there was no intention to allow others to hurt her. Can you please get up? I just found out that this woman is Joseph''s wife, and if I offend him, it will not end well for me¡­"


    "f**k, I almost succeeded!" Peter yelled, then he got off of Kate and pulled up his pants.


    Kate was nearly unconscious, but she heard Joseph''s name, and that he said it was okay to hurt her. She never thought he would be so cruel to her.


    Linda walked over to help Kate up, "Miss Smith, I''ll take you home."


    Fearing that Kate would pass out from the alcohol, Linda pinched her hard every few minutes to keep her awake the entire drive home.


    About thirty minutes later, they arrived at the Smith home.


    "Please come to help her!" Linda waved at the guard.


    Joseph left the office immediately after speaking to Linda. He heard the car pull into the drive and went out to greet them. He looked coldly at Kate, who was being held up by a guard.


    "Sorry, Lord Smith. Kate had a lot to drink tonight because of work. I didn''t dare to tell you over the phone for fear of being scolded by you. She''s home now; I''ll not bother you." Linda wanted to leave as soon as possible to avoid getting into trouble.


    "Stop!" Joseph Smith glanced at Kate again, and then scrutinized the nervous Linda, "Did you force her to drink?"


    Linda shivered in shock and hastily denied, "No, no, no. Kate was in a bad mood, so she had a few drinks all on her own..."


    "Oh, no..." Kate said she began to throw up.


    Joseph gave her a disgusted look before saying to Linda, "You can leave now."


    "Okay," Linda was relieved. She even glanced at Kate before leaving and was very happy to see her miserable looking.


    "Amy, clean this up and her too!" Joseph demanded as he walked back into the mansion.


    Seeing that Joseph was inside, Amy didn''t need to be kind to Kate any longer. She grumbled, "This is disgusting! And to make it worse, it that you are the one I need to clean up after!"


    Kate had actually felt a lot better after throwing up the once, but after she heard Amy cursing, she began to make vomiting noise. Amy jumped back as if she had been splashed with a toxic poison.


    Kate smiled with extreme joy when she saw her frightened look but


    Amy was even angrier when she learned that Kate was deliberately trying to scare her, "I didn''t think that you were pretending to be drunk!"


    "Urghh!" Kate ignored her and continued to pretend like she was going to vomit again.

 Chapter 28 Play against Rules

    "Is she awake?" Joseph asked, standing at the top of the staircase, as if he was, he didn''t want to go downstairs.


    "She¡­She is¡­" Amy hesitated because she did not know how to reply. She was not sure whether to tell the truth or to lie to him.


    Joseph walked down the stairs and over to Kate, seeing that she was actually asleep, he bent down and picked her up in his arms. Kate was semi-conscious and very surprised by Joseph''s actions. Amy was also quite confused about his attitude toward Kate.


    If he loved Kate, why did he have such a disgusting expression? If he didn''t, why did he help her? Amy thought to herself.


    Kate still held a grudge toward him. She initially thought that her beauty attracted Peter, but it was really because Joseph was behind it all. He asked Linda to have Peter assault her. Even though Joseph finally put a stop to it, she still could not forgive him.


    The moment he put her gently down on the bed, she reached up to put her arms around his neck. She pulled him on top of her and held him close.


    "What are you doing?" Joseph frowned and said with disgust, as usual.


    Kate gazed at his angry face; she felt extremely attracted to his expression. She whispered, "Maybe we should try for a baby now. I drank some wine tonight, so it should be much more pleasurable for you!"


    Maybe it was because she felt so sad and angry, but Kate wanted to vent her anger out on him, the way he always did to her.


    "DIRTY!" Joseph pushed her away and shouted out, "You know we are trying to have a baby, but yet you still go out and drink. Are you kidding me?"


    "It was you who told Linda to make me drink? You even told her to have Peter rape me, didn''t you? You don''t want to have a baby with me at all! You just want me to give birth to a baby and tell your grandpa and mother that you completed your task! Am I right?" Kate yelled at him.


    In fact, Joseph never told Linda to do anything to harm Kate physically. When he heard how upset Kate was, he felt a little nervous. He didn''t want her to misunderstand, but at the same time, he didn''t want to give her any explanation.


    "Kate, Do you seriously think that you can live a good life after with the $10,000,000 you will get after having the baby? Don''t be so na?ve! If you annoy me, I still have other ways to put you in your place!" Joseph slammed the door behind him when he left.


    After Joseph walked out, Kate lay on the bed, filled with frustration.


    Why do you still persist, Kate? You think you can get rid of him and live a good life? Don''t be fooled by your own lie. Kate thought to herself as she cried herself to sleep.


    What? Did I hear him correctly?


    She quickly answered, "No, thank you!"


    "You want to rethink that? If you don''t get in the car, I will call the doctor and have your grandma kicked out of the hospital."


    "You bastard!" Kate yelled. She wanted to refuse him but dared not to when he threatened her grandma. Although he offered to take her to work, she didn''t look at it as a kind gesture; instead, she was on alert with anything he did for her.


    Kate thought of what he had done the night before; she warned herself, "No matter how much I love him, I cannot let myself think he cares. I need to remember that he does not love me!"


    She assumed that Joseph took her to work because he had something to deal with at Symantec, but he drove away as soon as she got out of the car.


    "Good morning, Kate!" A female colleague, May, greeted her.


    Kate smiled at her and replied, "Good morning!"


    "That is Lord Joseph, right?" May asked, leaning toward her.


    Kate nodded and then walked into the building.


    "I see, I know what I heard; it only rumors. In fact, Lord Joseph loves you very much. By the way, have you seen the news yet this morning? Peter apologized to you publicly," May pulled out her phone.


    Kate had been wondering how she was going to deal with the situation on the way to work. She never thought Peter would apologize to her on his own accord.


    Just as Kate sat at her desk, Albert walked over and apologized, "Sorry about last night, Kate."


    After the incident with Peter, Kate expected that she would have been scolded or fired. Instead, her boss was apologizing to her.  She stood up in a hurry and replied, "No, need to apologize. After all, it was my fault¡­ You¡­"


    "No, it was all my responsibility. Peter caused trouble for you on purpose. Mr. Smith taught him a lesson, though."


    "Mr. Smith?" She was not sure if he was talking about Joseph.


    "Yes, Joseph Smith." Albert laughed, "He not only taught Peter a lesson but also gave us some resources. Our boss is thrilled, and it is all because of you!"


    Kate did not know what to say. She really didn''t understand why he treated her horribly and then helped her solve the problem.


    Was it just a trick to get me to trust him? If so, I have to admit that it was a really cunning plan. It was more torturing than any physical pain.


    "Oh, I''ve already had someone to briefly modify the article you wrote and then use it in other online activities. You can check the click rate on the internet."


    "Why is it published for other activities? I mean, it wasn''t very good."


    "Of course, your article is good. Peter just doesn''t have the best judgment. You have many years of experience being an editor at Smith Group. You should be more confident in your ability!"


    Kate thought she was going to be fired when she went into work, but to her surprise, she was praised and encouraged. The entire morning, she experienced a roller coaster of emotions; fear, shock, confusion, happiness. She also noticed that the colleagues who were cold to her before talked to her. Their attitude toward her had changed drastically to how they acted in the past.


    May sat down beside Kate and whispered, "Kate, do you know that Linda was fired?"


    "Why?" She asked, but deep down, she knew it was because of what happened with Peter the night before.

 Chapter 29 Anna Comes Back to Life

    Kate was confused; she thought Linda was there to monitor her, but she was fired.


    "Kate, I admire you very much. Lord Joseph is so handsome, and I can tell he loves you very much," May whispered to Kate with great admiration.


    Kate smiled half-heartedly and started to work without saying another word.


    After work, Kate walked out of the building only to see Joseph''s car parked at the front gate.


    "Get in!" Joseph''s commanding voice demanded.


    Kate noticed that people were watching, and she didn''t want to cause trouble for herself or Joseph in public. She reluctantly got into the car with a cold look on her face.


    "Kate, don''t look at me like that. I came all the way to pick you up from work. You should be thanking me."


    "Joseph, don''t you think you are a little hypocritical?" Kate snarled at Joseph, "You asked Linda to spy on me, and then you fired her? I find that rather interesting. Or do you just want others to think that you are a good husband?"


    "I have only one reason for doing all of this, the BABY!" Joseph emphasized.


    "I will never have your baby! NEVER EVER!" Kate yelled back.


    I must have been crazy to sign an agreement with him. The worst part is that I was the one who demanded it.


    "Are you sure?" he asked sincerely.


    Kate saw his eyes filled with anger. She clenched her fists to calm herself and said, "Even if I give birth to your baby, you will treat him or her horribly. I would rather you threaten my grandma''s life than give a baby to you."


    "It appears that you are much more confident with $10,000,000 in the bank," Joseph scoffed, "You shouldn''t be, because even if you do have money, I can prevent you from finding a good doctor for your grandma."


    "What does that mean?" Kate didn''t want to think about what he was going to say, but she had a feeling she knew.


    "It just means that whatever you do will be pointless. I can create many obstacles," Joseph said with a smile.


    His reply was exactly what Kate thought; he would always find a way to threaten her, "Joseph Smith, I will not submit to you!"


    "Then you can take a chance and see what happens."


    Since Joseph had Peter publicly apologize, all of Kate''s colleagues were very polite and made work much easier on her. She was feeling more confident but still worried about her grandma.


    **


    The next two weeks passed quickly, Kate''s routine simply involved going to work, eating, sleeping, and having sex with Joseph. He was forced her to have sex by continuing to threaten her grandma''s medical care; she had to compromise for her.


    Kate immediately felt sick to her stomach; just as she did each time, she heard Leo say he had to talk to her about something important. She assumed that Dora was only causing more trouble, so she said, "I am sorry, Dad. I have things to do today. Can we¡­"


    "Kate, I didn''t want to tell you this on the phone, but Anna is alive and standing in front of me. You need to come here right now!" Leo coldly interrupted her.


    "What? Huh?" Kate couldn''t believe what she was hearing. She asked, "Who did you say is there?"


    "Anna is here. She didn''t die!" Leo answered with firmness.


    The shock Kate felt for an instant left her completely stunned. She couldn''t say anything but repeat what her father said in a whisper, "Anna is here. She didn''t die!"


    "Kate, did you hear me? Come to the house!" Leo ordered.


    She tried to calm herself down and mumbled, "Okay," before hanging up the phone.


    How could Anna be alive? Everyone was told that she died two years before.


    Kate was quite puzzled by the phone call, so she told the driver to take her to the White''s mansion. On the way all Kate could think of was how happy Joseph had to be to know Anna was alive. The thought of them being together made her feel sad, she had been married to Joseph for two years, but they were still strangers.


    After twenty minutes, Kate''s car pulled into the drive of her father''s home. As she stepped inside, she heard, "Oh! My dear! Do you know how much I have missed you? I wanted to die without you."


    The family reunion was too much for Kate; she didn''t want to accept what her father had said. She only went to the house to confirm it was true.


    "Mom, I don''t know how many times I can say I am sorry. You shouldn''t have had to worry about me¡­" Anna said while wiping away the tears on Dora''s face.


    "I am back now. I will not leave you again. Please stop crying."


    Anna tried to comfort her mother, but she continued to cry. Dora wiped more tears away, "This is happy crying. I know I should cry, but I am so happy."


    Dora lifted her head, smiled at Anna, but then she saw Kate at the door, and her smile disappeared suddenly,  then she shouted, "Why are you here?"


    Leo explained, "Dora, Anna is alive. This a joyful and important event; I had to tell Kate."


    Dora suddenly pulled Anna close to her chest and stared at Kate, "It has nothing to with her. If it were not for her, my daughter would never have left me, and she would have a happy life now. Get out of here; you are not welcome."


    "Mom, don''t be so rude to my sister. We are a family." Anna smiled and pleaded with Dora.


    It seems that Anna has not changed at all. She is just as two-faced as she was before. It was because of her insincerity that she took my love, Joseph.


    Kate thought to herself.


    "Be careful, Anna. You may regard her as your sister, but she doesn''t think of you the same. If she had, she would not have taken the love of your life¡­"


    "Shut up, Dora! I called Joseph, and he should be here soon. Please watch what you are saying!" Leo warned Dora.


    "I''m just stating the truth. Anna, you must tell Joseph that you still love him when he gets here. You need to take your man back, take everything back that belongs to you. Do you understand?"


    "But¡­but Joseph married Kate. I cannot be selfish. I know Kate also loves Joseph¡­"


    "Anna, why are you talking so stupid?" Dora stammered, "You must talk to Joseph and get a straight answer from him! You must think about yourself. After all, he loves you, not Kate."


    The moment she finished her sentence, Joseph appeared by Kate''s side. Even though they looked like allies, they were not. He was too surprised to see Anna; he was unable to take another step when he saw that woman he loved standing in front of him.

 Chapter 30 As Long as You Live

    "Joseph, do you know that I thought I would never see you again?" Anna cried like a baby in his arms.


    Kate felt like an outsider standing next to them. Joseph was her husband, but there was nothing she could do, she didn''t dare to push Anna away. After all, Anna was the one he loved, not her. Seeing the look on Kate''s face as she watched Anna in Joseph''s arms, Dora was overjoyed. She smiled at Kate as if she was mocking her.


    "You¡­You really are my Anna?" Joseph questioned, he thought he might have been dreaming.


    Anna stood straight and pointed to the birthmark on her neck, saying, "Do you remember this mark? I always said it was special because nobody else has one the same."


    Joseph looked at her neck, and then hugged her again, "You are Anna! You are Anna!"


    He held on to her tightly, fearing that if he let go, she would disappear again. They were celebrating a joyous moment, but Kate''s heart was breaking. She had never felt so hurt by Joseph before.


    "Sorry, Kate. I was just so excited that I hugged him without thinking. I will do it again," Anna apologized, but Kate knew it she wasn''t sincere.


    Kate clenched her fists, and calmly said, "Are you sure you will not do it again?"


    Though Kate knew Joseph and Anna still loved each other, she would not say it out loud. If she did, she would have to deal with Joseph bullying her, Dora swearing, and Leo acting cold. She was only human and didn''t want to be hurt anymore by those around her.


    Anna awkwardly replied, "Yes¡­I will not¡­"


    Joseph jumped in to defend Anna, "No need to explain to her."


    "How can you say that? I know you love her and want to be with her. But don''t forget that you are technically my husband. So, please remember to behave yourself."


    "And you should keep your distance from married men," Kate turned to Anna to warn her.


    You''d better keep a distance from a married man." Kate turned to Anna and warned.


    "I¡­" Anna bit her lips and wanted to explain to Kate, but she didn''t know what to say.


    Kate could feel Joseph''s angry glare without looking at him. She ignored him, not giving in to his attitude any longer.


    "You are so shameful!" Dora stepped forward to help her daughter, "You took my daughter''s love, but now you are warning her to stay away from him. You should leave now!"


    Instead of shouting back, Kate politely said, "You have blamed me for your daughter''s death for the last two years. Yet, she is standing in front of us now? I think she needs to tell us what happened and where she has been all of this time."


    "I¡­I don''t know what you are talking about," Dora''s mumbled incoherently.


    She tried to change the topic and continued to scold Kate, "You are a shameful woman. You must return everything that belongs to my daughter,"


    Joseph turned around to Anna and asked, "Anna, what has happened since the accident? Where have you been for the last two years? Why didn''t you contact us?"


    Both Joseph and Kate were confused; they wanted to know where Anna had been but probably for different reasons.


    "Joseph, I¡­"


    "My dear, you must be exhausted. The doctor said that you need to have a rest. Don''t overthink, or you may get sick," Dora pulled Anna closer to her and said to Joseph, "I think Anna needs to have a nap now. You can ask her more when she feels better."


    "By the way, now that Anna is alive, if you love her, you need to take some action. I don''t think we need to get into the details of what I think you should do," Dora added.


    Everyone in the room knew what she meant; she wanted Joseph to divorce Kate and marry her daughter. In fact, it was the same trick that Dora used to marry Leo.


    "Mom, Joseph, and Kate have a happy life. I don''t want to break them up!" Anna persuaded.


    "You are a great actress," Kate turned around to leave. She knew that Anna would not explain what had happened the night of the accident; she would come up with any excuse, not answer. Kate always believed that is was extremely difficult to have a liar tell the truth.


    Dora sighed with relief after Kate left. She turned to Anna, "You and Joseph haven''t seen each other for two years. You must have a lot to catch up on!"


    Anna lowered her head shyly and said, "Mom, Joseph is married now. I don''t want to make him feel awkward." Turning to look at Joseph, Anna commented, "Joseph, Kate is unhappy. Please take care of her, not me. I am still not in the best of health and cannot move too far."


    "You are still so considerate," Joseph stroked her face and said, "You must have had many hardships over the last two years."


    Anna sobbed, "I fell down the mountain, and when I hit my head, I lost my memory. For the last two years, I have spent most of my time in the hospital, but I am slowly recovering. I saw your picture on a commercial; I immediately told myself that I knew you, but I could not figure out who you were. Since then, I have been dreaming of you."


    "I tried my best to remember my past and everything that happened between us. However, I would get a headache whenever I thought about it. Then one day, I fell down the stairs and hit my head again. Suddenly, I remembered everything¡­" Anna cried out, "But now you are married. My heart broke when I heard that. I know I should have contacted you, but I didn''t think it would be appropriate, so I contacted my parents."


    After hearing Anna tell her story, Joseph felt horrible for what she had gone through. He wasn''t sure what to say or do so, he wrapped his arms around her and softly whispered, "Everything is okay now. The most important thing is that you are alive!"

 Chapter 31 Dont Be A Coward

    Joseph didn''t know if he should tell Anna that he only married Kate to torture her for killing Anna. He knew that since Anna was alive, then he and Kate should get a divorce, but it wasn''t that simple. He said, "Don''t worry, I will find a way to be by your side."


    "Really?" Anna asked excitedly, like a spoiled little child. She looked at Joseph and asked straightforwardly, "How do you plan on telling Kate? She will be angry. You saw how unhappy she was a little while ago."


    She tried her best to hide her selfishness and act innocently.


    "I will deal with it. There is no need for you to stress over it," He stroked her hair and put his other arm on her shoulder then Joseph turned to Dora, "Take good care of Anna, Mom. Don''t let her get hurt anymore."


    Dora responded very fast, "Of course, I will. She is my daughter. But she actually needs you to care for her more than I can. You must take action quickly."


    "I come back soon," Joseph waved goodbye to them and said to Anna, "Take good care of yourself."


    "Don''t worry. I will stay at home and not go anywhere," Anna held his hands, not wanting to let him go.


    "Perfect!" The moment Joseph left, Dora could not restrain her happiness and clapped hands together with excitement.


    Anna stopped her and reminded Dora with her eyes focusing on the second floor, "Don''t forget that Daisy is here."


    Dora sighed and frowned, "I have taken every measure possible to drive her out of this house the last two years, but¡­"


    "Daisy is loyal to Kate, and if she remands her, it will be a huge inconvenience for us to do anything," Anna knew how troublesome Daisy was.


    "You don''t need to be so serious. Once you become Joseph''s wife, you will be afraid of Daisy? She is nothing more than a servant in this home," Dora laughed, "If you win, Kate and Daisy will not be a problem to any of us."


    Anna felt angry when she heard Kate''s name. She pulled her mother to her room and asked anxiously, "Mom, are you sure that Joseph hasn''t fallen in love with Kate?"


    Dora held her hands and nodded, "Yes, I''m sure."


    "Okay, fine." Anna sighed with relief, but deep down, she was still worried, "Joseph''s mother didn''t like me before. If she opposes to Joseph divorcing Kate, then I will not be able to marry him."


    Dora had also thought about that, but to encourage Anna, she told her, "My dear, nobody can be an obstacle as long as Joseph loves you."


    "I hope you are right," Anna hugged her mother then said, "Mom, I finally don''t need to hide anymore. I can live with my love and beat Kate. I am so happy."


    "You have suffered a lot in the last two years. But, I promise that we will have endless wealth in the future."


    **


    As Kate thought about what Anna had done to her in the past, she became outraged.


    About an hour after Kate arrived home, Joseph''s car pulled into the driveway.


    Kate was in the living room and looked at him as calmly as possible. She was waiting for him to say something about divorcing her, and she had no way to stop it. From the beginning, there was always a chance that a marriage without love would be destined to end. However, Joseph only glanced in her direction and then went directly to his study. Kate was stunned; she had no idea what he was thinking.


    Joseph did not leave his study the entire afternoon and did not even come out for dinner. Kate was cranky and decided not to eat either, but go for a walk instead. As she walked out the door her phone rang, she saw that it was Cassie.


    "Hi, Mom!"


    "Come to the house, Kate. I have something vital to talk over with you," Cassie said seriously.


    "Emm¡­.Okay," Cassie seldom ordered her to do anything. Kate wondered if she found that Anna was alive.


    "Is Joseph at home?" Cassie asked.


    "Yes, he is busy in the study," Kate answered, looking toward the study.


    "Don''t tell him. You just come here and make sure you are not watched on the way out," Cassie said before hanging up.


    Kate drove to the Smith mansion; she was nervous and curious. When she arrived, there was nobody in the hall, which was different than when she was there before.


    There was nobody in the hall this time, which was different from her coming here before. As she and Joseph did not have a good relationship, she seldomly came here.


    "Lady Kate, Mrs. Smith asked that you go to her room," A servant ushered her in the right direction.


    "Okay," Kate said and followed. When she entered the room, she saw Cassie sitting on the sofa, "Mom, what is it?"


    Cassie nodded in reply and said, "Sit down."


    She sat down beside her as ordered, then lowered her head, waiting for Cassie to say something.


    "What''s your plan?" Cassie doubtfully asked.


    Kate looked up and questioned with uncertainty, "Plan for what?"


    "You do know that Anna is alive, right? I can understand that Joseph doesn''t want me to know, but why didn''t you tell me? You will end up being the victim. Joseph will want a divorce."


    "Joseph loves Anna and planned to marry her before. He only married me to get revenge for her death. Now that she is back, he will keep his promise to her," Kate replied.


    "I don''t want to hear these discouraging words. Your mother was a coward, and now you are too. She tolerated your father, so Dora managed to get rid of her finally. If you are a coward, you will have the same fate as your mother."

 Chapter 32 I dont Agree

    "Other than protecting yourself, you also need to safeguard your marriage," Cassie stated. She encouraged, "You actually love Joseph very much; don''t even try to deny it. Why do you make so many allowances? Do you think that you are so inferior to Anna that you are willing to give up on Joseph?"


    "Mom, I¡­, I do love Joseph. You are right, but he doesn''t love me. You can take a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink."


    "I can say this, I will not allow it to happen," Cassie said firmly, "You can let Anna have Joseph, but I cannot. If you divorce Joseph, I will hate you forever."


    Kate felt so conflicted, "Mom, Joseph is a person, not an object. I cannot stop him; he has the right to choose to be with the one he loves."


    Cassie restrained her rage and spoke in a serious tone, but with sincerity, "I understand your situation. But, you have to understand that you must strive for somethings, not let them go."


    Lisa had told Kate almost the same thing, but she never mentioned her love for Joseph. It was because of Kate''s insecurity that Anna would have the chance to take Joseph from her.


    "Don''t be afraid; I will be your strong backing." Cassie encouraged her, "Joseph is a family man. When his father died, he was so sad that he went abroad and did not contact anyone. Then his grandpa and I forced him to come back, he finally agreed. I know he loves his family."


    Kate asked cautiously, "Mom, please don''t force him to do anything he doesn''t want to do. Marriage with no love will only make us both suffer. Why not let him be with his love? It would be good for him and his career."


    "Why are you so stubborn?" Cassie was irritated with her, "Joseph''s grandpa and I are on your side. But you will not take any action."


    Seeing that Cassie was angry, Kate was at a loss and said, "Don''t be angry, Mom. I don''t want to offend you, and I don''t want us to be in such an awkward situation. I know you want to have a grandchild, Anna could help you with that. After all, they love each other very much, and could have a baby."


    "You¡­" Cassie started to say, but she was out of breath. She laid back on the sofa, unable to utter a word.


    Kate stood up immediately and asked, "What''s wrong, Mom?"


    Seeing her anxious expression, Cassie whispered, "My¡­My heart aches."


    "Do you have medication?" Kate went to look for pills but couldn''t find any. She walked back to Cassie and said, "Don''t worry, I will call for a doctor."


    Cassie snatched her hand and said, "My pain will not be relieved if you don''t listen to me. I feel so angry when I think of your attitude."


    After saying how disappointed she was with Kate, Cassie struggled to breathe.


    "You still won''t listen to me?" Cassie asked again.


    "I¡­"


    "You truly do disappoint me. You would rather have Anna take Joseph away than fight for him. Go away; I don''t want to see you anymore. One day though, I will die of depression, just as your mother did." Cassie knew she shouldn''t motivate her with her mother''s death, but she couldn''t think of another way.


    Kate was born kind and always put others first; only her mother''s death could change her mind. Cassie thought to herself.


    Kate felt her heartbreaking again when she thought of her mother. Flora had been confident and abrupt in any situation, but due to Leo''s betrayal, she gradually became sick and depressed before dying. Shaking her head as tears streamed down her face, Kate said, "No¡­Mom, though Joseph doesn''t love me, you are so kind to me. You treat me as your daughter, and I appreciate it very much. But, please don''t be so worried about me."


    "Then take my advice, don''t divorce Joseph, okay?" Cassie pleaded, "If you have any difficulty, we can face them together."


    "I¡­" Seeing Cassie begging her so sincerely, she didn''t have the heart to refuse. So, she agreed, "Okay, I will try my best. But if I cannot continue, I will let you know."


    "Thank you for trying. You are really a good girl." Cassie then felt assured. There was no way that she was going to let Dora''s daughter become her daughter-in-law.


    After confirming that Cassie was feeling fine, Kate went back to her home. The moment she stepped into her bedroom, Joseph grabbed her by the neck. He asked in a harsh tone, "It didn''t take you long to go to complain to my mother, did it?"


    Seeing his furious expression, she laughed and asked, "Are you afraid of me telling your mother? Are you afraid of her knowing or is it that you are afraid she will try to stop us from getting a divorce?"


    Joseph tightened his grip, but Kate just stared at him as usual. She was not going to give in to him.


    The thought of Anna and divorcing Kate gave Joseph a little comfort. He loosened his hand and warned, "You better behave yourself or else..."


    "What? Are you going to divorce me?" Kate scoffed, "I don''t care."


    "You¡­" Joseph snarled, "Karma comes back around. Your tricks two years ago were pointless because Anna has come back."


    "You think Anna told you the truth? Don''t be so naive! She is a liar!" Kate did not want to explain anymore to Joseph again. After all, he never believed her.


    Soon? Was he so anxious?


    She felt her heartache and was about to agree. However, at this moment, Cassie''s words echoed in her mind, "You truly do disappoint me. You would rather have Anna take Joseph away than fight for him. Go away; I don''t want to see you anymore. One day though, I will die of depression, just as your mother did."


    "Joseph, do you think I will obey you all the time? You are wrong. This time, I will not agree to divorce you so easily!"

 Chapter 33 Come to Me

    Kate was actually frightened of him, but the promise she made to Cassie meant more. She gathered all of her courage and repeated, "I will not agree to divorce you."


    "What the f**k? I will¡­" Joseph pushed her to the bed and leaned over her. Before he was able to do anything, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket angrily, but when he saw the caller ID, he smiled and answered, "Hello?"


    As Joseph was still leaning over Kate, his voice was so calm and soothing. She was attracted to him so intensely that she blushed.


    "Joseph, I¡­I''m afraid. Can you come to me?" Anna questioned.


    Hearing Anna''s voice, Kate turned her head away and pretended not to care, but she was sad and jealous of Anna. She knew it didn''t matter though; Joseph wouldn''t even notice.


    Without hesitation, Joseph replied, "Don''t be afraid. I will be there soon!"


    Immediately, he got up off of Kate and left the bedroom, not saying a word. He slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Kate alone in the spacious bedroom.


    Kate felt disappointed, lonely, and desperate. Joseph''s attitude toward her and Anna was the total opposite. He would go to Anna whenever she asked, but for her, he wouldn''t care even if she was in danger. Joseph was even okay with putting her in dangerous situations.


    Why should I fight? Kate thought to herself.


    Joseph did not come home the entire night. Kate was not surprised, but it still hurt her.


    When Kate woke up the next morning and went to work, she could not concentrate. She could not help but wonder what Joseph and Anna had done the night before. She wondered if they hugged and kissed because they had not been together in two years.


    Not being able to calm herself down, Kate could not finish the work that Albert had assigned her. She regretting allowing her personal life to affect her job when she spoke to Albert, "I am sorry. I will finish it during my lunch break and then submit it to you."


    Since she was Joseph''s wife, instead of scolding her, Albert said with a smile, "It doesn''t matter. You go have lunch; I will finish up the work."


    "Please don''t say that. It is my work, and I will do it right now," Kate returned to her desk and began to work intensely.


    "You need to have lunch first. After all, I cannot have you working on an empty stomach; it wouldn''t be very efficient," Albert persuaded.


    "Okay¡­" Kate reluctantly agreed and went to the canteen to have lunch.


    After lunch, she reorganized her thoughts and worked hard until it was time to go home. She had finished everything and smiled confidently until her phone rang. She dreaded each time it rang; she answered, "Hello?"


    "Kate, did you see the news yet today?" Lisa asked.


    "Which news?" She replied as she walked out of the building.


    "You have to promise me. Don''t be sad after I tell you," Lisa said, trying to restrain herself.


    Kate guessed what Lisa was talking about but didn''t say anything, "Is it about Joseph?"


    "Not only him; it''s about him and Anna," Lisa said with great excitement, "How is she alive? I thought she died two years ago, didn''t she?"


    When Lisa read the news on the internet, she could not believe the story. She read it numerous times before calling Kate to confirm if it was true.


    Kate hadn''t called Lisa to tell her about Anna because she was too upset. She calmly replied, "She is alive; I know all about it."


    "You know about it?" Lisa became more excited. "So, Anna, that bitch will take Joseph from you again?"


    After getting into her taxi, Kate said, "It''s not very convenient to explain everything to you over the phone. Let''s talk about it face to face. Meet me at the usual restaurant."


    Kate hung up with Lisa and then searched the internet for news. The moment she looked, she saw pictures of Joseph and Anna together. They were spending time together shopping, hand in hand. In each photo, they looked happy; she had never experienced that with Joseph.


    So, he didn''t come home last night because he had to take Anna shopping? Kate thought to herself.


    Kate sat at the table, waiting for Lisa to arrive. Before Lisa even reached the table, Kate could see that she was upset. Once she was sitting down, Lisa complained, "Why is that bitch, Anna, with your husband? I know they were lovers before, but you are Joseph''s legally recognized wife."


    Kate understood why she was so angry. She explained her conversation with Cassie and said, "I really don''t know if I should fight or just give up¡­"


    "Of course, you need to fight!" Lisa became even angrier when she thought of Anna insulting Kate: "First of all, Anna took Joseph from you, and then others blamed you for the accident. And now, she is actually alive and wants to take Joseph from you. I cannot put up with that!"


    "Lisa, I will not surrender to her no matter what she does. However, Joseph loves her. That is the only reason that no matter what I do, it won''t matter. I had two years for him to fall in love with me, but I failed."


    "To be honest, I wished you would leave Joseph when I saw him hurting you. But now, Anna is back and will try to take everything from you. I think it is unfair to you. And, you got to wonder why she is suddenly back from the dead. Maybe she just pretended to die two years ago? Maybe she only did it to make Joseph hate you?" Lisa questioned


    Kate thought it was bizarre, and she believed that Lisa could be right.


    "You clearly understand what kind of people Dora and Anna are. They forced your mother Flora into a depression that led to her death. Then they forced themselves into the White family and tried to take everything from you. My advice is not to divorce Joseph anytime soon. You cannot give up easily and allow them to be together."


    Thinking of Flora, Kate was more determined not to divorce Joseph.


    "They are not a couple legally. No matter how much they love each other, the public will gossip. You also have your mother-in-law''s support, so don''t be afraid. You have her and me to help you."

 Chapter 34 You Will Be with Me Forever

    "You are only weak because you love Joseph. Your love makes you humble and fragile. Even though you said you want to leave him many times, you cannot push him out of your heart. You will never be able to stop your love for him, no matter how much you try," Lisa told Kate gently.


    Hearing her friend''s thoughts, Kate smiled bitterly, "I don''t know why I am persisting, though. There is no way that I will be able to get what I want."


    "Don''t think about the end result. I just don''t think that you should give in to Anna so easily. Just think about it, even if you let go of Joseph, she will still bully you until you have absolutely nothing," Lisa reminded her, "You need to think about yourself, and not others."


    Kate didn''t say anything else about the situation; she was conflicted about what she should do and needed time to think.


    After a quiet dinner, Kate said to Lisa as she was leaving, "Thank you. You have helped me a lot. I appreciate it."


    "No need to thank me. We are good friends, and I just want you to think more about yourself. Do not let your deep love for Joseph affect your decision. Remember now you not only to gain Joseph''s love but also defeat Anna. You have things to overcome."


    Kate nodded and chuckled.


    "You must be fully prepared before engaging in the battle with that bitch," Lisa reiterated in a hateful but playful tone as Kate got into her taxi.


    **


    "Mrs. Smith, Lady Kate is home," Amy shouted when she saw Kate.


    Kate walked inside the house, and when she got to the hall, she saw Cassie sitting on the sofa with a serious expression on her face.


    "Mom, when did you get here?" Kate assumed that she was angry, so she quickly poured them both a glass of water.


    "Sit down!" Cassie ordered and asked, "Did you have dinner?"


    "Yes, I did," She replied and asked Cassie nervously, "Did you?"


    "Yes," Cassie took the glass, sipped the water then asked, "Do you know where Joseph is?"


    Every time she heard Cassie saying Joseph, she felt as if she was walking on eggshells.


    "I¡­I don''t know¡­" Though she said she didn''t know, she knew deep inside that he had to be with Anna.


    "You are his wife. Shouldn''t you know where he is?" Cassie scolded.


    "Call him and tell him to come home now. Say that I have something to tell him," Cassie yelled at Amy.


    Amy was frightened and ran out of the room in a hurry.


    Neither in Kate nor Amy believed that Joseph would leave Anna to come home. No one ever dared to order Joseph to do anything, except his mother and grandpa. Joseph was a family man, but he would still disobey them, especially for his beloved woman.


    Kate expected that to be his reply, and quickly said, "Mom, why don''t we take a walk outside? The weather is beautiful."


    Cassie completely ignored Kate and demanded, "Call him again! Tell him if he doesn''t come home tonight that I will go to the White''s mansion and kill Anna myself."


    "Er¡­" Amy would not dare tell Joseph the message because she knew it would infuriate Joseph. If she offended him, her life would be worse in the house. She pretended to cry and said she was afraid to call him.


    "Forget about it! I will call him myself!" Cassie snapped then took out her phone.


    "Joseph, I will give you two choices. You either come home on your tonight, or I will go to the White''s home and pick you up," Cassie demanded.


    Joseph was so angry that he hung up the phone and threw it on the ground.


    Anna saw his frustration and walked over to him, "What happened, Joseph? Who has made you so upset?"


    Pushing her away so that she didn''t get too close, he said, "We made a deal that we need to keep distance between us until I divorce Kate. I need to respect you."


    "No," Anna cried, "We were in love before, and you said you respected me, so you didn''t want me to get too close. At that time, I thought you would marry me, I waited for you, but now, you are married to someone else. I am too worried."


    Joseph wrapped his arms around her, "Do you still remember what you wrote in your letter?"


    "Letter?" Anna did not know what he was talking about. She blinked, "Which letter? I have written you so many."


    "You said that we still have a long way to go and that you will be with me always," Joseph always reminded himself of her words because he received when he felt very depressed.


    Anna did not know what Joseph was telling her because Kate had written the letters, not her. She tried to change the subject away from the letters, "Are you complaining that I have not been with you for the last two years?"


    "Of course not, this is all on me. I feel bad for you, so I need to show you more love," Joseph said as he stroked her hair, "I cannot stay with you tonight. I have to go home now, but please get some rest, and I will be here tomorrow morning."


    "You are leaving? I am so sad," Anna hugged his waist and begged, "One more night? Please! After tonight, you can go back to Kate, okay?"


    She tried not to show the resentment she had toward Kate. If she did, Joseph would gradually begin to see her evil side and would not be so kind to her.


    "Okay, I need to deal with something, and then I will come back," Joseph knew that his mother hated Anna a lot. If he did not go to see Cassie, he believed that she would cause trouble with Anna. He also understood that there was no point in trying to compromise with his mother; he was worried it would just put Anna in more danger.


    Having no choice, Anna said in a childish tone, "You don''t like weak women, so I will let you go."


    "Good," Joseph kissed her forehead.


    "I will be here waiting for you here," Anna whispered, then walked him to the door.


    After his car disappeared, the smile on her face also disappeared. She murmured, "Kate, as of right now, our battle has officially begun!"

 Chapter 35 Kates Grandma Die

    "Why are you so stupid and willing to be bullied by others? You know Anna lies and schemes, but you wouldn''t do the same to fight against her?"


    Kate just lowered her head then listened quietly as Cassie spoke. She thought Cassie might be more relieved if she could vent all of her negative emotions. However, she did feel bad for Cassie because she worried so much about her and Joseph. The entire situation should not involve anyone but herself, Joseph, and Anna, but Cassie was now involved.


    "But I still thank you for not agreeing to divorce Joseph," Cassie held her hands and said to her gently, "Please endure it for a bit longer. I believe that Joseph will see you love for him."


    "I¡­" Since Anna came back, Kate had been in a mess of emotions. She didn''t know whether she should stay or go, and Cassie begged her to stay longer. It confused her even more.


    "I will never see her love for me," Joseph''s cold voice snarled.


    Hearing his voice, Kate turned around and saw Joseph angrily walking toward her.


    Joseph pointed a finger in her face and scolded, "Do you think you can secure your position as my wife, just because you always have my mother''s support? It will not happen!"


    "What the hell are you saying, Joseph? Kate is your legally recognized wife. I think that bitch, Anna has fooled you. You are so caught up in the act that you cannot tell who treats you sincerely."


    Cassie planned to speak with her son calmly because she knew he could be persuaded by reason but would not give in to demands. However, his words irritated her, and so she decided to stick up for Kate.


    "Mom, I didn''t come here to quarrel with you," Joseph shifted his eyes to Kate and slowly said, "I am going to inform you that I will divorce Kate as soon as possible and marry Anna."


    "What?" Cassie knew he wanted to divorce Kate, but did not expect that he would do it so soon. She scolded, "Joseph, I have told you before that Anna is as sneaky as her mother, Dora. She¡­"


    "Mom, I have made my final decision and will not change my mind no matter what you say," Then Joseph looked at Kate and said, "Write anything you want in the divorce agreement. I don''t want to waste any more time with you."


    Kate sensed heartlessness as well as his eagerness for a divorce from his tone,


    She stared at him and snapped, "You think that I married you just for money? How ridiculous! You have never respected me. Even if I am nothing in your eyes, we are legally a couple. I did not do anything wrong, nor have I betrayed you. I firmly believe that the judge will make it a fair ruling."


    Joseph asked seriously, "You are going to fight with me?"


    Kate was determined to fight with him despite any threat.


    "Okay, let''s see who will win," Joseph went upstairs, still raging with anger.


    Kate felt so tired, and as if she was going to fall apart. Suddenly, she felt dizzy and sat down on the sofa.


    "The conflict has become more severe," Cassie heaved after hearing the conversation between her son and his wife, "Joseph has really been fooled by that bitch."


    **


    The next day, Kate was absolutely devastated when she received a message from the hospital to inform her that her grandma had died at 1 p.m.


    Albert noticed that Kate seemed distraught, he walked over and said, "Kate, everyone else is taking a break. Why not¡­?"


    Before he finished his sentence, Kate jumped up and ran out of the office.


    Albert was confused and worried about her, so he tried to call her, but Kate didn''t answer.


    The sun was shining, yet Kate felt so cold that she was shivering. She hoped that it was a lie or a mistake made by the hospital. So many different things went through her head on the way to the hospital, she thought that maybe Joseph forced someone to call her. But when she reached the hospital, the doctor confirmed that her grandma had passed away.


    "No¡­No¡­" She shook head and tried her best to keep from yelling and screaming.


    "I want to see my grandma. I want to see her¡­"


    The doctor took her to the morgue, where she saw her grandma lying on a slab covered with a white sheet. Kate could not hold herself back; she was sobbing hysterically as she pulled down the sheet to hold her grandma''s hand.


    "Grandma, please don''t leave me. Please!" Kate choked back her tears, "Since Mom left me, you have been the only person in the world who truly cared about me. How can you leave me alone? Wake up! I am willing to take any punishment as long as you wake up. Please answer me¡­"


    Kate was so desperate to bring her grandma back to life that she rubbed her grandma''s hand, hoping to warm her. However, nothing she was doing would help; her grandma was gone.


    "I''m sorry for your loss, but you need to take care of yourself," The doctor said kindly.


    Kate shook head crazily and cried, "My grandma will be back. It''s just the temperature. The temperature here is so low; she just wanted to rest and then will come back."


    "Kate!" Cassie''s voice came from the door. She immediately went to the hospital as soon as she received the news. Seeing Kate crying, she went to comfort her, "Oh my poor girl, your grandma is gone. Please let her go. She would be so worried about you."


    "No, Mom. Grandma didn''t die, her hands a little warmer now."


    "Don''t do this to yourself. Your grandma is free from pain; she will be happy in paradise. She can now reunite with your mother."


    "No, I want grandma to live. Live¡­" Kate didn''t want to listen to anything. She held her grandma''s hands tightly, not wanting to let go.


    Joseph was outside the morgue, watching Kate crying, his heart ached, but he didn''t understand why.


    Finally, Kate was escorted out of the morgue by the hospital staff. Cassie saw Joseph standing by the door, so she asked him to help calm Kate down. Though he did not love Kate, he thought that he should stand by her side as her husband.


    Kate was so tired that she leaned against the sofa and fell asleep. She would occasionally call out for her grandma as she tossed and turned. Joseph sat down beside and put his arms around her.


    "Joseph, you¡­"

 Chapter 36 You are the Killer

    Seeing Anna, Joseph pushed Kate away instinctively. He rushed to explain, "Don''t misunderstand the situation. She was just so upset, and my mother asked me to take care of her."


    After glancing at Kate, Anna hypocritically replied, "I am not that mean, Joseph. She just lost her grandma and needs your comfort. I completely understand."


    Kate woke up when she heard Joseph and Anna talking, she pointed at Joseph then yelled, "It was you, Joseph! You killed my grandma!"


    The night before, when Kate would not agree to a divorce, Joseph threatened her grandma''s life. Then suddenly the next day she passed away, Kate did not believe that it was a coincidence.


    Joseph was trying to defend himself, but he was interrupted by Anna, "Your grandma''s death has nothing to do with Joseph. The doctor said that she died of natural causes. Joseph did nothing to her."


    Kate was furious and, on her way, out of the room snarled, "Only he himself can say whether he did it or not. Anna, please take your disgusting words and hypocritical face and leave me alone. I will get even with you after I am done planning my grandma''s funeral."


    "Is she crazy?" Anna felt uncomfortable Kate acting crazily, while Joseph remained silent.


    **


    The funeral for Kate''s grandma was held one week later. Both the Smiths and the Whites were in attendance. During the funeral, Kate restrained all of her anger when she saw Joseph, Anna, and Dora. Kate did not want to disrespect her grandma, but after the funeral, she would no longer tolerate any of them.


    "Kate, your grandma is gone and will not be back. You need to concentrate on yourself now," Leo reminded her before leaving the cemetery.


    Dora turned away because she did not want to see Kate, but Anna was looking for her. Then she walked toward her and, in a loving tone, said, "My sister, I believe that Grandma will live a good life in the other world. Don''t be sad; we will help you because we are family."


    Kate closed her eyes and covered her ears, not wanting to see her or hear her voice. Lisa was next to Kate; she stared at Anna. She wanted to scold Anna in public and tell everyone that the letters Anna wrote to Joseph were actually written by Kate. But she remembered what she had promised Kate and stopped herself.


    Cassie overheard what Anna had told Kate. She put her arm around Kate''s shoulders and said bluntly, "No, you are not Kate''s family. She is different than you!"


    "Auntie¡­" Anna wanted to explain, but she dared not question Joseph''s mother.


    Joseph saw the four women together and rushed over to stop any conflict; he put his hand on Anna''s arm and said, "Let''s go."


    Anna was very arrogant but still pretended to be timid in front of most people.


    However, both Kate and Lisa knew that no words would comfort her at such a sad time.


    Halfway back to their car, Anna suddenly stopped.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Joseph asked gently.


    Anna answered, "Joseph, Kate needs you at this time. If you leave with me, she will be sadder."


    Although she said encouraged him to comfort Kate, inside, she was very pleased. Joseph had chosen to be with her even when Kate was upset. She could see that she was more important to him than Kate ever would be.


    "Are you testing me?" Joseph asked.


    "No, I''m not." Anna explained in a hurry, "I just¡­"


    At that very moment, Cassie walked up behind them. Anna was frightened as she slipped behind Joseph''s arm. She innocently whispered, "I may irritate your mother¡­"


    Joseph held her hands immediately to protect her.


    Seeing the intimacy between the two, Cassie became even angrier. She pointed at Anna, shouting, "Why are you so shameful? You are trying to seduce a married man."


    Cassie saw Dora getting in her car; she shouted at her, "Get out of the car!"


    Realizing how much pain Anna and Dora caused was too much for Cassie. They need to be punished, she thought.


    Dora had been watching Joseph and Anna; she was nervous as she mumbled, "What¡­what, do you want?"


    "I can see that you have taught your daughter to seduce married men, just like you did! I will never allow your daughter to marry my son. I only recognize Kate as my daughter-in-law," Cassie scolded bluntly.


    "Cassie Smith, I respect you because you are Joseph''s mother. If you still say those evil words, do not blame me for being impolite." Dora warned her.


    "Respect? How can a mistress have respect for others? And, you are still encouraging your daughter to take my son away from his wife?"


    Dora could not bear it anymore, she got out of the car and pointed her finger in Cassie''s face, "Take your son? Your son was dating Anna, and he loves her. After Anna disappeared, Kate took Joseph and forced him to marry her. Now that Anna is back, Kate won''t agree to a divorce so that Joseph and Anna can be together."


    "My son had the right to find someone else after your daughter pretended to be dead. Do you think he should have lived his life alone?"


    "You forced him to marry Kate!"


    "But, you did not object to it because you want to gain the Smith Group''s favor."


    "You¡­"


    "ENOUGH!" Joseph interrupted them. He pulled Cassie away and, with a cold expression on his face, said, "Either way, I will not give up on Anna."


    "You¡­" Cassie was furious when she heard he was committed to Anna.


    Dora had a smug smile on her face, "Did you hear that? Your son said he would choose Anna. No matter what you say, you will not change his mind."


    Cassie stared at her son and cried, "I''m so disappointed in you!"

 Chapter 37 She Did It on Purpose

    "There is no love between Kate and I. If I divorce her, she can have the freedom to find true love," Joseph said.


    "Really? I''m not afraid anymore. Now that my grandma is gone, you cannot threaten me. So, no matter how badly you treat me, I will not sign divorce papers. And, as long as I am your legal wife, Anna is nothing more than your mistress. Be prepared to have me by your side for the rest of your lives!" Kate''s words were filled with anger. She had been at a disadvantage before, but the situation changed, and she no longer needed to be scared.


    The smile on Dora''s and Anna''s faces suddenly disappeared. They were quite nervous, but they dared not to utter a word.


    "Joseph, I''m frightened¡­" Anna acted worried while holding on to Joseph''s arm tightly.


    Kate was accustomed to her acting skills and was not going to let her turn the situation around, "Because of you, for the last two years, Joseph has looked at me like a murderer. He bullied and humiliated me constantly, and now also because of you, my only family is gone. It is all your fault."


    At that moment, Kate vowed to herself that she would never let Joseph threaten her or grab her by the throat.


    "Stop, Kate!" Joseph took Kate''s hands in his and stared at her, "I am telling you the truth. Your grandma died of natural causes. I did not do anything to her."


    "I will never believe you, just like you never believed me," Kate pulled her hands away from his.


    "My sister, Joseph is not an evil man. If he wanted to kill your grandma, he would have just stopped paying for her treatment," Anna defended Joseph only to antagonize Kate.


    Kate glared at Anna, "The truth about your fake death will come out one day!


    And, I don''t care if I don''t have Joseph, but you will not have him either."


    "I¡­" Anna wanted to argue with her. However, she thought that if she irritated Kate too much, she would tell everything that happened in the past, so she stopped.


    "ENOUGH!" Seeing Kate scolding Anna so harshly, Joseph could not bear it and warned her, "If you do not divorce me, I will continue to torture you, even more brutally."


    "I don''t care," She looked at him and laughed, "We still have a long way to go, and I will be with you always."


    Kate used the exact words she had wrote him in a letter, but when she said it before, she loved him, and now she hated him.


    That sentence, Joseph thought as he looked at her with doubt. He knew it was from a letter Anna wrote to him, so he didn''t know how Kate could quote it.


    He asked, "What do you mean by that?"


    "You can take it as a confession or just as a reminder that I will haunt you forever. Actions speak louder than words. One of us has deceived you, I don''t think it will take long for you to see the truth," Kate whispered with her eyes glued on Anna.


    Anna was quite frightened and felt as if her heart would be right out of her chest. To avoid Joseph from questioning her, she quickly explained, "Kate, I know you are angry with me and that you love Joseph, but you cannot force someone to love you. Joseph loves me, and I love him."


    "You son of a bitch!" Lisa took a step forward. She pulled Kate to her side and thundered, "You broke Kate''s trust and then stole her love. How can you say that you can force love?"


    Joseph was very confused, and when he saw Anna being attacked, he stepped in front of her and yelled, "Talk to me! Do not involve Anna in this."


    "How can you be the president of a business? You cannot even judge the people around you." Lisa took Kate''s hand and was prepared to leave. Before they were out of sight, Lisa turned around, "Joseph, you better chose Kate or else."


    Seeing them leave, Anna let out a sigh of relief. She looked up at Joseph, "What are you thinking about?"


    "Nothing," Joseph answered, shaking his head, "Let''s go home."


    "Okay," Anna was afraid that Joseph was overthinking about what Kate said.


    **


    Half an hour later, Lisa and Kate arrived at Lisa''s home.


    "I never thought I would get to tell Joseph exactly what I thought. It was a great experience!" Lisa exclaimed.


    However, Kate was still unhappy. Lisa tried to comfort her again, "Kate, your


    grandma, will be with you as long you remember her. Don''t be sad."


    "Yes, you are right. My grandma will always be with me. What I need now is to get revenge for her. I will make sure Joseph will pay the price."


    "But Kate, doctors say your grandma died naturally. Plus, you have no evidence that supports the fact that Joseph killed her," Though Lisa was angry at Joseph, she still thought that it was unfair to convict him of her grandma''s death with no evidence.


    "He has done it to me so often. For the last two years, he has convicted me of killing Anna with just what Dora has said. Now, I just want him to have a taste of how it feels to be misunderstood. No matter if I have evidence or not, Joseph is the reason for my grandma''s death."


    "I''m just worried that you will hurt him if you insist that¡­"


    "I''m not afraid of him now because he can not threaten me with my grandma or anyone else," Kate was determined to launch a war with Joseph.


    "Kate, I think we''d better find a better way to defeat him. We can threaten him with Anna."


    "Good idea, then he will also know what it is like to be threatened all the time," Kate said decisively, regardless of her love for Joseph she was going to make him pay.


    **


    At the White''s mansion, they were having dinner together.


    "Kate is really crazy!" Dora was angry at the thought of everything that had happened, "And Cassie, she is always on her side."


    Dora''s words made Anna both angry and sad. She put down her knife and fork and said, "I don''t want to eat. Enjoy yourselves."


    "Stop!" Leo shouted, "Sit there and eat."


    Anna frowned and complained, "Dad, I''m full."

 Chapter 38 Return to the Original Owner

    elationship with the Smith Group would suffer, and it would affect the development of the White Group.


    "It''s not my responsibility; it''s Kate. She will not agree to divorce Joseph. If she did, everything would be fine," Anna was fuming with anger at the thought of Kate''s refusal.


    "Don''t be afraid, my dear. I will support you and give you all the help you need. So, will Joseph," Dora encouraged Anna to keep fighting with Kate.


    Leo heard what his wife told Anna, it left him feeling confused about the entire complicated situation, but he did not say anything.


    When Daisy overheard the conversation, she immediately sent Kate a message to tell her that Dora and Anna were going to join forces against her.


    Kate had just arrived home when she received Daisy''s message. She was not surprised, she knew they would not give up easily, but she thanked Daisy for the information anyway.


    Joseph did not return home, which was Kate had expected. She assumed that he did not want to see her and argue about the divorce. As Kate walked past Joseph''s study, she thought of the letter she had written to him.


    He loves Anna, and so he likely kept the letters. Kate thought to herself.


    Before she could even think about what she was actually doing, Kate opened the door to Joseph''s study to find the letters.


    Early the next morning, Kate went to the White''s mansion.


    "Why are you here?" Dora shouted when she saw Kate.


    Kate knew that Dora and Anna would try to prevent her from getting into the mansion. She messaged Daisy earlier in the morning to have her unlock the door, and so she was already inside when Dora saw her.


    "I came here to get even with your daughter for everything she has done to me," Kate stated calmly.


    Knowing her intentions, Dora pointed a finger in Kate''s face and warned, "Do not push your luck. If you dare touch my daughter, I will call Joseph right away."


    When Dora mentioned Joseph, Kate became even more irritated, "Please, I beg of you, call him. He can see your daughter''s insincerity."


    Kate chose not to reveal the truth about Anna before the accident because Joseph had made his choice. When Anna died, there was no reason to say anything, but since she came back and was pushing Kate out of the picture, Kate was not going to stand back any longer.


    "Which bad-mannered bitch decided to disturb my dreams so early in the morning?" Anna said as she walked down the stairs and laughed, "I was up late talking to Joseph last night. I needed more sleep."


    Kate responded to her with a sneer, "Why are you so proud of being his mistress?"


    "You¡­" Anna was irritated because even though Joseph loved her, she was still not his legal wife.


    "Why do you have those letters? Joseph should have them," Anna was at a loss and quite nervous, "You¡­You stole them!"


    She did not know what Kate''s plans were, but she was not going to admit she didn''t write them without a fight.


    "Don''t try to change the topic," Kate looked at her and said, "You may love Joseph, and I cannot stop that, but why would you use my letters? The words in these letters are from the bottom of my heart, not yours. How could you do that?"


    "Kate, you wished me and Joseph happiness before. Why don''t you divorce him and give him back to me? You know he doesn''t love you; why do you still want to be his wife?"


    "I will never give you this chance of being his wife."


    "Shameless!" Joseph suddenly yelled from the doorway.


    Kate was stunned at first, but quickly said, "So is she!"


    She understood that Joseph would hate her more if she continued to attack Anna, yet she didn''t care.


    "My dear!" Anna hugged Joseph''s arms and cried out, "Kate started yelling, it woke me up, and then she began to scold me."


    Kate looked straight into Joseph''s piercing eyes and said with a big smile, "Sorry, I took these letters."


    "What?" Joseph noticed the stack of letters then yelled at her, "Who gave you permission to take my letters?"


    From his reaction, Kate could see that Joseph cherished the letter very much.


    Anna was afraid that Kate would tell Joseph everything, so she blurted out, "Joseph, I''m also distraught and angry. Those letters were proof of our love, but now she has taken them. I just hope she doesn''t destroy them, or all of our memories will be destroyed."


    Hearing this, Kate felt very sick.


    "Give them back to me," Joseph ordered.


    "Give back to you?" Kate found his demand ridiculous. She clenched the letters tighter in her hand and said, "These letters belong to me. I wrote them!"


    Neither Kate nor Anna could believe that Joseph finally heard the truth. Anna feared his reaction, terrified that she would lose him and never have the chance to be his wife.


    "Give them back to me!" Joseph yelled at Kate angrily. However, Kate was not frightened by him and said, "I know it''s very hard for you to accept what I have confessed. I honestly did write these letters, and therefore I have the right to take them back."


    "What do you mean? Joseph asked Kate.


    "Is that true?" He turned around to ask Anna.


    "I¡­" Anna knew she would lose him if she admitted to what Kate implied.


    "Don''t be afraid. Just tell me the truth," Joseph needed to know who wrote the letters, but he also didn''t want to scare Anna, "I am here. You do not need to be afraid of her."


    When Kate heard Joseph tell Anna not to be afraid, she knew he would still love Anna, no matter what she said. Just as Anna had said before the accident, Joseph chose her because he loved her, not the letters. Kate felt as if Anna''s words were coming true.


    "I am so sorry, Joseph. I did not lie to you on purpose. I was just too afraid of losing you. So, I did not tell you the truth," Anna chose to admit what she had done because she thought it might ease Joseph''s anger. She knew he would be disappointed, but it was better to admit to her mistakes than to continue lying.


    Joseph did not respond; he became silent for a long time, making both Kate and Anna very nervous. Suddenly, he turned to Kate and stared into her eyes, "So, you are the one who has been there for me through the darkest of times? What you said at our wedding was from the bottom of your heart?"

 Chapter 39 Fall in Love at First Sigh

    Kate wasn''t sure how to answer, but she suddenly forgot that he was responsible for her grandma''s death, and her love for him overwhelmed her hate for a moment. The man standing there reminded her of the first time she saw him. She could remember precisely what he was wearing, a white shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and sneakers, she fell in love at first sight.


    "Joseph!" Anna cried out when she saw their faces close enough to kiss. She was at the edge of desperation, she yelled, "Don''t forget that I am the one who loves you. Kate just wants to turn us against each other with those letters. Don''t trust her!"


    Dora was hiding behind a door and wanted to rush out to stick up for Anna, but was afraid it would cause more problems.


    Daisy was also watching from a distance. See that Kate had an advantage over Anna; she prayed that Joseph would see the truth, and then he and Kate would be happy together.


    "Well¡­" Joseph questioned again, "Even if you wrote these letters, do you think I will abandon Anna and fall in love with you?"


    Kate was stunned at first and then sneered, "I don''t care whether you love me or not. I just want you to know the truth."


    "I don''t care about the truth. I only care about who I love," After saying that, he pulled Anna into his arms and said to her, "I know Kate''s intention. She won''t fool me."


    "Joseph¡­" Anna looked at him and was moved to tears, "I know you will not abandon me. No one in the world loves you more than I do. Don''t leave me¡­"


    Kate realized how pointless it was to confront Anna with the letters. She should have known that Joseph loved Anna for the person she was not because of the letters she pretended to write. It was apparent that he never cared about who wrote the letters, Anna was always loved in his heart. Kate had hoped that if Joseph knew the truth, he would scold Anna or leave her. However, it didn''t make a difference; Joseph would never love her.


    Seeing Kate leaving, Anna felt relieved. She raised head, took his hands in hers, and like a child, said, "I thought you would be angry with me."


    Joseph pulled his hands away and asked seriously, "Why didn''t you tell me Kate wrote those letters? Why didn''t you tell me the truth?"


    He was having a hard time believing that the one he loved would lie to him. He did not accuse Anna in front of Kate because he didn''t want to cause a scene. He knew Kate would be happy if she saw his love for Anna was threatened.


    "Joseph, you¡­" Anna thought Joseph would forget everything and forgive her, but she could see that he wasn''t going to let it go until he had an answer.


    She gripped his arm and cried, "I love you so much, and I am afraid that I would lose you if I told you the truth."


    "Joseph¡­" Anna dared not to say anything, seeing that he was angry. She had to let him go before things got worse.


    Daisy smiled and sent a message to tell Kate everything that happened after she left. She was wandering on a quiet road when she got the message, her mind filled with thoughts of Joseph. She smiled, remembering when she was ten years old, and her parents took her to his house. As they were both quiet and shy, neither had enough courage to talk to the other. Then at eighteen, Kate met Joseph, who was twenty-one for a second time.


    When his father passed away later that year, he gradually became upset and depressed, so Kate began to write letters to comfort him. Kate put all of her heart into each letter, hoping to make Joseph happy. However, she never dared to sign her name, and even though he never wrote back, she persisted. Writing letters to her love became one of the most important things that Kate had ever done. She even continued to write to him when he went overseas.


    When Joseph returned home, about two years later, everything changed. It started on one sunny afternoon when Kate was awakened from a nap by Anna, "My dear sister, Joseph, is coming back home."


    "Really?" Kate jumped up, immediately filled with excitement. She calmed herself and asked, "Is it true? Do you know which flight he will be taking? I want to surprise him and pick him up at the airport."


    "Be brave, please! You should hold a banner with his name on it and confess your love to him!"


    "I¡­I wouldn''t dare to do that," Kate answered shyly.


    Anna took out the stack of letters and said, "You write to him every day. If you don''t tell him that you love him, all of this time will have been wasted. How about I tell him for you?"


    "You would go for me?" Kate knew Anna was more outgoing than she was.


    "I don''t love him, so I will not be shy." Anna vowed, "As long as you trust me, I promise I will do what needs to be done and then come back with your boyfriend."


    "Are you sure? Is that okay?" Kate asked doubtfully.


    "Come on! Don''t hesitate. Otherwise, Joseph will fall in love with someone else," Anna quickly packed the letters and, in a hurry, said, "The flight will be arriving soon. I need to leave now, but wait here for the good news!"


    "Anna¡­" Kate yelled after because she didn''t think it was a good idea. However, Anna was already out the door. Kate waited anxiously at home, wondering if her sister would succeed or fail, but Kate never thought that Anna would come back with Joseph as her own boyfriend. Anna always insisted that it was the letters that helped bring them together. And until Kate spoke up, she believed it was true, but then she saw that Joseph fell in love with Anna because of her braveness and beauty.


    Kate was so distracted that she didn''t hear the car coming toward her, and she didn''t have time to react when it hit her.


    "Are you okay, miss?" The driver yelled as he rushed out of the car to help her.

 Chapter 40 Dora Planned I

    "I am so sorry. I looked and didn''t see anyone, and then you suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I didn''t have time to slam on the brakes. I will take you to the hospital," The driver rambled in a hurry.


    Kate shook her head and said, "It''s my fault. I didn''t see any cars. Don''t worry; I will be fine."


    Another car pulled over, "What happened? Is everyone okay?"


    The driver that hit Kate was worried when he saw Joseph walking toward them.


    Kate thought she was just confused when she heard Joseph''s voice. But when she looked up, she saw him standing in front of her with a cold expression.


    "I¡­I hit her. I didn''t do it on purpose¡­" The driver, frightened by Joseph''s cold tone and facial expression, said nervously.


    Seeing the driver so scared, Kate let told him to leave and then told Joseph it was none of his business.


    Why is he here? I figured he would be with Anna. Kate thought to herself.


    Joseph looked at Kate and then picked her up in his arms without saying anything.


    "You¡­What are you doing?" Kate looked at him in bewilderment.


    Joseph did not answer her and drove her to the hospital immediately.


    The doctor applied ointment to her leg and told her, "Since it is Summer and your wound is prone to infection. Remember to stay away from water."


    "I understand. Thank you!" Kate didn''t expect to see a bruise when she rolled up her pants. She figured she was in more mental pain than physical pain.


    Kate limped out of the room; Joseph could see that she was in pain, so he helped her to the car and took her home. The entire drive, Kate wondered why he helped her since he hated her so much.


    Once inside the mansion, it was as if Joseph could read her mind, he coldly explained, "Don''t be moved by my actions. I tend to help anyone in need, including animals."


    "Wow, you really are loving!" Kate scoffed, "I won''t be moved, or thank you then. And I will not divorce you either."


    "Are you happy with the situation?" Joseph asked her.


    "Yes, of course. I''m happy that you cannot be with Anna." She smiled reluctantly.


    "You are a bad performer. Your expression betrays you," Joseph laughed and walked out of the room.


    Later in the afternoon, Cassie arrived at the mansion for a visit. When she saw that Kate was having a hard time walking, she asked, "Kate, what happened to your leg? And tell me the truth?"


    "Nothing, Mom. I was hit by a car and hurt my leg. I have seen the doctor, and it is getting better."


    "I thought Joseph might have hit you¡­" Cassie replied.


    Kate lowered her head and did not say anything else.


    After a while, Cassie asked, "Did Joseph mention getting a divorce?"


    "Kate, there is something that has been bothering me for many years. It''s about your mother. I didn''t plan to tell you, but I think I will help with your marriage."


    Kate was stunned to hear there was something that concerned her mother, "Please tell me. I need to know."


    "I was in contact with your mother when she was sick. To others'' she may have looked like a lunatic, but she faked it to protect herself and you," Cassie said softly.


    Hearing that her mother was acting, Kate frowned, "I knew it. She would not divorce my father because she wanted to keep the family together and prevent me from being hurt. But then my father married Dora the moment my mother died, then she and Anna moved in."


    "Do you still remember the scene when your mother died?" Cassie hated to bring up painful memories, but to keep Joseph away from Anna; she had no choice.


    "She fell down the stairs and hurt her head. Her final words were of me," Kate sobbed.


    "I paid attention to the details," Cassie paused for a few moments to gather her thoughts then continued, "When we arrived, only Dora was there. Your father only got there after your mother fell. She was lying in a pool of her own blood but made sure to tell your father that you were to inherit White Group and all of the finances."


    Kate tried her best to recall the details, but at that time, she was too worried and upset to think of such small things.


    "Are you saying that you think Dora pushed my mother down the stairs?" Kate inquired. She thought it was possible because once her mother died, Dora could become her stepmother and move into the mansion. However, there must not have been any evidence, or she would have been charged with murder.


    "Though your mother lost a lot of weight and was wasting away physically, she was mentally healthy. She talked with me a lot and planned to visit with me before she died. I know she did not commit suicide. I suspect that Dora pushed her, but no matter whether she did or not, we need to be careful. You know what kind of person she is, and I hope you will be able to protect yourself."


    "I understand what you are saying, mom. She is now to have Anna to replace me and become Joseph''s wife. I promise I will not allow it."


    "Joseph''s family is the most important thing to him. I believe that is why he became so depressed after his father''s death¡­" Cassie sighed, "I regret that I didn''t comfort him enough then. His father always supported him, and they talked often. He needed my love and care, but I was too focused on my career. When I left work, I tried to spend more time with him, but he didn''t need or want my love."


    Kate clearly knew how sad he was during that dark period because she sent him many letters.

 Chapter 41 Annas Forehead

    Joseph walked past the dining room and saw Kate eating. He then scolded Amy, "Someone is breaking the rules. Why didn''t you remind her?"


    Amy rushed to answer, "Of course not, Lord Joseph. I reminded Lady Kate, but she did not want to wait for you. I could not stop her."


    Kate raised her head and sneered when she saw his angry face, "You set the rule, but I can choose to obey it or not."


    "It''s my house. Everything is up to me." Joseph warned her.


    "But don''t forget that I''m your wife and therefore I''m also the owner of this house. By the way, since we are the legally married couple, you better not go too far with Anna. Otherwise, you and she may suffer greatly," Kate said provokingly.


    "Are you threatening me? Okay, let''s wait and see. I think you will also suffer from it. You won''t divorce me because you want to hold on to the title of Mrs. Smith, everyone knows it and thinks you are pitiful."


    "Say whatever you want to entice me, I will not divorce you, and I will not let Anna be your wife," Kate stated and went back to eating with a big smile on her face. She felt better after leaving Joseph speechless. Her satisfaction irritated Joseph so much that he didn''t even sit down to eat.


    Amy called after him, but he did not respond to her. So, she collected enough courage to speak up to Kate, "How could you do that? Lord Joseph didn''t do anything!"


    "So, are you going to defend him? He does not want to have dinner. It''s his choice, not your or mine."


    "These dishes are all Joseph''s favorites!" Amy stamped her feet angrily.


    "I will eat all of them so that they will not go to waste!" Kate smirked.


    "You¡­" Amy was too angry to deal with Kate and her mocking.


    **


    Three days later, Kate went back to work. She was confident that Joseph had no reason to threaten her with a divorce, so she was shocked when she saw Anna leaning against a red sports car.


    Kate pretended not to see her and walked in the other direction. However, Anna jumped out in front of her, "I think we need to talk."


    "We have nothing to talk about," Kate could guess what the conversation topic would be. Anna just wanted to make sure Kate knew how much she and Joseph loved each other so that Kate would get angry and divorce Joseph.


    "You are afraid of talking to me?"


    "Afraid? So ridiculous! You should be afraid because you may be thrown away by Joseph at any moment. After all, I am his wife, and you are his mistress!"


    "Thrown away? Joseph still chose to be with me even after he found out the truth. You can obviously see that he loves me a lot. It would be much easier for me to marry him if you would agree to divorce him.


    Kate tried to leave, but Anna blocked her from leaving, "You are ruining my happiness. I will not let you enjoy the pain you are inflicting!"


    Seeing Anna acting so erratically, Kate remembered the message Daisy sent her; Joseph cared that Anna lied to him.


    "Me neither¡­" Kate pushed her away and then walked forward.


    "Oh, my gosh!" Anna shouted behind, "Sister, I''m in pain."


    "Oh, she is hurt. Are you okay?" Some passers-by walked over to help her. Anna shouted with one hand covering her wound, "Dear sister, take me to the hospital, please. You know I can''t handle blood."


    "Sister? Is she your sister, Kate?" Her colleague asked.


    "No, she is not." Kate turned around to leave.


    A woman who helped Anna drove her to the hospital. About half an hour later, Joseph arrived and immediately said, "Anna, what happened? Why is your head bandaged?"


    "Joseph¡­" Anna pulled out her IV and jump into his arms, crying, "I thought you would never talk to me again."


    Since the confrontation over the letters, Joseph had various excuses not to see Anna. She was worried that she had lost him forever. There were two reasons why she went to see Kate; the first was to frame her and the second so that Joseph would come to see her.


    "What''s wrong with your head?" Joseph asked again, but with no feeling in his voice.


    Anna could tell that Joseph was still angry with her. She stopped crying, and calmly said, "I went to see Kate at work; our father wanted her to come over for dinner. However, she was in a bad mood, then pushed me, and I hit my head."


    Joseph did not say anything.


    "Don''t misunderstand Kate. She didn''t do it on purpose; I guess I was just unstable on my feet," Anna explained. She looked at Joseph then said, "I understand she must be angry with me since I want you to divorce her."


    Hoping that Joseph would say something in response, Anna lowered her head and waited. Instead, all he said was, "Get some rest."


    "Are you still angry with me?" Anna looked at him and asked sadly.


    "Forget about what happened in the past!" The thought of the letters irritated Joseph. He hated to admit it, but the letters gave him great confidence and helped him build his confidence. However, he felt ridiculous for believing that Anna wrote them when it was Kate.


    "Okay, I won''t mention it," Anna said, burying her head.


    Joseph called for the nurse to get Anna her medication.


    "Are you okay, my dear?" Dora rushed into the room. Seeing that Anna was hurt, Dora shouted, "Kate is a bitch! She didn''t manage to kill you before, so she is trying again¡­"

 Chapter 42 Not Love Me

    "Not on purpose? I think she did do it on purpose. She worries that you will take Joseph away and become his wife. And¡­"


    "ENOUGH!" Joseph interrupted her and stated, "I''m going to leave."


    Dora was frightened by his temper.


    "Joseph!" Anna shouted after him, but he did not turn around.


    "Has he gone crazy today? Why did he speak to me in such a rude manner? He used to respect me very much," Dora planned to criticize Kate in front of Joseph, but she did not expect Joseph to interrupt her.


    Anna was upset and cried, "He is really angry with me. He doesn''t love me¡­"


    Seeing her daughter crying, Dora hugged her and whispered, "Don''t overthink things, my dear. Joseph does love you. If he didn''t, he wouldn''t want to divorce Kate."


    "Mom, he has been ignoring me for days. I have been injured, yet he is not by my side. He must be so disappointed in me. I lied to him, and he is angry about it."


    Although Joseph didn''t tell her, she could fell that he was upset with her. She also worried that he might fall in love with Kate after discovering she was the one who wrote the letters. Anna buried her face in her hands and sobbed even harder.


    **


    "Lord Joseph, you are home. Did you have dinner?" Amy asked warmly, but Joseph didn''t answer her.


    After walking into the mansion, Joseph when upstairs to his bedroom. Just as he opened the door, he watched Kate come out of the bathroom and pull her pajamas closer to her body when she saw him. She didn''t know why he was home early, but she could tell that he was in a bad mood.


    Kate was prepared to be punished; she knew the day would come. She stepped toward the closet to take out a bathrobe, but Joseph pushed her up against the door.


    "Why did you hurt Anna again?" He asked seriously.


    "She offended me first, so she had to pay the price."


    Anna told him I hurt her to frame me; that is why she is upset with me. I don''t care, though. After all, I have always been an evil woman in his eyes. Kate thought to herself.


    Joseph was irritated and pulled her over to the bed. Kate grasped at the bedsheets and shouted, "Joseph, let me go!"


    She had been punished for two years and couldn''t hand anymore.


    "Let you go?" Why don''t you let go of Anna and me?"


    "Joseph, let me go if you are a man¡­" Before finishing her words, Kate felt as if she was going to vomit.


    Joseph felt it, but he said, "Don''t deceive me with such tricks. I do not believe you."


    He tore up Kate''s pajamas open and bent down to kiss her. Kate was unable to restrain herself; she gagged as tears ran down her face. She that she was so uncomfortable, Joseph stopped and left the room.


    **


    The next evening when Kate arrived home from work, she could hear laughter and cheerful conversation.


    "Kate, you are home from work. Welcome!" Anna greeted her warmly as if she was the owner of the house. But Kate understood how two-faced she was; she just looked at her and continued walking.


    "Are you still angry with me?" Anna questioned, grabbing her hand and said, "Sorry, my mother said some inappropriate things, and Joseph got so angry. Did he do anything to hurt you?"


    Seeing Kate and Anna hand in hand, others would think they were sisters who got along well. However, Kate was not going to let Anna close so that she could scheme.


    Kate sneered, "Nothing! Just what couples are supposed to do."


    "I¡­" Anna was at a loss for words. She paused and stuttered, "You mean you and Joseph¡­last night¡­"


    How could that be? Joseph should have been angry with Kate and punish her for hurting me. Anna thought to herself.


    Anna suddenly felt disappointed and had no strength to fight.


    "You must have heard that we are trying to have a child," Kate smiled and walked up the stairs.


    After changing her clothes, Kate heard Joseph downstairs. When she walked into the room, Anna was tightly holding on to his arm, but he did not seem to return her feelings.


    At dinner, Anna offered to sit beside Kate. When Kate didn''t respond and began to eat her meal, Anna was embarrassed. She looked at Joseph, hoping he would ask her to sit by him, but he pretended not to see her and began to eat.


    The ignorance toward her made Anna feel greatly disappointed. She tried to make conversation, "The doctor said that I have to pay close attention to my diet because of my head injury. I don''t know if I can eat these dishes¡­"


    Hoping to get a reaction from Joseph, Anna looked at him. However, Kate did not give him a chance to reply. She scoffed, "These are all plain dishes. Not only patients with head injuries can eat them, but also pregnant women. Don''t worry! I am sorry that I forgot to ask, do you like them? Amy made them, and I am not sure if she knows your preferences."

 Chapter 43 Achieve Three Goals at Once

    Kate just enjoyed her food while waiting for Anna''s response.


    "I¡­I, of course, like these dishes. I¡­ I also think they are good for patient recovery," Anna stammered after thinking for a few moments.


    "Patient?" Kate put down her fork and said, "They are food for patients, but I''m not a patient. I like eating spicy food."


    Kate turned around to Amy and told her, "Remember to prepare some spicy food next time."


    Before marrying Joseph, Kate loved spicy food, but she became accustomed to the plain tasting meals that Amy made. Many times, if Kate wanted to have a spicy dish, she would prepare it herself. She almost laughed out loud, thinking of when Joseph ate one of her spicy meals for the first time. His eyes began to water, and his whole face turned red before he drank an entire pitcher of water.


    Since then, he ordered and emphasized there was to be no spicy food in the home.


    Therefore, Kate''s request for spicy meals was going against his demands. She was happy, and now that she knew how to fight back, she would not be bullied.


    "Understood, Lady Kate," Amy did not dare to refuse. She had to follow Kate''s order reluctantly.


    Amy had been spending much of her time trying to read Joseph''s mind. His actions and words were getting more confusing. Kate was punished and bullied by Joseph throughout their marriage, but now he was not saying a word. She was sure that having Anna at the table would be reason enough for Joseph to reprimand Kate, but instead, he was quiet while Kate embarrassed them all.


    Perhaps there is no hope to drive her out of this house. Amy thought to herself.


    Kate thought Joseph would warn her, but he did not say anything. Maybe the punishment would come after Anna left.


    Whatever! I will not keep silent when I am bullied. Kate thought to herself.


    "Joseph¡­" Anna wanted to defend herself, "I did not say Kate, or you are a patient. I just wanted to thank her for her consideration¡­ But I¡­ I said the wrong word."


    "Just eat your meal," Joseph had a serious expression, and was not as gentle to Anna as he had been before.


    After dinner, Anna followed Joseph around so that she could find a chance to talk with him.


    She asked, "Joseph, I heard from Amy that you take good care of Alan. I remember that you didn''t like him before. Do you like him because of me?"


    "It''s Kate. She takes good care of Alan," Joseph blurted out.


    "¡­Really?" Anna smiled reluctantly.


    Joseph was surprised at his response. Why did I praise her? I must be crazy!


    "Now that you are back, you can take Alan," Joseph stated bluntly.


    "Take him?" Anna asked loudly, completely shocked by his answer, "Why? If I take him, you have no one to keep you company. You will become bored."


    "I have a lot of work to do, and I don''t have time to take care of him," Joseph snapped. When Anna spoke, the only thing he could think of was her lying to him. His mind filled with details of her confessing how she wrote him the letters for so many years and hoped to be his girlfriend. It was all because of the letters that he gradually opened up to her and fell in love, but it was also because of them that he was disappointed in her. Although he tried to convince himself there were many reasons to keep loving her, he was unable to deny that he lost faith in her, and his love was fading.


    "Then¡­let Alan stay here for another few days. When I recover myself, I will pick him up from here," Anna knew it was not a suitable time to agree with him and just take Alan away. The only way she could figure things out was to leave the dog at the mansion so that she could return. After all, she was not Joseph''s wife and therefore needed a reason to visit.


    Anna had hoped by hurting herself; she would get Joseph''s attention and win back his love. She never expected that he would be so cold to her; her heart was broken.


    As Anna followed Joseph around, Kate sent a message to Lisa to tell what happened during dinner. Lisa quickly called for more details.


    "Joseph did not defend Anna?" Lisa questioned


    "Maybe my warning worked."


    "Which warning?"


    "I warned him that he is still my husband. If he continues to have an affair or not behave in public, his reputation would be ruined," Kate paused for a short while.


    "He is a famous person in this city. He must care about his reputation," Kate told her in a faint voice because she thought this reason was not convincing enough. In the past, Joseph defended Anna and even scolded her in public. She wondered why he didn''t care about his reputation in the past.


    "Whatever the reason! I don''t care. I only know that if they bully me, I will fight back. I will never be afraid of them again," Kate said in a triumphant tone.


    Hearing this, Lisa was happy, but she still cared about Kate, "Anna is good at playing tricks. You still need to be careful."


    As Kate''s best friend, I should be happy that Joseph''s attitude towards her changed a little, and Kate herself will fight back. But I still hope that she will find Mr. Right and he will love her the way she deserves. Lisa wanted to tell Kate her thoughts but knew it was pointless when she was determined not to give in.


    "I know that, and I will suffer due to her trick today. This afternoon, she came to work and waited for me outside. We argued, she grabbed me, and I pushed her away, but then she told everyone I hurt her. She has a cut on her forehead."


    "Why not explain to Joseph that it was not your fault?" Lisa said angrily.

 Chapter 44 Joseph Overheard the Conversation

    "Don''t worry about me, Lisa. I''ve have given up on him; I am no longer the little girl who wrote him letters. I don''t want to divorce him because I want to find evidence that he killed my grandma, and I promised Mrs. Smith that I would wait. You know that she is so kind to me, I don''t want to hurt her."


    "Kate, you are unwavering in everything, except when it comes to Joseph. He mistreats you, but you are still unwilling to leave him and dream of the day that he will finally love you¡­" Lisa said sincerely.


    "No, I have no such dream. Even if he begged me not to divorce him, I would still leave him," Kate claimed, but she was unsure if she could be so adamant if it actually happened.


    Joseph could overhear Kate''s conversation with Lisa. When he heard how Kate was feeling, he felt guilty for what he had done to her in the past.


    "Joseph, it''s very late. I''m going to get ready to go home¡­ but it''s not convenient to get a taxi to come here. Can you¡­" Anna wanted Joseph to take her home like he always had, but he was in a bad mood, so she dared not ask him directly; all she could do was hint.


    "I''ll have my driver take you home," Joseph said coldly.


    Having the driver take me home doesn''t work for me. I need to find another way. Anna thought to herself.


    "Joseph, my head¡­my head aches¡­" Anna used the scam to make Joseph worry so that he would take her home.


    Joseph''s first reaction was to check her head to make sure nothing was wrong then to comfort her. However, he thought of what he heard Kate tell Lisa, then he said, "Anna, you should go home and get some rest then."


    He turned to Amy and asked her to escort Anna to the car.


    "Yes, sir!" Amy answered.


    "Joseph!" Anna shouted. She could not believe that he would let her go that easily. She cried, "I know I should not make trouble for Kate and frame her, but it is all because I love you."


    "Don''t hurt others with this excuse anymore. I have told you that I HATE lying." Joseph emphasized the word hate and looked at her with anger.


    Anna was frightened and tried to explain, "Joseph, I did not mean to scheme on purpose. I was just not confident that you would fall in love with me if I didn''t have the letters. I know I was wrong; please don''t be angry with me."


    Anna ran to hug him, throwing her arms tightly around his neck, but Joseph pushed her away. He snarled, "Go home to rest!"


    Anna had no choice but to leave feeling disappointed and frustrated.


    Ten minutes after Joseph appeared in the doorway, Kate closed her computer and ran her fingers through her hair. She stood up to get a shower and noticed that Joseph was standing right behind her. She was surprised to see him home; she thought he would take Anna home and stay with her.


    "Why are you standing there so quietly? You scared me!" Kate said.


    Joseph did not answer her.


    Then Kate continued, "I embarrassed Anna today, so now you want to teach me a lesson ?"


    She stood up, rolled up her sleeves, and put her hands on her hips before arrogantly saying, "Come on! I am not afraid of you!"


    However, Joseph still didn''t say a word; he just walked into the bathroom.


    Since Anna came back, Joseph didn''t force her to have sex, not even to get pregnant. They slept in the same bed, but keep their distance from each other. Kate felt more physically relaxed, but it made no difference mentally. Whenever she thought about her grandma, she could not help feeling hatred toward Joseph. She had no evidence that he hurt her grandma, but she knew he had plenty of motive.


    **


    The next afternoon Anna and Dora were at White Group.


    "Mom, I don''t want to read them. They are too difficult," Anna pushed aside the documents in front of her, "I only want Joseph to love me and be by my said forever."


    Dora, seeing her worry, shook head helplessly and said, "You hurt yourself deliberately to win him back, but he still ignored you. I don''t know how to deal with it."


    "I had thought that Joseph would divorce Kate after I returned. Instead, he is acting terribly cold toward me. It''s all because of that bitch, Kate! If she didn''t tell Joseph the truth, he wouldn''t be upset," Anna kicked the table and cursed.


    Mentioning Kate also made Dora very angry, "Kate is as shameless as her mother. Flora also would not agree to divorce your father."


    Anna snapped, "She is not that smart. She did not figure out the scam we pulled two years ago. And, when her grandma died, she is only blaming Joseph. I am sure that she will not figure out anything we do in the future as long as we are careful."


    Dora smiled at her and praised Anna''s cleverness.


    "In fact, the toughest issue was Joseph''s mother. She has always supported Kate, and now with Joseph ignoring me, I need to stir up trouble between his wife and his mother."


    Dora sneered, "Cassie is a damn widow, and ever since her husband died, she depends on her son for everything. She supports Kate because Flora was her best friend; plus, Kate listens to her. She is prejudice against you because I took Flora''s husband."


    "I want to show her that I will listen to her, but she didn''t give me a chance. You know we don''t get along well, so I may never get the opportunity," Anna sighed desperately.

 Chapter 45 Anna Hired Someone

    "Thank you, Mom," Anna was so worried, her mother''s support was a great comfort.


    "Anna, I don''t think you need me to teach you how to seduce Joseph. Try your best to have his baby before Kate. When you have his child, Cassie will finally have to accept you," Dora suggested.


    "I¡­, I have tried to have sex with him since I have been back, but he¡­he refuses to touch me. I even heard that he and Kate are trying to have a baby," Anna moaned.


    "You should have done this before. I got your father to marry me with that excuse. I think Joseph would also fall for it; you need to take action now."


    "I see," Anna also knew she did not have another choice. She faced the reality that she had to have a baby before Kate.


    **


    Kate''s colleagues were holding a dinner and invited her along. Though she didn''t care much for socializing, she agreed to join them because she had declined several times before. She worried that if she continued to decline their offers, they would start to gossip about her.


    The dinner was on the twentieth-floor balcony of a famous hotel in Aubi City. Kate stood looking out over the city at the beautiful lights, enjoying the gentle breeze.


    "Kate, all of the employees in our department are very nice. You will know I am correct after you get to know them," May whispered to her.


    She shifted her focus to May and smiled at her.


    "Attention, everyone. Let''s toast to Kate. Welcome her to our group," Albert said and then raised a glass in the air.


    "Thank you!" Kate said, blushing.


    Then a male colleague walked toward her and said, "You are really a nice person. I am sorry about the misunderstanding last time. I hope we can work together again in the future."


    "I am sure we will," Kate smiled and nodded.


    Kate was sure that her colleagues trusted her, and only by trusting them could they make more of a contribution to Symantec.


    After dinner, someone suggested going to the bar to sing karaoke since it was in the same hotel. Kate agreed to go with them and put her bags in the corner before she went to the washroom.


    "What a coincidence! I didn''t expect to see you here!" Kate heard Anna exclaim when she came out of the washroom.


    Kate did not believe it was a coincidence at all. She ignored her and tried to walk away, but Anna put her arm out to stop her, "Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"


    "Should I stay here and wait for you to slander me again?" Kate said, staring into Anna''s deceitful eyes.


    Anna was irritated by her. She suddenly showed her anger and asked fiercely, "Did you say something bad in front of Joseph?"


    "I don''t need you to remind me," Anna was enraged, she pushed Kate to the ground and yelled, "Come get her!"


    A tall and muscular man with scars on his face stepped out from around a corner.


    "We are out in public. What do you plan on doing?" Kate questioned Anna.


    "Kate, you hurt my head, and Joseph ignored me. It''s all your fault, and now you have to pay the price."


    Then Anna told the man, "Slap her!"


    "You really want to do this?" Kate pretended to be not afraid, but actually, she glimpsed at the door, hoping someone would appear to help her. When she turned to run away, the man seized her shoulder and pushed her back to the ground. The man slapped her and then Anna kicked her in the back.


    "Ouch¡­" Kate felt severe pain in her back. She gathered all the strength she could to stand up, but she wasn''t able to.


    Seeing Kate being beat, made Anna feel proud. She threw her phone toward Kate and scoffed, "Why not call Joseph to save you? Do you think he would come? Don''t waste any more time dreaming. He will not believe anything you say."


    Anna kicked her again, and Kate screamed out in pain.


    "Stop!" Samuel yelled. He pushed Anna and the man away, then saw Kate lying on the ground.


    Kate prayed that someone would save her, but she didn''t expect that it would be Samuel. She was stunned but then tried to climb to her feet.


    Samuel reached out to help support her and asked caringly, "Are you hurt?"


    "Samuel, it''s none of your business. You''d better get out of here immediately," Anna warned him.


    Samuel stood in front of Kate to protect her and replied, "As long as it is related to Kate; it''s my business."


    "Haha¡­ You forgot what happened two years ago? Kate is now Joseph''s wife. If you protect her in public, don''t you fear that the rumors will spread again?"


    "You¡­" Samuel was too angry to say a word.


    "I''m not the only one saying so. Many people and even your family members said you had an affair with Kate. Maybe I should remind you that it would undoubtedly ruin the reputation of the Smith family, the most well-known family in Aubi City."


    "Since your parents haven''t taught you any manners, I will!" Samuel lifted his hand and was about to slap Anna when a voice echoed down the hall.


    "Samuel!" Joseph yelled. He was walking toward them with a serious expression on his face. No one dared to speak when they saw him.


    Anna rushed to Joseph, pretending to be frightened. She hid behind him and cried, "Thankfully, you showed up. Otherwise, Samuel would have beat me!"

 Chapter 46 Joseph is Jealous

    Kate realized that Samuel was holding on to her wrist. She saw Joseph glaring, so she pulled it away, fearing Joseph would misunderstand.


    Samuel looked at her, "Kate, you are injured. Let me take you to the hospital."


    "I''m fine, thank you though," She then turned around to leave. However, the moment she walked away, Joseph walked over and took her hand, pulling her out of the noisy karaoke bar.


    "Joseph!" Anna could not believe that he took away Kate and ignored her again.


    Samuel looked at Anna with smug satisfaction and laughed at her, "It seems that Joseph didn''t even notice you!"


    Anna stared at him and shouted, "It''s all because of you! You should have hugged and kissed her in front of Joseph."


    "I am not as evil as you are. I love Kate, and I do not want to get her by playing games. That man hit her hard, and so did you. I will not let either of you get away with it!" Samuel said fiercely.


    Anna was frightened to step back. She thought for a minute and said, "But¡­But you arrived in time. I''m sure she must be grateful for your help."


    "I hope so," Samuel calmed down a little.


    "Samuel, you should not give up. We both should fight for the one we love," Anna encouraged him.


    "I will not give up!" Samuel replied to her.


    Kate walked quickly to keep up with Joseph''s pace, though there was a pain in her leg. Once she got out of the hotel, she could not keep quiet, "Let go of me!"


    However, Joseph gripped her hand tighter and walked faster.


    "Joseph, my leg is hurt," Kate shouted.


    Joseph stopped but did not loosen his grip.


    "You went behind my back and met Samuel! You should be happy," Joseph snarled at Kate.


    Kate realized that whenever Joseph found her near Samuel, he would become angry as if he was jealous.


    "I¡­You¡­" Kate stammered.


    Joseph did not have the patience to listen to her. He picked her up and put her to the car. When they arrived home, Joseph carried her to the living room and then said, "Come to the room, right now!"


    The commotion startled Amy; she asked, "Lady Kate, are you fighting with Lord Joseph?"


    "He is just jealous," Kate answered proudly.


    "Jealous? Of whom?" Amy asked again.


    "Of a handsome boy who talked to me," Kate did not want to tell her more, so she went upstairs.


    Amy stood frozen, not knowing who Joseph was jealous of, but she was jealous of Kate.


    When Kate entered the room, Joseph was sitting on the bed waiting for her. Kate limped to the sofa and sat down, touching the wound on her shoulder.


    "Why did you go to a karaoke bar?" Joseph interrogated her, which made her feel very uncomfortable.


    Kate''s attitude irritated Joseph. He calmly asked, "Did you go there on a date with Samuel?"


    "How about you? Were you also there on a date with Anna?"


    ALSO? Oh no! I must be crazy to say that. It sounds like I just admitted I had a date with Samuel.  I said the wrong thing. What should I do? Kate was stunned.


    Joseph suddenly pressed her against the sofa, bent down, and asked, "Why did you meet him?"


    His sudden approach scared her even more. She was terrified but also very attracted to his handsome face, she wanted to pull his lips to hers, but she resisted.


    "Answer me!" Joseph shouted at her, anxiously awaiting her answer.


    "It''s none of your business," Kate replied, then suddenly, Joseph kissed her. He seemed to be angry still because his lips were extremely rough on hers.


    After several minutes, Kate''s lips were bleeding, and finally, Joseph pulled away from her. However, he did not get up; he laid on top of her with his face very close to hers. Kate could feel his breath and could clearly see the rage in his eyes. So, she just lowered her head, not daring to look into his eyes.


    Perhaps Joseph realized that he could not get an answer from Kate, so he gave up. He stood up and pointed his finger at her, "My mother wants you to keep your distance from Samuel. You should obey her. After all, you cannot live up to her expectations."


    "Why¡­Why would you mention Mom? It''s none of her business. Don''t get her involved in this," Kate thought Joseph was acting ridiculous.


    Joseph did not know why he threatened her with his mother. Perhaps it was because he had no excuse, "You don''t need to know any more about my family. However, if you cause any trouble for my mother, I will not let you go."


    When Joseph left, he slammed the door; Kate didn''t know what to do. She thought to herself.


    Shit! Why did I have such bad luck today? When I was being beaten, Joseph wasn''t around, but Samuel came to save me. Then Joseph thought that he and I were bullying Anna? Was it a coincidence, or did someone plan that?


    Kate''s phone rang, the caller ID showed it was Samuel. She hesitated and wondered if she should answer it or not. She decided to only because he did help her earlier in the evening.


    "Kate, are you at home now? Does Joseph misunderstand what happened? If he did, I could explain to him in person."


    "No, he didn''t misunderstand. He thanked you for your saving me," Kate knew that Joseph hated Samuel. If Samuel explained to him, he would only misunderstand more.


    "That''s fine," Samuel heaved, "Did you go to the hospital? You seemed to be badly injured."

 Chapter 47 Joseph Take Care of Kate

    Joseph glared at her but did not say anything. Kate pretended not to see him and stood up to rinse her mouth and wash her face. However, the moment she got up, she felt dizzy and was fell. Luckily, Joseph was fast and caught her.


    Kate was in so much pain when her back hit his chest that she cried out.


    Noticing she wasn''t well, Joseph asked, "What is wrong?"


    "If I tell you, will you believe me?" She sneered, "You don''t believe anything I say. Why would I bother to tell you? It is just a waste of time."


    She pulled away from him and sat back down, hoping not to fall again.


    "Anna beat you, didn''t she?" Joseph asked.


    "If I say yes, will you think I''m lying?"


    Joseph did not answer immediately, so Kate turned away, knowing that she would not be treated fairly.


    "Tell me the everything that happened," He said sincerely.


    "You mean everything happened at the karaoke bar?"


    "Yes!"


    Kate was shocked for a moment but then told Joseph every detail. When she was done, she added, "You can believe me or not! I am telling you the truth, not just trying to make Anna look bad."


    Joseph looked at her for a long time and then asked, "Are you all right?"


    "What?"


    "Your injured."


    "I¡­I''m okay," Kate thought his first response would be to punish her, yet he caringly asked if she was okay.


    "Where does it hurt?" Joseph asked.


    What? Does he care about me? Kate thought to herself.


    "I''m fine," Kate did not want to tell him.


    Joseph was not satisfied with her answer. He took out his mobile and called the family doctor. While he was calling, Kate pulled on his sleeves and said, "I''m fine. No need to call the doctor."


    Yet, Joseph wouldn''t listen. After he hung up the phone, Joseph knelt down and rolled up the leg of her pants.


    "Ouch!" Kate screamed when Joseph pressed on a spot that looked swollen.


    Joseph looked up and asked, "Pain?"


    "What?" Kate thought she heard it wrong.


    "I''m asking, is that painful?"


    "A¡­A little," Kate whispered.


    Seeing the man in front of her, she could not believe it was Joseph. She had never seen him so gentle before.


    Was he caring for me? Or just did not want me to go after Anna because I was injured? Kate was confused.


    Suddenly, Kate pulled her leg away and coldly said, "Don''t plead for Anna this way. I will not forgive her, and I will make her feel double the pain she caused me."


    Kate could not forget that Anna and a man she hired, beat her in a hotel.


    "You think I am pleading for her?" Joseph asked coldly.


    "Then you¡­Why are you¡­?" Kate stammered.


    After a while, the family doctor arrived and examined Kate.


    "Is she okay?" Joseph asked eagerly.


    "Don''t worry, Lord Joseph. She is fine. I''ve already given her some painkillers."


    After the doctor left, Joseph went into the bedroom. He asked, "Have you taken the medication?"


    "Yes," Kate answered, but she hadn''t really taken them.


    "Get a good rest," He pulled the blankets up around her and left the room.


    Get a good rest? What is he saying? Kate replayed his words in her mind for a long time. It was a simple phrase, but it was the first time he spoke to her in such a gentle way, it was as if he cared about her. Everything seemed like a dream, and she could not believe it.


    Early the next morning, Kate opened her eyes when she heard Joseph cheerfully say, "Good Morning!"


    "¡­Morning!" She was taken aback for a while and then tried to get up out of bed, her hand immediately went to her left shoulder.


    "Take it!" Joseph passed her a painkiller and water.


    She felt as if she was in a trance and then rubbed her eyes to confirm whether the man in front of her was actually Joseph.


    "Drugs should not be taken on an empty stomach," Kate took the water from him and drank some.


    "Sorry, I should have known," Joseph answered with embarrassment.


    Kate shook head and thanked him.


    "I''ve called in for you to take the day off so that you can rest," Joseph said and walked out of the room.


    What? Was that Joseph Smith? Why was he so kind to me? Kate asked herself. She pinched her arm to make sure she wasn''t dreaming and then called Lisa.


    "Don''t daydream, Kate! You clearly know what kind of person Joseph Smith is and how he treats you! Don''t be cheated by his temporary kindness. Perhaps he set another trap for you," Lisa said over the phone.


    Her words brought Kate back to reality.


    "Yes, I think you are right. How can a man that hates me so much be nice to me suddenly?" She shook her head and continued, "I will pay closer attention. He will not scam me."


    "And you should teach Anna a lesson; otherwise, she will make more trouble for you," Lisa told her.


    "I will!" Obviously, Anna had planned in advance to beat her.


    ***


    Later that afternoon, at the White''s mansion, Anna ran downstairs, shouting, "Mom! Mom! Joseph sent me a message. He is inviting me to dinner tonight!"


    Daisy was in the kitchen, preparing dinner, and felt a little upset.


    "Be aware! Don''t run, or you will fall down the stairs!" Dora reminded her.


    "Joseph wants me to have dinner with him tonight," Anna exclaimed.


    "I knew he would finally come back to you. You are much better than she is, so of course, he will choose you!"


    "Definitely! How can Kate win over me?" Anna said, proudly waving her phone in the air.


    "Hush! The walls have ears!" Dora reminded, looking toward the kitchen, "Someone is so shameless! She continues to stay here no matter what we do to drive her out."


    Daisy knew the "someone" was her. She looked out the window, feeling sad and depressed.


    "Forget about that, though! Go get ready so that you are not late!"


    "Okay, Mom. I will wear my make-up the way Joseph likes it and my favorite dress," Anna gleamed.


    "Wait a minute," Dora held her hand and whispered in her ear.

 Chapter 48 Question Anna

    But make what? Daisy worried.


    Pulling out her phone, Daisy sent a message to Kate to tell her that Joseph invited Anna to dinner.


    **


    Later that evening, Joseph sat the bar in an expensive hotel. Anna walked in, wearing a bright red dress and a huge smile. She was overjoyed to see Joseph, but he didn''t change the cold expression on his face. When Anna approached him, he got up and started walking toward another room.


    Anna could sense something was going on when Joseph didn''t greet her with a kiss, but she followed closely behind me anyway. She hoped that it was all in her mind and that Joseph was only acting that way if anyone saw them together. As they entered a private room, Anna was happy to see they would be alone.


    It is so sweet to have a date with Joseph, just two of us! I must seize the chance to get as close to him as possible. Anna encouraged herself.


    Quickly pulling out a chair next to where Joseph stood, Anna was about to sit down when Joseph pointed to the seat in front of him and demanded, "Sit there!"


    The pleasant daydream Anna had of everything being okay between them quickly faded.


    "Darling, Mom wanted to see you. She misses you a lot," Anna said to break the ice.


    "What happened with the cut on your forehead?" Joseph inquired, completely ignoring Anna''s words.


    Anna''s face went pale when she heard Joseph''s question. She tried her best to remain calm, "Never mind, let''s forget the past and move forward. I do not want my sister to be punished. So¡­"


    "Did Kate push you?" Joseph asked in an icy tone.


    When Joseph continued to question her, Anna realized that it wasn''t a date. Joseph was there in Kate''s defense; Anna was stunned and she didn''t know what to say.


    Joseph''s patience was wearing thin when he waited for Anna to explain. He sneered, "Are you crazy? You are mean enough to frame Kate."


    "Honey¡­" Anna wanted to say something, but she didn''t know what to say.


    How did he know? Did Kate explain it to him? But why is he choosing to trust Kate rather than me? Anna wondered.


    "Is lying as natural to you as breathing?" Joseph snapped, "I have no idea how many times you lied to me during we were dating!"


    Anna felt so scared when Joseph began accusing her that she got up from her chair and walked over to Joseph. She put her hand on his arm and cried, "Joseph, I don''t want to lie to you, but I hate Kate. She has always acted better than me. She was too smart for me, so I had no choice but to frighten her. Maybe she should be nice to me in the future; then, I won''t¡­"


    "Joseph, have you fallen in love with Kate? Why are you speaking for her?" Anna cried as she collapsed on the floor in tears.


    "It has nothing to do with love! I just want to know the whole truth!" Joseph stared at Anna and continued, "And would you please explain what happened last night?"


    "Last night?" Anna looked stunned.


    "It''s you got a stranger to text me last night, wasn''t it?" Joseph continued to query. He knew it was too much of a coincidence that Anna was at the same club as Kate and Samuel.


    "It was not me. I didn''t have anything to do with it. I only ran into Kate at the bar," Anna knew that Joseph didn''t like to be scammed, so she wouldn''t admit anything.


    "It was Kate who spoke rudely to me first. My friend only wanted to defend me. Neither of us expected to see Samuel there¡­"


    "Finished making up the story?" Joseph asked after hearing her explanation.


    "Honey, if you don''t trust me ¡­" Anna got panic and began to tremble.


    "I DON''T TRUST YOU!" Joseph yelled at Anna. He looked at her pitifully and said, "It was you who started the fight and got someone to hurt her."


    "No, Joseph. I didn''t, it wasn''t me," Anna refused to admit it, she continued, "I am not as bad as Kate says."


    "You test my trust and temper over and over. Don''t blame me for acting harshly," Joseph got up and turned his back to Anna before saying, "I could forgive you this time, but do not take it for granted."


    "Joseph, you shouldn''t be so cruel-hearted to me," Anna crawled toward him and hugged his leg, "I only do this because I love you. You have been ignoring me lately, and I can''t stand it. I envy Kate; why does she get to be with you all of the time?"


    "Don''t touch me!" Joseph demanded.


    Anna burst into hysterical crying; she thought about letting go of his leg. She was worried that if she let go of him now, she would lose him forever.


    The emotional outburst angered Joseph even further. He bent down and pried her arms off of his leg.


    "Anna, you know exactly why we began dating in the first place. We''d better¡­"


    "NO!" Anna knew what Joseph was going to say next. She grabbed his leg again and cried, "Joseph, I don''t want to break up. I love you and can''t lose you. I will do anything; I don''t want the treasures, I don''t want to be Lady Anna. I just want you. Please, don''t do this!"


    After calming himself down, Joseph answered, "Anna, if we don''t know each other, our relationship won''t last long. Plus, I am married now; there is no chance of us being together!"


    Joseph pulled her arms off of his leg again, then, in a calm and gentle voice, said, "Let''s forget the past and move on. Please make sure you take care of yourself in the future."


    "NO!" Anna was desperate after hearing Joseph''s words. She buried her head on the floor and sobbed.


    Joseph had considered forgiving Anna after discovering the truth about the letters, but Anna continued to lie and disappoint him. He could not continue their relationship even if he wasn''t married.


    **


    At the Smith mansion, Kate went for a walk after she had her dinner alone. It was a warm summer night, but the breeze blowing off the mountains was cool and crisp, which was just what Kate needed. She thought about living a quiet, peaceful life with the love of her life in a small but welcoming home. The dream was simple, yet it was just a dream that disappeared when she got the text from Daisy.


    Kate looked up at the night sky and wondered what her husband and sister were doing on their date. Tears started running down her face when she thought of how happy they probably were.


    Suddenly, a car horn startled her. She quickly wiped away the tears and turned, and then she saw Joseph getting out of his car.


    Didn''t he go on a date with Anna? Why is he home so soon? Kate wondered to herself.


    Seeing that Kate was out walking, Joseph immediately asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Kate noticed that there wasn''t a caring tone in his voice, but it wasn''t nearly as cold as usual. She was angry with him going on a date with Anna, so she snapped, "I can go anywhere I want. It is none of your business!"


    "You shouldn''t be out with an injured leg," Joseph reminded Kate.

 Chapter 49 Kate, Help!

    Joseph stared at Kate, "I¡­"


    Kate was angry, and she didn''t want to explain to him, "Don''t take your anger for others out on me. I want to take a walk."


    I am assuming he is angry because of Anna. He deserves it! Why should I listen to him and always bear the brunt of his anger? Kate told herself.


    "You don''t want to get inside, do you?" Joseph said and stepped forward to help Kate stand up.


    Before Kate knew what happened, she was in Joseph''s arms. She subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck so that she wouldn''t fall backward.


    Joseph froze when he realized what an intimate moment they were having. His eyes stared at Kate''s innocent face as she looked at his handsome face. She expected to see the usual cold-hearted look in his eyes, but instead, they looked safe and warm.


    ¡­


    Several minutes later, they were in the house, and Amy was shocked to see Joseph carrying Kate.


    "Enough?" Joseph''s sudden question broke the long silence between them and snapped Kate''s thoughts back to reality. She was feeling embarrassed and hope that Joseph would have put her down before any of the staff saw them. However, he carried her to their bedroom, which excited her a little.


    When Joseph finally laid her on the bed, he urged, "Get some rest until you make a full recovery!"


    Joseph walked out of the room and close the door gently behind him. Kate didn''t know why he was being so kind. She didn''t know if he was doing it for Anna, and if it was, she didn''t want to accept his kindness.


    **


    The next morning, Kate''s alarm went off for her to get up for work. When she rolled over, she saw Joseph getting dressed. He smiled at her and said, "I called in to get you a week''s leave to stay home until your leg is better."


    "What did you say?" Kate couldn''t believe what she had heard. She paused for a moment and then asked, "I am feeling better, and it is almost recovered. It''s no trouble for me; I can go to work as usual."


    Joseph squinted at her then argued, "You would fall on the ground."


    Sure enough, he did this for Anna! Kate thought.


    She became furious and snapped, "Don''t think you will make me forget what Anna did to me just by treating me well! I will get back to Anna when I am better."


    Kate regretted what she had said because it sounded childish. Also, if Joseph knew her plan, it was pointless.


    Joseph wanted to laugh at Kate and tell her that Anna was jealous of her, but instead, he said, "I have taken care of that as well."


    "Of what?" Kate didn''t understand what he was saying and continued to ask.


    "Nothing, don''t worry!" Joseph Smith didn''t plan to answer her.


    "Just let me know if you are in trouble," Joseph gently sighed.


    Kate wanted to know more, but Joseph left the room. She was confused, replaying the conversation with Joseph over and over in her head. She didn''t know what to think until she got a call from Daisy.


    "Kate, I thought that Anna would be delighted after her date last night, but she came home crying," Daisy whispered.


    "Crying? She shouldn''t have been crying," Kate was surprised, "Shouldn''t she have been happy? Now, I am even more confused."


    A strange feel overwhelmed Kate when she thought of Joseph and Anna''s relationship. She was curious as to what had happened on their date.


    "She kept yelling and cursing, saying it was you who said nasty things about her in front of Joseph. And, that you did it all so that he would misunderstand everything on purpose."


    "I didn''t do no such a thing," Kate sneered then asked, "How are you doing? Are they treating you well?"


    "I¡­ I''m¡­ fine!" Daisy stammered.


    "Daisy, just tell me if you are having issues in the house," Kate sensed that things were not well for Daisy, and she was worried.


    "I¡­ I''m good¡­ Don''t worry about me; I can take care fo myself. I have something else I need to do right now, but we will talk later," Daisy said and hung up before Kate could ask anything more.


    **


    At the White mansion, Anna used a spare key to open Daisy''s bedroom door. She shouted at Daisy, "Why have you been in here so long? I thought you might have been dead."


    Daisy was hanging up the phone and held it tightly.


    Anna stared at her, "Well, who were you talking to? Did you call Kate?! You traitor!"


    "Don''t accuse me of anything. I can talk to whoever I want. It is none of your business!" Daisy was not afraid of Anna, but she did not want to argue with her.


    "Do you think I didn''t hear what you said to Kate?" Anna held the key up and snorted with pride, "Do you really think that this is your home, and you can do whatever you want?"


    "Don''t you dare!" Daisy shouted.


    Anna sneered, "If I didn''t have a spare key for your room, how could I know that you are reporting to Kate?"


    "Don''t forget that this house belongs to Kate. That was Auntie''s last wish," Daisy reminded Anna. She hated seeing Anna''s arrogant attitude.


    Anna was irritated immediately and stepped forward to push Daisy, "Flora has gone to Hell! Who cares about what she said? The hostess in this house is my mother; everything here belongs to us. And, neither of us have any connection to you!"


    Daisy stumbled but got right back up to defend herself and Kate, "You can choose to forget what Auntie Flora said before she died, others will not, especially the Smiths¡­"


    A loud slap hit Daisy across the face, and Anna continued to harass her, "Who do you think you are? How dare you yell at me? I have put up with you for too long! You will be out of this house today!"


    As she yelled, Anna picked things up from Daisy''s dresser and began throwing them around the room. All Daisy could hear was the sound of glass shattering; she was unable to see from the hard slap. When she was able to regain her composure, her room was completely destroyed, and she was alone.


    Daisy managed to call Kate, and she immediately asked, "Daisy, why did you hang up so suddenly before?"


    "Kate, help! Please come to save me!" Daisy hung up again and crouched in the corner crying hysterically.


    The phone call left Kate in a panic. She quickly changed her clothes and yelled for Henry to take her to the White''s.


    **


    Dora was in the kitchen, swearing, "I have never seen someone as shameless as her. Flora has been dead for years; she has no claim to this house. And if she did, why didn''t she take the house to Hell with her?"


    As soon as Kate entered the house, she heard Dora shouting. She walked up behind her and exclaimed, "Who is the shameless one?"


    Dora was terrified by Kate''s sudden appearance. She took a moment to calm down, then politely asked, "What bring you here, Lady Kate?"

 Chapter 50 Slap Anna

    "No way!" Daisy snapped back.


    "How can you say no to me? Flora is dead, and Kate is married, so there is no one here to back you up!"


    Kate clenched her fists, anger burning in her eyes.


    Dora raised her voice and shouted, "Anna, we have a guest. Stop it!"


    "Guest?" Anna slowly walked down the stair when she saw Kate then snorted, "So, my dear sister, how are you feeling?"


    Kate saw her triumphant look and sneered, "I heard that someone''s date didn''t go well last night. So, now you are taking it out on Daisy?"


    Anna''s face twisted into a furious expression, "It must have been you! You bewitched Joseph so he didn''t believe me."


    "We''ll talk about that later, right now we need to deal with what is happening here," Kate had no intention of talking to Anna about Joseph.


    "Wait, I''ll call your dad. He''s the head of the family, after all!" Dora knew that Leo would help because none of them could make actual decisions.


    Kate knew that if Leo were called, he would save Daisy from being bullied. While she waited for her father, Kate slowly climbed the stairs and found Daisy in her room, trying to salvage her belongings. Kate didn''t say a word but immediately went to Anna''s room.


    "Kate, what do you want?!" Anna snapped at her.


    "What do I want?" Kate looked at Anna angrily and said slowly, "I want to do the same thing as what you did to Daisy!"


    Suddenly, Kate pushed Anna and started throwing things around her room.


    Anna snapped and growled, "Kate, you are an asshole!"


    "YOU are an asshole!" Kate caught Anna''s hand as she was about to hit her, and then spun to see Daisy standing at the door, so she said, "Daisy, feel free to destroy her room as she did to yours!"


    "Sure!" Daisy smiled and picked up a picture frame and smashed it on the floor.


    "Stop it!" Dora saw the mess when she came in, "You bitch, you did this so that I will get in trouble, didn''t you?"


    Kate ignored Dora and held her grasp on Anna''s arms so that she couldn''t stop Daisy. However, Dora lunged at Kate, kicking her in the leg and cursing, "Do you really think that just because you have Cassie Smith''s support, you can do whatever you want? You should die for stealing my daughter''s love!"


    The sneak attack on her legs made Kate teared up from the pain.


    Daisy stopped breaking Anna''s belongings to help Kate. She made sure Kate was stable on her feet, then grabbed a badminton racket and shouted, "You old witch! How dare you bully Kate? I will fight this to the end with you, right here, right now!"


    Dora stepped back when she saw Daisy swinging the racket, "I am warning you, do not hurt me. If you do, Leo will punish you severely."


    Kate suddenly slapped Anna, leaving her completely stunned.


    Dora was furious, "Kate, you are dead to me!"


    "She deserves this plus more!" Kate reminded Dora.


    "Sunny, get some help up here! I am going to kill these two bitches!" Dora told the maid, completely disregarding the consequences of her anger.


    As soon as Sunny ran downstairs, she saw Loe walking in, so she ran upstairs to report, "Mis... Mister is back!"


    "Great! Now it is time to fix this mess!" Dora wiggled her hips and proudly went down the stairs.


    Anna put a hand to her burning cheek, looked at Kate and Daisy, and walked out of the room since she was outnumbered.


    Only when Anna walked out of the room did Daisy put down the badminton racket and walked over to Kate, "Kate, are your legs okay?"


    Despite the pain, Kate still smiled and shook her head, "I''m fine. I got to slap back."


    "Lady Kate, your father wants to see you downstairs," Sunny said cautiously.


    "Kate, just blame me and don''t argue with Leo," Daisy knew Leo was biased toward Anna.


    Kate patted her hand with a fearless look, "I''ll put up with anyone but that arrogant mother and daughter!"


    Dora and Anna''s insulting words about her mother put Kate over the edge.


    As soon as Kate reached the bottom of the stairs, Dora said, "Thankfully, you are home, Leo. We would have been bullied to death by Kate and that outsider!"


    Anna cried timely to collaborate with her mother, "Dad, you and Mom never hit me, but today... I was slapped by Kate, even though I didn''t do anything."


    Kate rolled her eyes; she was so tired of watching the two actings out the same old story.


    "Kate, what is going on?" Leo looked over with a stern look.


    The look was clearly accusing, so would her explanation even matter. Kate wondered.


    "Dad, now that you are home. I will be honest; someone has been acting horrible to others," Kate pulled Daisy to sit down on the couch.


    "Kate Smith, I knew exactly what you were going to say!" Dora quickly pointed a finger in Kate''s face and said, "Don''t you just want to say that your mother left you this house?"


    "Since you know that, how could you be so arrogant?" Kate turned to Leo and asked softly, "Dad, you still remember Mom''s last words, right?"


    Leo frowned with slightly impatient. "Kate, can you stop talking about the past?"


    "I didn''t want to mention it, but someone was way out of line!" Kate told him about Anna bullying Daisy.


    Leo glared at Anna, "If you''re bored, you can go to work at White Group tomorrow. Don''t make trouble for me all day!"


    "Dad..." Anna thought that Leo would lecture Kate and Daisy. She didn''t expect to be criticized and left feeling confused and persecuted.

 Chapter 51 You Hit Anna?

    Leo was in an awkward position and quickly said, "Kate, since you are the elder sister, you should try to stop the fight rather than intensifying it."


    Kate sneered at her spineless father, saying, "You just would rather be whipped by an old witch than cherish your honorable wife."


    "What is that supposed to mean?" Dora understood her sarcasm and was about to lose her mind.


    Leo snapped at her, "Is there a problem with what she said? You have become more and more abusive in the last few years. Don''t forget that I am the man of this family!"


    Dora was speechless and filled with rage, she sat on the couch and snarled, "Flora was already gone, and Kate is now married. This house belongs to us!"


    Worried that Leo sided with Kate, Dora added, "Unless you really are the kept man as they said!"


    Kate looked straight at Leo, wanting to hear what he had to say. Leo tried to dodge Kate''s eyes before saying, "We are family. This house is a joint property with¡­"


    "Dad, let''s make it clear, it''s my name that is on the deed," Kate said with a cold glare, "I didn''t mention it when Grandma fell ill out of respect, but some people need to be reminded. If anyone is going to leave, it should be them!"


    "Kate, don''t say that. At the least we''re family, do you know how disgraceful it would be if it gets out ..."


    "Family?" Kate laughed, "Someone just said I was an outsider, and I want to make it clear that you are nothing to me. One of you is the man who betrayed my mother, one is the mistress who broke up my mother''s family, and the last one is your bastard!"


    "What¡­!" Leo was trembling with rage.


    "Kate, watch your mouth. Who''s the mistress? Who''s the bastard?" Dora was so pissed off.


    Anna looked at Kate angrily, "Good for you; you reprimanded all of us!"


    "Dad, I don''t mean to be cruel; after all, there is someone crueler than me. I just want to tell you that if you didn''t do so many wicked things, I would be much polite to you!"


    Leo was well-aware of who actually owned the house, so all he could do was please Kate.


    Kate looked at Daisy and said, "Daisy, remember that you are my family. You are not a servant in this house. Don''t cater to them any longer!"


    Daisy nodded happily, "Got it!"


    "Tell me or call the police if someone tries to kick you out. I''ll hire a lawyer for you!" When Kate finished, she turned to Leo, "I''ll let them off this time but only for your sake. Next time I won''t be nearly as pleasant!"


    Leo White clung to his cane with a grim face, and he promised reluctantly, "If they step out of line, I will discipline them myself."


    "You..."


    Dora didn''t understand what she meant, but she was terrified.


    "Kate, what about your leg?" Daisy worried about her, "Why don''t we go to the hospital?"


    Kate looked at her and said, "Daisy, it''s very annoying to live with such unreasonable people; you don''t have to stay here."


    "Kate, don''t you see? They just want to get rid of me, so that nobody will stop them from completely dominating everything that belongs to you!" Daisy felt that leaving them to manipulate Leo would be too easy.


    "Then keep your eyes and ears open, and find a job. It''s boring to stay at home all day."


    "Sure, I''m planning on it anyway," Daisy couldn''t stop smiling at the thought of the evil mother and daughter being lectured by Kate, "I am just overjoyed that they won''t dare boss me around anymore!"


    "I need to go, let me know if you need me," Kate said as she walked out the door.


    "Alright, talk soon, and thank you," Daisy replied.


    Kate felt tired and fell asleep shortly after getting in the car. Joseph tried calling her, but there was no answer, so he called the Smith mansion only to learn she was out.


    When Joseph called Henry, he inquired, "Where did Lady Kate go?"


    Henry looked at Kate, who was sleeping in the back seat and replied, "Lady Kate went to her mother''s house, but we are on our way back now."


    "Get her on the phone!" Joseph demanded.


    Henry shuddered when he heard the tone in his boss''s voice. He stammered, "Lady Kate¡­ is asleep¡­ Shall I wake her up?"


    After a little silence on the other end of the phone, he said, "Send me your location, and I will meet you there!"


    "Uh... Yes, sir," Henry replied.


    Smith Group wasn''t far from Henry and Kate''s location; Joseph arrived in less than ten minutes.


    "Mr. Joseph..." Henry started to speak, but Joseph gestured for him to keep quiet and get out of the car. Joseph climbed into the driver''s seat and drove off.


    When Kate woke up, she was already in her bedroom. She looked around to make sure she wasn''t dreaming. She couldn''t figure out how she went from the car to her bedroom. She was terrified and jumped out of bed in a panic, but fell over and cried out in pain due to her leg injuries.


    Joseph came running into the bedroom and saw Kate on the floor. He went over and held out his hand to her.


    "What?" Kate looked at his hand with a puzzled look.


    "Get up!" He looked at her like she was a fool.


    "Uh ..." Kate Smith just stupidly took his hand and got up off the floor.


    "Why did you go to the White mansion?" His gaze fell on her as if trying to detect something in her expression.


    Kate, feeling a pain in her legs, sat down on the couch and asked him sarcastically, "If I were honest, would you slap me for fighting with the woman you love?"


    "So, you hit Anna?"


    "Yes, I hit her," Not only did she admitted it, but also she answered modestly, "She was a bully and deserved to be beaten to death!"


    Kate thought that Joseph would quarrel with her or choke her after hearing this, but he stood still and didn''t say a word.


    Is he plotting how to teach me a lesson? Kate wondered.

 Chapter 52 Did you get hurt?

    "What?" Kate was taken aback by his sudden caring words, "You¡­"


    "I¡­What do you want me to say?" Joseph looked at her inquisitively.


    As Kate realized he was not going to defend Anna, she decided to play along.


    "Of course, I''m hungry, especially since I have been sleeping for a while," She glimpsed the time on her phone.


    "Err¡­I¡­How I¡­" She stammered. Kate wanted to ask how she got to the bedroom but thought it was not necessary.


    "Ask Henry," Joseph read her mind but did not give her any answer.


    "You mean Henry carried me here? How could he do that? He is so tiny, and I am so big," She retorted.


    Joseph still didn''t tell her anything, he just rolled his eyes, which left her even more confused.


    "Did I say anything wrong?" She asked but he still did not reply, he just walked out and shut the door behind him.


    After dinner, Kate limped toward Henry in embarrassment, "Henry, you should have woken me up. You didn''t need to carry me upstairs. I am too heavy."


    "Lady Kate, I don''t understand what you are saying. I did not carry you," Henry was confused.


    "No? Who took me to my bedroom then?" She asked curiously.


    "It was Lord Joseph! He did," Henry told her what happened.


    She was very surprised at his answer and froze for a moment.


    "Lady Kate, are you okay?"


    "I¡­I''m okay," She now understood why Joseph rolled his eyes at her.


    However, she still did not believe Joseph would do this and be so gentle to her, though his attitude towards her really changed in the last few days.


    Since Kate had a long nap, she wasn''t tired and decided to sit and read.


    When Joseph came into the bedroom and saw her still reading, he asked, "Why aren''t you asleep? It is so late."


    Kate was frightened, she jumped up and suddenly threw the book down on the table.


    Joseph glanced at her and then went to the bathroom to take a shower.


    While she waited for him to finish, Kate debated on if she should thank him or not. However, Lisa''s words came to mind; she should not forget how badly he treated her, even though he was kind to her now.


    After a while, Kate crawled into bed at the same time Joseph walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a bathrobe. Seeing Joseph walking toward her and lying next to her on the bed, Kate felt nervous and her heart beat faster.


    They usually kept their distance in bed unless they were having sex, yes, he always asked her to kneel in a doggy position to avoid eye contact.


    But now, if Kate turned around her face, it would be right in Joseph''s chest. Thinking of which Kate was stiffed.


    "You hit Anna, and she also hit you, right?" A cold voice whispered in Kate''s ear.


    What did he mean? Was he caring about me? Or defending for Anna? Kate thought to herself.


    "Did you get hurt?" He asked again.


    Kate''s body stiffened, "I¡­ I am fine."


    She didn''t say anything more for a long time, then suddenly she asked, "Why do you care? You don''t want me to take revenge on her? But do you know that she caused the trouble first?"


    Did she still think that I care about her hitting Anna? Well, that is fine. I guess even if I said I care about her, she wouldn''t believe it. Joseph told himself.


    Thinking of what Kate would reply, Joseph refused to answer her question and said, "It''s late now. Go to sleep."


    Then he turned around, which made Kate think what she said was true.


    **


    The next morning, Kate was preparing to go to work after she ate breakfast. However, Joseph objected and demanded she stay at home to rest her injured leg.


    Kate was not happy with his decision and shouted, "If you want to make amends for Anna, you''d better tell her not to cause trouble for me again."


    "Nonsense!" Joseph ordered Amy, "Keep an eye on her. She is not allowed to leave here without my permission."


    "Yes sir," Amy was beaming with pride.


    "You think you can trap me here in this way? I will call Mom for help!"


    "If Mom knows you are injured, she will support my decision," Joseph interrupted her, leaving her no chance to threaten him.


    Kate knew that Joseph was right, but she was still angry.


    "If you behave yourself, I will take you out for dinner tonight," Joseph said to her before leaving.


    What? Take me for dinner? Now he is definitely insane. Kate thought to herself.


    "I don''t want to have dinner with you," She shouted at him, but it was no use.


    At this time, Alan ran towards her and circled around her feet.


    Kate squatted down to pet him, but Amy reminded her, "Lady Kate, Lord Joseph does not allow you to touch Alan."


    "Sorry, I forgot he is Anna''s dog," Kate got up and walked away. However, Alan followed her even after she told him to go away.


    "I''ll put him out," Amy said proudly and then took him toward the kitchen.


    Kate laid on the sofa and played games on her phone for most of the day. She didn''t want to think about what had happened the day before with Dora and Anna.


    **


    Since Kate had lost her temper at the White''s mansion, the family was in turmoil.


    Anna was terrified of losing Joseph, so she decided to go to his office. She ran into Samuel as soon as she entered the building, so she quickly put her head down. Unfortunately, Samuel noticed her coming.


    Samuel questioned her, "Lady Anna, why are you here? Are you looking for Joseph?"


    Anna looked around and when she didn''t see anyone, she whispered to Samuel, "Joseph has been sticking up for Kate and is acting very cold toward me. If we don''t act soon, I am afraid he¡­"

 Chapter 53 Samuels Invitation

    Anna quickly understood what he meant and realized it wasn''t convenient to talk here. She stepped back to keep a distance with him and said politely, "Samuel, I am going to look for Joseph."


    "Call me later," Samuel whispered when she passed him.


    "Lord Joseph, Lady Anna would like to see you," his reception called to tell him.


    "No," Joseph refused firmly.


    Anna was standing outside his office and heard his response. She walked to the door and pushed it open, "Joseph, I want to tell you something."


    John was startled by Anna''s sudden action and looked at Joseph in fear, "I''ll leave first."


    After John left, Anna walked to Joseph''s desk, she frowned and said, "I have to tell you something. I don''t want to lie anymore."


    Joseph raised head to look at her and sneered, "I already know all your lies and tricks."


    "I know it''s my fault. I should not have schemed, but you must know what Kate did to you¡­" To win back her love, Anna had to slander Kate before she won him over.


    "Shut up!" Joseph suddenly interrupted her, "You hurt Kate''s legs, right?"


    "I¡­" Anna paused to think for a while and said maliciously, "She also slapped me. You see, my face is swollen."


    "She would not slap you if you don''t offend her," Joseph defended Kate immediately although he didn''t know why.


    "Joseph, we were in love for two years before we were separated for another two years, you should know what kind of person I am," Anna cried. She was disappointed that Joseph wouldn''t believe what she said.


    "I don''t know what you went through during the last two years, but I see no love between us now," Joseph said. He noticed his love fading when he found out Anna lied about the letters, and when Anna hurt Kate on purpose, all of his love disappeared.


    Anna could not accept the fact, and she was determined not to give up, "I know your attitude changed because of the letters. But do you know that is how she seduces men? Would you be upset and hate her?"


    Pulling out a stack of letters, Anna threw them on Joseph''s desk and pointed at a name, "Rowen Black, it is right there. You may not have heard his name before, but he is someone important in Kate''s life."


    Who was Rowen? Joseph was very curious, but he still remained calm and didn''t show any reaction in front of Anna.


    "I don''t know him, so don''t bother to mention him to me.," Joseph said to her coldly.


    Since he believed Anna was a liar, he did not want to listen to anything she said. Trust is the foundation of a good relationship, and she had lied to him for two years which he had no idea. He had to admit she was a great manipulator.


    "Don''t cheat yourself, Joseph. Kate does not love you at all. You cannot judge her love only from those letters," Anna was trying to set Kate up.


    "Joseph, l was selfish in front of the man I loved. Though my sister Kate says she loves you, I don''t want to give you to her. I lied to you and I was wrong. But, it was only because I love you. I really love you¡­"


    "ENOUGH!" Joseph did not want to listen to her, "I will not believe anything you said. I don''t love you anymore, do you understand?!"


    The pain and desperation inside Anna felt uncontrollable, she was frozen and did not dare say a word. Finally, she walked toward the door and snapped, "Believe it or not, it is the truth!"


    Once Anna left, Joseph looked at the name on the letter again.


    Rowen Black.


    **


    Kate was at home waiting for Joseph, she thought he would be home to take her out for dinner. However, he didn''t get home until after ten at night and seemed to be angry, not speaking a word to her.


    Did he argue with Anna? Whatever! It is none of my business. Kate thought to herself.


    **


    The next morning when Kate got ready for work, Joseph didn''t try to stop her.


    When she walked out of the mansion, she saw his car parked out front. Kate assumed he was waiting to drive her to work, but as soon as she reached out to open the door, he drove away.


    "You bastard!" She cursed.


    "Lady Kate, let me give you a ride," Henry pulled over in front of her.


    Since Kate had been off work for several days, and there was a lot of work to do. She was thankful for the work though, it made the day go by quickly. Just as she was about to leave to go home, she saw Samuel.


    "Hello, Samuel!" Kate greeted him.


    "Hi, Kate! You want a ride?"


    "Thank you!" She walked towards him, but only stood beside the car window.


    "You are welcome. We are family."


    "What is going on?" Kate asked.


    "I want to invite you to dinner tonight. I have something to tell you."


    "Well¡­" Kate hesitated.


    "I know what you are worried about, Kate. Don''t be, if you hide that you got a ride with me, others will think that there is something going on between us," Samuel said sincerely.


    Kate shook her head and said, "I have promised Joseph that¡­"


    "I see, you always follow his order. Why listen to him? When he has a date with Anna, does he think of you?"


    Kate agreed with what he said, but she would not admit that to Samuel.


    "Maybe I should not compare you to him. I just want to say that he shouldn''t do what he doesn''t want others to do. I want to tell you that on the day your grandma passed away, Joseph went to the hospital¡­"


    "What?" Kate was eager to know everything that Samuel had to say.


    Samuel looked around and said to her gently, "It''s not appropriate to talk here. Let''s talk about it over dinner."


    Enticed by what he had to say, Kate did not hesitate to get into the car.

 Chapter 54 Did He Kill Grandma?

    Anxious about what Samuel had said, Kate asked, "How do you know Joseph went to the hospital that day? Did you see him? Or do you have evidence?"


    "Let''s have dinner first, okay? I don''t want us to eat dinner in a bad mood. I am starving," Samuel wanted to make sure he could keep Kate with him as long as possible.


    "Sorry, I just wanted to know it now," but Kate didn''t push the topic.


    "Well, I know these are your favorite dishes. If you don''t eat, I will not tell you!" Samuel threatened.


    Kate quickly began to eat, and after a few bites, she said, "I am full. Can you tell me now?"


    Samuel shook his head helplessly.


    Seeing his reaction, she asked again, "Can you tell me now?"


    "Of course, I will keep my promise.," Samuel passed to her a photo. He pointed at the date on the right corner and said, "Your grandma passed away in the afternoon on this day, but Joseph was there in that morning too. Do you think it is a coincidence?"


    Kate''s face turned pale and her heart started to pound.


    "Kate, it isn''t really evidence. After all, the doctor said your grandma died of natural causes. But¡­"


    "But what?"


    "But we cannot exclude the possibility that he paid off the doctor. It wouldn''t be difficult for him to do."


    "Yes, I think he would do everything for Anna," Kate whispered


    He argued with his mother and swore to divorce me the night before my grandma died, and he also threatened me with my grandma. Then the next day, grandma was gone. Everything happened so quickly! I have reason to believe he is a killer. Kate thought to herself.


    Seeing that Kate was hurt, Samuel thought he would comfort her while stirring up trouble, "How can he thrive in the business field? He has great ambition, so Grandpa appreciates him. However, he is evil and Grandpa worries that he never follows the rules, that is why I was asked to come back and co-manage the Smith Group."


    "How did you get these photos?" Kate wanted to gather more photos as evidence so that she could confront Joseph.


    "Joseph has many fans, one of them uploaded them on the Internet. I took a screenshot when I found them to show you," Samuel said. He let out a deep sigh then continued, "I am not sure that Joseph did it or not. You would be the one who knows better about him. After all, you have lived with him for the last two years."


    Kate was lost in thought, replaying everything Joseph ever threatened her with. After a long while, she looked Samuel in the eyes and seriously whispered, "For the two years we have been married, he has threatened with hurting my grandma. Then finally, he¡­ he did it¡­ my grandma¡­"


    Samuel rubbed her back to comfort her and said, "Don''t be afraid, Kate. I will protect you and not allow anyone to hurt you."


    Kate smiled at him in embarrassment and said, "Sorry."


    "I can take you home," Samuel stood up. He grabbed his coat and was about to follow her but Kate put her hand up.


    "No, thank you. I''ll take a taxi home," She wanted some time to think and calm down before she arrived home.


    The nightlife in the city was just beginning, people were coming and going all around Kate as she waited for her taxi. However, Kate was not in the mood to be around anyone. She stood close to a building and waited patiently, thinking about her grandma''s death and her relationship with Joseph.


    He killed my grandma, I should hate him as I did before. Though he has been treating me well recently, I should not forgive him. He killed my grandma and no matter how much I loved him, he is a murderer.


    Joseph did not see Kate when he arrived home, so he asked, "Where is Kate?"


    "Sorry, I did not see her. She has not come home from work yet," Amy replied while closely observing Joseph''s expression.


    He sat on the sofa, waiting for her to get home. He was confused by his own actions but he had no talked to her since the night before.


    Why did I treat her like that? It was only puppy love, was I jealous of that? Joseph thought to himself.


    "Lady Kate is back!" Amy yelled.


    Joseph raised his head immediately and saw her in a beige skirt walking toward him. He could not help staring at her, he hadn''t noticed how beautiful she was until recently. However, Kate ignored him and tried to go up the stairs until Joseph stopped her.


    "What are you doing?" She asked impatiently.


    "Why are you getting home so late?" He questioned.


    "It''s none of your business. I can come back at any time I want." She pushed him away and went up the stairs to her room.


    Joseph was irritated at the fact Kate was being rude and ignoring him.


    Seeing this, Amy quickly said, "Lord Joseph, I will get you a glass of water."


    "No need. Go ask if she had dinner," Joseph ordered.


    "O¡­ Okay, sir!" Amy replied.


    Joseph then sat back on the sofa. After he calmed down, he realized he was caring about her.


    "Lady Kate, Lord Joseph wanted me to ask if you have had dinner," Amy asked.


    Kate was about to get in the shower when she heard Amy. She paused before answering because she couldn''t understand why he would ask, "Yes, I have had dinner."


    "Okay," Amy said, but then murmured to herself, "I would have asked if Joseph didn''t request me to. I would be happy if you starve to death."


    When Kate walked into her bedroom after her shower, Joseph was sitting on the sofa with a cigar in his hand. She saw his attractive face and couldn''t help but take an extra-long look. Suddenly, Joseph turned and looked straight into her eyes. Kate became both nervous and embarrassed, she quickly blinked and wiped her eyes, pretending that they were sore.


    Seeing this, Joseph smiled at her and said, "Why watch me secretly? You can just look at me if you want."


    "Well¡­ There are many reasons for looking at you. Dislike, hate, you know, something like that," Kate snarled.


    Joseph sensed that something was wrong, he asked, "Is work not going smoothly?"


    "Did you go to the hospital on the day of my grandma''s death?" She blurted out. She planned to investigate before asking him, but she could not control herself.

 Chapter 55 Threatening

    "You should know what you have done!"


    "I have explained to you that I had nothing to do with her death. I don''t mind explaining this again. I will not admit to something that I have not done."


    "You didn''t?" Kate asked.


    "We have been living together two years, but I guess you don''t know me at all," Joseph mumbled under his breathe.


    How ridiculous! I had tried my best to get to know you before, but have you ever noticed? Have you ever tried to know more about me? Kate thought to herself.


    "You are my enemy, so why do I need to know you?" Kate snapped, they were a couple but were also enemies in each other''s eyes.


    "Then I will tell you for the last time. I did not kill your grandma, she was not killed. It was natural causes!" Joseph emphasized because he did not want Kate to blame him.


    "Do you think you can convince me just by saying so? Impossible! I will find evidence and if you did do it, I won''t let you get away with it," Kate stated, then grabbed her pillow and went to go sleep in another room.


    When Joseph was the only one left standing in the spacious room, he felt helpless and desperate.


    **


    The next morning, Kate got ready for work but did not have breakfast because she wanted to avoid Joseph. Joseph also skipped breakfast, Amy called him on his way out the door that she made him a sandwich, but he did not take it. She felt disappointed and unappreciated.


    As soon as both Kate and Joseph left for work, Amy called Anna to let her know they were acting cold toward each other. Anna was ecstatic, she hung and called Samuel immediately to tell him about it.


    "You''ve done a great job. Their relationship is getting worse so I will have a chance to pursue Joseph again."


    "Don''t count your chickens before they hatch! It is just the beginning. We still have a long way to go before we break them up," Samuel reminded her.


    "Don''t worry. I''m good at telling stories. You just need to gain Kate''s trust and get close to her. I will have enough evidence that you are having an affair with her. Then when Joseph finds out, he will divorce her."


    "You are right! The Smith family cares about its reputation most. No matter how Cassie defends Kate, others will not agree."


    "Yes. We can finally succeed with our joint efforts," Anna said excitedly because she saw hope.


    Samuel was worried Anna would mess it up, so he commented, "Don''t spill the beans just because of excitement. We still need to be careful, or we will be doomed!"


    "Don''t worry. This is our secret!"


    I am good at keeping secrets. No one saw through the car accident. This will be the same. Anna thought to herself.


    "Yes, it is!"


    **


    At Joseph''s office, John reported, "Lord Joseph, the Chairman is here and he is waiting in the meeting room."


    When he stepped into the meeting room, he found Samuel there as well.


    "Hey, Joseph!" Samuel stood up to greet him.


    Joseph did not reply, he just sat down in front of Vincent and asked in a low voice, "What are you doing here?"


    "I heard that you have given a lot of resources to the White''s Group regardless of our own company''s profits. You are so generous!" Vincent said in a weird tone.


    Joseph did not answer.


    "How can you do that? You took advantage of our strength to help develop another company! Who told you to do this?" Vincent yelled at him angrily trembling.


    Samuel just looked at them, listening to their conversation and smiling inside.


    Though Vincent was angry, Joseph was still very calm. He answered him, "It will not affect the development and growth of Smith Group."


    "Okay, it may not affect it, but if you help White Group grow, they will be a threat for us in the future!" Vincent was worried that Leo would become stronger than him.


    Samuel thought it was an appropriate time to stir up more trouble, "Grandpa, Joseph is Leo''s son-in-law. It is reasonable for him to help the White Group. Don''t¡­"


    "It is because of this that Leo has become more and more greedy. In the last few years, the White Group has made a lot of profit with the help of our company. I just act as if I don''t know but it should be clear that we cannot help him all of the time. He should not be so greedy," Vincent interrupted Samuel.


    "I understand what you are saying, but I will decide on my own whether or not to help White Group. It is not of your business and it will not affect you or the Smith Group''s profits," Joseph stated.


    "You dare to oppose me?" Vincent began to cough.


    Samuel patted his back and said, "Don''t be angry, Grandpa. The doctor said you can not get irritated."


    "You both are my grandsons, but why are you so different?" Vincent thought highly of Joseph because he had an outstanding capability and could lead the Smith Group to a bright future. However, he was stubborn and did not listen to other''s advice, which really annoyed Vincent. Samuel on the other hand was obedient but not as highly skilled at Joseph. Vincent called him home just to make sure that Joseph knew others could replace him as heir to Smith Group.


    Vincent wanted to force Joseph to obey him by using Samuel, but Joseph still insisted on not listening to others. He could not restrain his anger any longer, "If you still insist, I will consider changing the successor of Smith Group."


    Most people would be upset if they were threatened with being removed as the successor of a business, but Joseph wasn''t. He smiled, "You only brought Samuel back to threaten me, correct?"


    "Since you know that, why are you still opposing me?"


    In fact, Vincent did not actually plan to replace Joseph with Samuel. Even since Joseph had taken over the management, the overall power of the company reached its highest level. It not only increased Smith''s reputation in the business field, but the company itself grew very quickly. Vincent was sure it would only become better and better under Joseph''s management. If Samuel was to take over, everything would be different and it was not something Vincent even wanted to think about.


    The conversation between Joseph and Vincent was making Samuel uncomfortable. Although he knew that Vincent was only using him, he was still hurt that he would admit to it in front of him. However, he could not say or do anything, even his father could not voice his opinion. Thinking of his father''s low status, Samuel''s anger toward Joseph increase. He stared at Joseph wide eyed.


    "I''m a grandson of the Smith family, not your puppet. I have my own thoughts and ideas. If you wanted a puppet to be the successor, then you better remove me as soon as possible so that you cannot be irritated by me," Joseph didn''t want to be threatened, so he stated exactly what he thought.

 Chapter 56 Kiss Her Suddenly

    "You¡­" Vincent was furious. He felt a sudden ache, then grasped his chest and wrinkled his eyebrow in pain.


    Samuel ran to his side and asked nervously, "What is wrong, Grandpa?"


    Joseph thought Vincent was just trying to scare him, so he got up and walked out as if nothing happened.


    "How dare you!" Vincent felt a severe heartache. He pointed at his bag and said in a broken voice to Samuel, "Pills¡­ Pills¡­ Get them to me."


    Samuel fetched his pills out of his briefcase and hurried to get him a glass of water. He also thought that Vincent was acting, so when he asked for pills, Samuel was surprised.


    "Don''t be so angry, Grandpa. Joseph didn''t mean it, he is actually very responsible. He will not destroy Smith Group."


    "Don''t mention him right now. My heart¡­ cannot stand¡­" Vincent stammered with hands covering his chest.


    "Don''t worry, I am here now. I will try my best to ensure it succeeds," Samuel bragged, taking the opportunity to show off.


    Vincent patted his shoulder and smiled, but he was thinking about Joseph the entire time. Joseph was the only he thought had the ability to develop Smith Group further.


    **


    At the Smith mansion later in the afternoon, Cassie panicked when she saw her father being supported by Samuel.


    "What is wrong, Dad?" She asked, rushing to his side.


    "Call the family doctor!" She ordered the maid.


    "Your son. He irritated me!" Vincent shouted, and held his chest.


    "Joseph?" Cassie could not believe it.


    Samuel told her, "Auntie, Joseph bickered with Grandpa just now. He said he did not want to inherit Smith Group. It made Grandpa very angry and¡­"


    "How can that be? Joseph is very responsible and is committed to¡­"


    "ENOUGH! If you don''t want me to be so angry that I die, then don''t mention your son!" Vincent laid back on the sofa and closed his eyes.


    Cassie dared not to say anything, but immediately went to her room to call Joseph but he did not answer. She decided to call Kate.


    Kate was still at work when she saw that Cassie was calling. She got up from her desk and went to the washroom before saying, "Hi, Mom!"


    "Kate, can you go to Smith Group and see Joseph?" Cassie asked nervously.


    Kate did not understand why, so she asked, "What happened, Mom?"


    "Joseph irritated his grandpa, and now his grandpa is very angry. I have called him, but he is not answering. I fear that he might make the wrong decision out of pure impulse. You have to see him, I cannot leave right now," Cassie blurted out. She didn''t want to waste any time, fearing that Joseph might walk away as the heir of Smith Group.


    To ease Cassie''s mind, Kate agreed, "Okay, I will leave to go there right now."


    Less than half an hour later, Kate arrived at Joseph''s office. Before she walked in, she took a deep breath. It felt like one of the greatest things she ever had to face and it put a lot of pressure on her.


    Even though she assumed Joseph wouldn''t answer, Kate knocked on the door to his office. When he didn''t answer, she opened the door slightly and saw him standing in front of the window, deep in thought. It took all of Kate''s courage to walk in and clear her throat so that Joseph would notice she was there.


    Joseph turned around, when he saw Kate, he frowned. She was embarrassed to be there, after all, they had argued and slept in different rooms but then she was there looking for him.


    She rushed to explain, "Don''t misunderstand why I am here. I am here because I was asked to be. I am not here looking for you on my own."


    Joseph already knew who sent her here. He cast a glance at her and said coldly, "I didn''t give you permission to come in."


    "I knocked and the door was not locked. I didn''t hear you reply, so¡­" Kate tried to defend her actions.


    "Go away before I lose my temper!" He warned coldly.


    "Lose your temper? If your mother did not beg me to come, I would not be here," Kate shouted angrily.


    "You have seen me! I am alive so you can go tell her that," He said with a disgusted tone.


    This man is cold, arrogant, and irritable. He is seldom gentle. Why was I in love with him before? It is a true mystery. Kate thought to herself.


    "Go away!" He demanded harshly.


    Kate replied with a calm tone, "Mom is worried about you. She wanted me to come over to check on you and make sure that you would not do anything crazy."


    "Check on me?" Joseph approached her, and she stepped back.


    She stared at him and said, "Joseph, if you dare hurt me, your mother will not forgive you!"


    "You are threatening me with my mother again," Joseph forced her into a corner, then grabbed her hands, holding them over her head against the wall. He whispered in her ear, "Do you think you can manage it?"


    Kate knew she sticks up for herself, but she suddenly felt her face flush and her heart beat faster.


    "Joseph, I know you are a family man. You took over Smith Group to help your father develop the company and you have done an excellent job. Smith Group prospers and has a secure status in the business field. So, you cannot¡­"


    Kate wanted to persuade him not to give up managing Smith Group, but next second, her mouth was sealed with Joseph''s lips.

 Chapter 57 You Have Such Bad Kissing Skills

    The kiss seemed to last forever; Kate swore it was at least five minutes because when Joseph pulled away, she felt short of breath. He let go of her hands and smiled, "You seemed to be enjoying that a lot!"


    Kate thought he was acting ridiculous, but she was blushing, so he knew he was right.


    ¡°You have such bad kissing skills, do you really think I would enjoy it?¡± She scoffed.


    ¡°BAD SKILLS?¡± These two words echoed in his mind over and over. He began to wonder if Kate doubted his sexual abilities. Joseph lifted her head with his finger and carefully examined her lips as if he was replaying the passionate kiss between them.


    Kate turned away to avoid another kiss and told him, ¡°Don¡¯t force me to acknowledge your kissing skills. Your rude invasion of my lips will never be appreciated like that.¡±


    During the past two years, he has been forcing me to have sex in this rude manner. He only took me as something to take out his lust and anger; there is no respect. I accepted it before because he threatened my grandma. But, now she is gone, so I do not need to bear his insults. Kate confirmed in her head.


    After the kiss, his anger toward Vincent disappeared, and he shifted his focus to Kate. Deep down inside, Joseph enjoyed bickering with her.


    He scoffed, ¡°Really? But I remember that you enjoyed my kiss many times, a lot actually and you even responded to it, warmly I would say. Your actions say more than your words. However, if you think your words are convincing enough, I will not argue.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Kate suddenly felt hot, shy, and embarrassed all at once. Her mind flashed back to when they made passionate love. To stop herself from thinking about it, she pinched her arm, hoping that the physical pain would bring her mind back to reality.


    Seeing Kate blush, Joseph said smugly, ¡°Am I right?¡±


    Kate didn''t know what to say; she looked into his eyes and saw they were filled with kindness.


    Was it just an act? How could he be so kind and gentle toward me? Kate could not believe what she saw.


    ¡°You did not sleep with me last night because you wanted me to remember that we have not made love for quite a while. Am I right again?" Joseph scoffed, and an evil smile grew on his lips.


    Kate was too shy to say anything, but Joseph still continued to make sexual comments, making her feel uncomfortable.


    I came here to check on him and make sure there was nothing wrong, so why are we talking about sex? Kate pondered.


    ¡°You are so expressive before, why aren¡¯t you speaking now?¡± Joseph felt as if he was being ignored since Kate wasn¡¯t responding.


    ¡°You didn''t understand me. I want you to stay here with me," Joseph replied, then grabbed her wrist and smiled again, "Do you think you can leave so easily?"


    Kate tried to shake his hand lose but couldn''t get away. She stared into his eyes, "You asked me to go away so I am going. Let go of me!"


    ¡°No! Sit on the sofa and stay with me. If you are here, you won''t need to worry about me."


    ¡°Your mother was worried, not I.¡± Kate corrected him.


    ¡°You hated me last night, so why did you come here to check on me?" Joseph questioned.


    As soon as Kate heard him say last night, the rage in her heart was triggered again, ¡°You killed my grandma! I do hate you!¡±


    Her eyes turned red with tears swelling up inside, but Kate was determined not to cry in front of Joseph.


    Joseph''s heart felt as if it was breaking. He lifted her head again to look into her eyes, and calmly told her, "I know I threatened your grandma, a lot. It was only words though, I never thought about actually harming her, no matter how many times I threatened you."


    Kate knew he did not like explaining anything to anyone, so she was shocked when he told her his thoughts.


    ¡°How can I believe you?¡± Kate did not know if she could trust him since he had threatened her so many times.


    Hearing Kate questioning his honesty made Joseph feel both nervous and disappointed. He explained further, "I also believe it is strange that she passed away so suddenly. Your grandma was stable; I never thought she would die this soon. I asked her doctors to confirm that she was not murdered and could not find any evidence. I believe them, and so should you!"


    "Don''t defend yourself. You killed my grandma!" She barked, the same as when he accused her of murdering Anna.


    Joseph knew she would not believe him whatever he said, so he paused for a long while then snarled, ¡°You can leave now!¡±


    However, Kate did not leave as he had ordered; she continued to sit quietly on the sofa while Joseph worked at his desk. He wasn''t sure how long he had been working, but when he looked up, he saw that Kate was asleep. He put down the documents he had in his hand, walked toward Kate, and picked her up. He was going to lay her down on the bed in a room that was attached to his office; it was there in case he had to work long hours.


    Kate snuggled into his chest as he carried her. He immediately felt excited; he had to control himself from not kissing her. Joseph knew it was inappropriate to be intimate at work. He gently put her down and was stunned at how beautiful she looked. Though he continued to bicker with her, his hatred toward her was disappearing, and he was beginning to find her cute and adorable. As he kept watching her, he subconsciously bent down to kiss her, and just as his lips were about to touch Kate¡¯s, her eyes flew open.


    When Kate saw what he was about to do, she screamed so loud that Joseph jumped back.


    ¡°What are you doing? Why did I fall asleep?¡±


    Joseph caught his breath and laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe you are like a dog and can sleep anywhere?!?¡±

 Chapter 58 Not Remember This Restauran

    Kate knew she mentioned Anna out of jealousy, but sometimes she did it just to be mean.


    ¡°Please watch what you are saying,¡± Joseph said with a frown.


    Not my beloved Anna. I don¡¯t love her anymore. Joseph thought to himself, while he did not speak out.


    ¡°Are you angry?¡± Kate asked him, even though Anna was not nearly as lovely as a dog in her mind.


    ¡°Get up! Go home!¡± He did not want to bicker with her and stopped the conversation with a cold tone.


    Kate felt much better after her nap, but her stomach was rumbling. She rubbed her belly and looked at the time.


    It was not the time for dinner, why am I so hungry? Kate thought to herself.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Joseph stopped to ask when he saw her rubbing her belly.


    Kate shook head in embarrassment and said, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. There must be something wrong,¡± Joseph looked at her, ¡°Tell me!¡±


    Kate snapped, ¡°I am just hungry!¡±


    But I ate a lot for lunch!


    Realizing she had been eating more and more recently, Kate suddenly froze. She looked at Joseph and saw he was looking back at her.


    Did he find something, or did he read my mind? Unknowingly, her heart pounded.


    Joseph gently took her hand and led her out of the office. Once in the car, they drove to a beautifully decorated restaurant. Kate was thrilled when she saw the menu.


    Joseph sat down her, saying, ¡°Order whatever you like!¡±


    ¡°Your treat!¡± She said in a hurry.


    He did not answer her but just looked at her and smiled.


    ¡°I have a question, how do you know I like this restaurant?¡± She asked but suddenly covered her mouth with hands because she realized she should not ask him.


    The restaurant was trendy in Aubi City. They served many types of dishes to cater to different kinds of customers. Over the years, the restaurant expanded in size and menu options to attract more people.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Joseph looked at her and asked seriously.


    Kate lowered her head, thinking about it but could not come up with an answer. She said, "I really don''t remember. We never had any meal on our own, so I really don''t know."


    "Okay, forget about it!" He replied to her sounding a little annoyed.


    In one of Kate''s letters, she recommended the restaurant to Joseph. She said that there was a dish so spicy that it could make you cry and that she would go to eat it when she was in a bad mood. That way, both her stomach would be satisfied, and she would emotionally feel better.


    ¡°Have you ever had this dish before?¡± Kate asked him, pointing to the one she would order.


    Joseph looked; it was the one she recommended. He thought she knew what he was referring to, so he answered, "Of course, I remember it."


    She wanted to recommend the dish to him because she wanted to fool him. She knew there was no way he could eat spicy food, especially the extremely hot ones.


    She forgot those letters she wrote to me. Was it because she wrote too many letters to me? Or she thought she wrote about the restaurant to Rowen? While Joseph thought about it, he began to feel a little uneasy.


    ¡°Yes, I have,¡± He lied to her because he did not want to be embarrassed in front of her.


    ¡°Really?¡± Kate was surprised.


    Since, when does he like spicy food? Is he just lying to me, so he doesn''t look weak? Kate thought to herself.


    She read his mind, so she said, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! You know, there is nothing wrong with not eating spicy food. Plus, you are a public figure, and you need to pay attention to your image. If you eat that, your face will break out. This will affect your image and disappoint all of your admirers.¡±


    Instead of replying, he cast an angry glance at her. Joseph knew Kate wanted to make fun of him. He waved to the waiter and said, ¡°I want this dish!¡±


    "Oh, no! It is really hot and will set your mouth on fire. I don¡¯t advise you to start with that,¡± Kate tried to persuade him.


    Joseph looked at her and said, ¡°I know that you want to make fun of me, and I will give you the opportunity. Just cherish the chance because I will seldom do it.¡±


    "Okay, let''s see how you feel after. Don¡¯t blame me if you cannot handle it. After all, I tried to stop you,¡± Kate giggled.


    While waiting for their meals, Joseph looked at her and asked, ¡°How do you know my intention for taking over the Smith Group? My mother told you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kate shook her head and looked out the window, ¡°I heard of it from someone before.¡±


    She always asked others about him, from the moment she saw him. She fell in love with him and did not care if the information was accurate or not. She just wanted to know more about him and get closer to him. Once they got married, everything thought that they were close, only they themselves knew how great the distance actually was.


    If Kate were able to go back in time, she would rather have loved him from afar than confess to him. Perhaps then she would still admire him, as she had when they first met.


    ¡°Before? When?¡± The first time Joseph heard Kate liked him, he regarded her as a weak girl, never facing up to her love. However, knowing that she was the one who had given him the encouragement to get through the darkest of days, he enjoyed the idea of getting to know her. Unfortunately, Kate didn''t want to tell him very much.


    ¡°The spicy meal you ordered is here. Please enjoy yourself," Kate laughed, handing him a fork and knife.


    Joseph took the silverware from her and took a large mouthful. He chewed it slowly, staring into eyes as if he was eating a sweet dessert.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it hot?¡± Kate asked when she didn¡¯t seem Joseph react at all. She could smell the spices when the waiter brought it to the table.


    ¡°Pretty good!¡± He said in a triumphant tone.


    ¡°You must have told the waiter not to make it too hot or to use some other ingredients to cover the heat.¡±


    Kate realized she had no way to tease him.

 Chapter 59 Walk Home

    Kate wondered how he didn''t find it spicy, or if maybe he was just good at hiding his reaction. She reached over and took a bite off Joseph''s plate; it was so spicy that she began coughing.


    Joseph thoughtfully handed her a glass of water, "You believe me now?"


    Quickly, Kate drank the entire glass and wiped her watering eyes, "How can you eat that without being affected?"


    "Aren''t you always calling me an iceberg? That''s probably why," He mocked himself.


    In fact, it was so spicy that he had tears the first time he tried the meal. It took him many attempts to keep a straight face.


    Kate shook her head, expressing her incomprehension, "Since we have the ability to react, then why should we limit ourselves? It could relieve a lot of stress."


    She found that, even though she was probably watching him put on a show, she still wanted to care about him.


    Since Kate brought it up, Joseph couldn''t help but ask, "So, do you remember that you told me in the letters that you would come here to eat abnormally spicy food when you were unhappy?"


    Her heart missed a beat, and she stared at him in amazement. Kate remembered, but she never thought that Joseph would. She had completely underestimated his subtleness, and with his simple words, her heart was open to him. Kate felt defenseless and started to think about the past.


    "So, you have tried it before?" She inquired as she thought of how he ordered Amy not to make spicy meals. Kate laughed, "You don''t allow Amy to cook with chili powder just because I like spicy food! You can actually eat it! It was just a game for you!"


    Joseph didn''t deny the accusations; he felt terrible, "I will allow you to eat spicy food from now on."


    Allow me? Kate thought as her heart sank. She quietly replied, "No, I am used to our current meals. It would be such a dramatic change."


    He hoped she would be happy, but she wasn''t, which left Joseph feeling down. The sudden silence made the atmosphere even more awkward.


    Startling both of them, Kate''s phone rang, breaking the silence.


    Kate looked and saw that it was Cassie; she suddenly remembered she never called her. She was about to decline the call, but Joseph said, "If it is Mom, you can answer it."


    "Uh ...Fine." She picked up the phone and said embarrassedly, "Mom, I''m sorry..."


    "Kate, is Joseph, alright?" Cassie was still worried, "I could not get through, and you didn''t answer your phone. The servant at the house told me neither of you were home¡­"


    "Mom, don''t worry. Joseph is fine, he..."


    Before Kate finished, Joseph took the phone from her, "She is with me. There really is no need to worry!"


    "Here!" Joseph hung up and handed the phone back to Kate.


    Kate nervously asked, "Mom''s not mad, is she?"


    "Are you not worried about my anger?" Joseph replied. He couldn''t believe that she was on his mother''s side against him.


    "It is pointless if I am afraid that you are angry. You are usually angry at me all of the time," Kate mumbled.


    There was another long period of silence before Joseph asked, "Am I a monster?"


    "Well? I want to know!" He demanded when Kate didn''t immediately answer.


    Kate was confused; she asked, "Have you come to your senses?"


    He didn''t want to admit it and gave an irrelevant answer, "Let''s go home!"


    "But I''m not full yet..." She was too busy making fun of him and didn''t eat all of her meal.


    Embarrassment took over Joseph, and he was extremely uncomfortable, "Just eat then."


    Kate was focused on her plate and didn''t notice the change in Joseph as he looked at her. His eyes glimmered with affection as he watched the beautiful woman across from him.


    "Why aren''t you eating?" Kate looked up, feeling slightly self-conscious, "Or are you scared by the way I eat?"


    "No," Joseph stopped staring at her and began to eat.


    Once they left the restaurant, Kate felt sick. She suddenly said, "I ate too fast, and now my stomach isn''t feeling well¡­"


    "Are you alright?" Joseph sounded concerned.


    "Uh, it''s nothing," Kate covered her mouth and wondered if he was actually worried.


    "Stay here; I will get the car."


    "Okay," Kate whispered and watched him walk away. She felt as if it was a dream, like the married life she dreamt of. They had a wonderful dinner together, and then Joseph went to get the car to take her home, Kate smiled at the thought.


    However, then she remembered, his heart was not with her.


    Joseph picked her up, and they began driving. Kate knew she probably just ate too much, but her stomach was churning. She put one hand on her belly and the other to her mouth, then asked, "Can we pull over for a minute?"


    Joseph glanced at her and saw the fear on her face. He frowned and asked nervously as he pulled to the side of the road, "What is wrong?"


    As soon as the car came to a stop, Kate opened the door and began to vomit.


    Immediately jumping out of the car, Joseph ran to the passenger side of the vehicle, handed Kate a tissue and bottle of water, and then rubbed her back, "Are you okay?"


    Kate took a drink of water and slurred, "Thank you."


    "Feeling better?" Joseph still frowned, "If you feel too bad to be in the car, we can walk home."


    "Walk?" She felt much better after throwing up, but was still dizzy and didn''t want to ride in the car.


    "I''m afraid you''ll be sick in the car," He helped her up and pointed in the direction of their home, "It is only about a ten-minute walk, at most."


    "I can walk on my own," Kate said, not wanting to bother him.


    Joseph glared at her, and his tone turned serious, "Do you think I would leave you alone to walk in the dark?"


    Kate blushed, she used to hate saying he was bossy, but it was nice when he sounded like he cared about her, "But¡­ what about the car?"

 Chapter 60 Kates Provocation

    Kate was surprised when he touched her; she looked up at his handsome face as her heart pounded.


    "Are you cold?" Joseph pulled her closer.


    "No," Kate snapped. She didn''t mean to, but she was confused, plus it was a hot evening. If she was honest with herself, she felt hot because of her pounding heart and having Joseph so close to her.


    "Still uncomfortable?" He kept asking.


    Kate noticed that he seemed to be asking her a lot of questions, most of which were concerning her. She didn''t know if she was just misunderstanding or if he was different from his usual demeanor.


    "Come on," Suddenly, Joseph jumped out in front of her and bent down, "I will carry you."


    "Carry me?" Kate gave him a skeptical look, stunned.


    "Hurry up!" He urged impatiently.


    With that, Kate Smith climbed onto his back, and in a daze, wrapped her arms around his neck. She hoped he couldn''t feel how fast her heart was beating.


    All of the previous intimate moments felt as if they were nothing more than a formality, but at that moment, Kate felt it was real. She felt her body pressed against the warmth of his back; she felt safe and secure.


    "Are you tired?" After a few minutes of walking, she said, "I''m fine. I can walk on my own."


    "Don''t you want to play tricks on me? I thought it was your fun to tease me," Joseph mocked.


    "Trick?" It turns out that he is carrying me only to satisfy my desire to tease him. Kate had mixed feelings and wanted to say that she was only joking at the restaurant and didn''t mean to bully him. However, she didn''t know if it was necessary to explain, and in all honesty, no explanation could unravel the profound misunderstanding between them.


    When they arrived at the mansion, Amy was shocked to see Joseph carrying Kate on his back.


    The last time Joseph came back with her in his arms, and he was carrying her this time. I thought they didn''t have feelings for each other. When did they become so intimate? Amy asked herself.


    Furious about what she saw, Amy picked up her phone and sent a text to Anna.


    "You can put me down now..." Kate giggled. She didn''t want Joseph to carry her all of the way; it would be exhausting even if he had more energy.


    Without saying a word, Joseph carried her to the bedroom. After gently putting her down on the bed, he asked, "Still uncomfortable?"


    She was overwhelmed by the rare concern, "No ... I''m alright ..."


    Kate did feel much better, but Joseph continued to frown, "You lie down and rest. I have to deal with something."


    Joseph left to speak with Amy before going to his study.


    Amy walked in with a tray of fruit and smiled with concern, "Lady, Lord Joseph said that you had an upset stomach and asked me to prepare some fruit for you."


    "Thank you," Kate smiled; she couldn''t believe how sweet Joseph was acting.


    Amy awkwardly scratched the back of her head, glanced at her cautiously, and stared for a while before asking, "Lady, you and Lord are ..."


    Seeing her hesitate, Kate knew exactly what Amy was wondering.


    "Well, we are pretty good," Even if it weren''t good, she wouldn''t let Amy think any different. After all, Amy was on Anna''s side and concerned about any relationships Joseph had.


    The harsh reply stunned Amy for a moment.


    Seeing her dumbfounded, Kate picked up a piece of fruit and put it in her mouth, "The fruit seems so much sweeter tonight, probably because Joseph told you to prepare it."


    Amy smiled awkwardly, "Yes, Lord is very concerned about you."


    "He is, otherwise I don''t think he would have carried me all the way back home, right?" Kate knew she was acting a little childish, but she wanted to annoy Amy.


    Amy couldn''t fake a smile any longer; she snarled with jealousy, "You walked back? Lord¡­ Lord Joseph carried you back¡­"


    "Yeah, I got carsick, and Joseph was so distressed that he suggested we walk the rest of the way home. But he worried that I was too tired, so he insisted on carrying me," Kate sighed with a smile. It wasn''t intentional to annoy Amy; it was real.


    Amy could see Kate glowing; it was like a knife cutting into her heart. She couldn''t stand to be in the room with Kate any longer, "Have nice rest, Lady. I need to go back downstairs."


    "Good!" Kate smiled proudly, yet still being polite. She was aware that as soon as Amy left the room, she would report to Anna. Once she heard that Joseph carried Kate, Anna would be outraged, and there was nothing she could do.


    **


    When Anna got the text from Amy, she through her phone across the room and yelled, "Kate, you bitch!"


    Dora was still awake when she heard shouting coming from Anna''s room. She rushed to find out what was happening.


    Leo thought about following her but decided not to when he looked at his wheelchair.


    "Anna, what is going on?" Dora walked over and stopped Anna, who was just about to smash a vase, "Talk to me! Breaking things will not solve your problems. Besides, you will be scolded again by your father if he finds out you are smashing expensive ornaments."


    Anna then stopped with a tearful look, "Mom, Joseph is really in love with that bitch!"


    "You mean Kate?" Dora''s face turned red with fury, "The little bitch is nothing but competition for us!"


    Anna, thinking of Joseph''s coldness toward her, grabbed Dora''s hand and said anxiously, "Mom, help me! I can''t lose Joseph, and I definitely can''t allow that bitch to have him!"


    Dora was worried that Daisy would overhear them, "Don''t worry. I do whatever I need to, to ruin that little bitch''s happiness!"


    "But ..."


    "Don''t be so pessimistic. Everything''s going to work out," Dora couldn''t do anything at that moment, but she needed Anna to calm down.


    Back in her room, Dora vented her anger at Leo, "How can you sleep when your daughter is so upset?"

 Chapter 61 Doras Regrets

    "Your legs are okay, aren''t they?"


    "Nonsense!" Leo snapped at her angrily.


    Dora reacted, and changed the topic, "Kate''s antics have made my daughter sad again, and I have to think of a way to solve everything!"


    Up until that moment, Dora didn''t realize that she said something that she shouldn''t have. She quickly changed the subject again, "The bitch Kate upset my daughter again! I will never forgive her! I would like to teach her a lesson!"


    Leo looked at Dora and said sincerely, "Well, just forget it, Anna''s still young. It''s not a problem at all for her to find another young man. We''d better not cause any discontentment with Smith Group. You know that our company depends on¡­"


    "Shut up!" Dora roared, "I never lost to Flora! How could her daughter take my daughter''s man? I have to help her get him back!"


    When Flora was alive, Dora was nothing more than Leo''s mistress. It wasn''t until Flora passed away that she was able to live in the house. It was a struggle to get her and Anna there; she wasn''t going to lose it all because of Kate.


    "Dora, be reasonable. Kate was forced to marry Joseph two years ago¡­"


    "I know, just don''t mention it. I really, truly regret that!" Dora felt that their plan was pointless. It not only sacrificed Anna''s love but left her in the dark for two years. And, the only thing Dora gained was the control to manage White Group. The more she thought of what she had done, the more unstable she felt. She clenched her fists, "Kate, should voluntarily hand over White Group''s property sooner than later!"


    Leo knew that Dora was defiant and didn''t want to provoke her further, so he kept quiet and went to sleep.


    **It was raining the next day when Kate woke up. She rolled over when her alarm went off but didn''t feel like getting up.


    "Getting up?" Joseph asked cheerfully when he walked out of the bathroom, buttoning up his shirt.


    "Yeah ¡­" Kate answered sleepily.


    Joseph noticed that she seemed a bit uncomfortable. He walked over beside the bed and asked, "Are you feeling better today?"


    Kate was caught up in his gentle voice and, with her eyes closed, whispered, "Much better!"


    "You should try to get some more sleep, though. I will have Amy bring you something to drink," Joseph said, looking at Kate''s pale face.


    Shocked by his sudden concern, Kate looked at him with wide-open eyes, "You¡­ you¡­"


    "What am I?" Joseph said, with his cold eyes locked on hers.


    Kate blushed and clenched her pink lips tightly. She didn''t dare to say anything, so she shook her head.


    "Today''s Saturday, you can sleep a little longer," Joseph reminded her.


    Only when Kate realized that she didn''t have to go work, did she relax.


    After he put on his suit jacket, Joseph turned around to see Kate staring at him, "Do you want me to change in front of you?"


    Kate quickly pulled her blanket up over her face.


    Laughing, Joseph asked, "Is it necessary to be so shy? You have seen my body before."


    Joseph walked out of the room, but Kate didn''t hear him leave, so she continued to hide under the blanket. She slowly peeked out and sighed when she saw she was alone. She put her hand to her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart.


    The rain outside was heavy, and the sky flashed with lightning as Kate continued to lay in bed. She wondered why Joseph was wearing a suit on a Saturday, could he be going to White Group.


    Joseph walked back into the room, looking extraordinarily handsome and captivating. Kate could take her eyes off of him.


    "Since you''re so obsessed with me, why do you act so cold to me?" Joseph smiled and teased Kate.


    "Well..." Kate swiftly rolled her eyes and smirked, "Obsessed with you? I just think that your tie is nice!"


    Joseph glanced at his tie and then replied, "That is because it is me wearing it!"


    "You are so egotistical!"


    The relationship between Kate and Joseph seemed to be almost playful, without neither even putting in any effort.


    "Get a good rest. If you have any problems, just let Amy know. I will be in Triton for business the next two days," Joseph informed her.


    "A business trip?" Kate looked at him surprised, and almost asked why he didn''t tell her. However, she stopped herself when she realized that they weren''t close enough for him to tell her.


    "The new project plan discussions and field visits¡­ If things go well, I will be gone two days, if not, it will three or four," Joseph explained.


    "Yeah¡­" Kate looked at him and wanted to say something to show her concern, but she swallowed her words. She was afraid that Joseph would take it the wrong way.


    When Kate didn''t say anything else, Joseph picked up his briefcase and walked out of the bedroom.


    After lying in bed and thinking a bit longer, Kate got up and walked to the window. She sat quietly watching the rainfall; it was late in the Summer, so she knew the rainy season would soon be over and took it as a sign of a new beginning.


    **


    At Smith Group, Anna received a text from Amy. She was so excited that she immediately called her, "Joseph is really gone on a business trip to Triton?"


    "Exactly. Lord Joseph told me to take care of Kate before he left.," When Amy said Kate''s name, she emphasized her resentment.


    "How could she get the man who belonged to me? She has to pay for this!" Anna said. She clenched her fists tightly the moment she thought about what happened the night before.


    "Miss Anna, we have to think of a way to make her disappear completely; otherwise, she will become more arrogant. She has changed so much and will find fault with me when she finds out that I am helping you!"


    "She is nothing but a villain who is pushed by determination!" Anna explained, "Didn''t you mention that Alan loves her? Start with him!"


    Anna hung up with Amy and called Samuel.


    **


    Kate had no plans to leave the house when it was raining; she decided to sit in front of the fireplace and read.


    Amy took her a meal and observed her every movement. When the timing seemed perfect, Amy allowed Alan into the room. As expected, he ran right to Kate, showing her love and affection.


    Kate put her book down to pet him, "Sweetie, I explained you need to keep your distance from me? Anna is back, why aren''t you living with her? I am sure you must miss her!"


    Even though Alan belonged to Anna, Kate had got attached to him, so it was hard not to play with him.

 Chapter 62 Alan is Gone

    "Well, I guess it is okay. Don''t be sad, Sweetie. If you want me to play you, I will play with you for a while," Seeing how disappointed Alan seemed, Kate rubbed his belly.


    After about an hour, Alan suddenly became lethargic. He fell to the floor, motionless at her feet and whined.


    "Alan, what is wrong?" Kate touched his head and asked warmly, "Are you hungry?"


    Kate jumped up to get his food bowl and put it in front of him. He immediately began to eat, and Kate let out a sigh of relief, but Alan only ate a few bites before lying back down on the floor.


    Smiling, Kate thought he was playing and went over to pet him, but before she got to him, he started to whimper again. He rolled around and cried louder and louder. Kate was terrified and yelled for Amy.


    "What''s wrong, Lady Kate?" Amy looked scared when she Alan, "Lady Kate, how did this happen? Alan was okay not long ago!"


    Even though Kate was petrified, she managed to pick Alan up and run out of the room and shouted at Henry to get the car.


    On the way to the veterinarian clinic, Kate saw that Alan stopped moving and that his body was becoming rigid. She began to sob and asked Henry to confirm her worst fear.


    After touching Alan, Henry put his head down and said, "Lady, he is gone¡­"


    "NO!" Kate held Alan in her arms as tears poured down her cheeks, "No, he was just playing with me. He must just be uncomfortable. Let''s go, let''s go to the clinic..."


    Seeing that Kate was too upset to hear the truth, Henry didn''t say anything more. He drove the rest of the way to the veterinarian clinic as he was ordered.


    At the clinic, the veterinarian told Kate that Alan had already passed away, but she couldn''t accept what they were saying. She asked the doctor to check him again and to find out what happened.


    While Kate was waiting for answers, Anna walked in the door, shouting loudly.


    Before Kate could say anything, Anna rushed in, grabbed Alan in her arms, and asked furiously, "What did you do to Alan? Why¡­ Why did he die?"


    Kate looked at Alan then said sadly, "I don''t know. I don''t know why Alan would suddenly... die..."


    Although Alan was Anna''s dog, Kate had spent the last two years with him. Even when Joseph ordered her not to touch Alan, they would still play from time to time. She was distraught that he was gone; she loved the cute dog.


    "How don''t you know? I know you always wanted everything I had, just so that you can keep your position as Lady Kate!" Anna accused Kate.


    Kate felt outraged, "If I killed him on purpose, why would I wait until now?"


    "Anna, since you''re so good at making up stories, you should be an author? Or do you just feel the need to harass me?"


    "Kate, don''t try to change the topic!" Anna knew Kate was persuasive and that she would not be able to win an argument with her, yet she wasn''t giving in.


    "How are you going to pay for taking Alan''s life?" Anna asked bluntly.


    "I''ll repeat it, Alan''s death had nothing to do with me. Don''t try to frame me for it!" Kate was too upset to argue with Anna and tried to walk by her.


    Anna didn''t want the conflict to end though, she chased Kate, "You can''t just walk away and not fix this, Kate!"


    Suddenly, a group of large men appeared behind Anna. Instead of looking scared, Kate smiled and took out her phone, "Are you going to have me beat in public? If you want to be in the headlines, I can make it happen."


    "You shouldn''t threaten me!" Anna wished that she could rip Kate apart when she thought of everything she had done. Since Joseph was out of town, it was the perfect time for Kate to be taught a lesson.


    "I don''t mind being in the news. It was you who killed Alan; you need to pay for it!" Anna shouted.


    "Fine, then I¡­" Kate stammered but was hit on the head from behind before she could say anything more. She spun around and saw a man in a wheelchair angrily staring at her.


    "Dad, why did you ..." Kate asked. She was stunned to see that it was her father who hit her.


    Anna was quite delighted to see the shocked expression on Kate''s face when she was hit. She smirked and laughed, "Don''t be so arrogant, Kate! Someone needs to teach you a lesson."


    Walking toward Leo, Anna asked, "Dad, why are you here? Do you have work nearby?"


    "Shut up!" Leo yelled angrily, "You two are shameful! You shouldn''t be quarreling in the street!"


    Anna assumed that Leo was only pretending to be angry with her, so she didn''t take him seriously. Lowering her head, she sobbed, "I am so sorry, Dad. I was upset when I found out Kate killed Alan. I just couldn''t control my emotions, so I¡­"


    "He was a pet! There is no reason to fight and argue!" Leo snapped.


    Anna stomped her feet, angrily, "Dad, how can you say that? He was my dog for many years. Joseph took care of him after the accident, and I was going to bring him home until someone killed him!"


    "You need to let it go, Anna. If you play games after this, I will teach you a lesson as well!" Leo demanded and waved his hand for his guard to wheel him away.


    "Dad..." Anna shouted, pretending to be persecuted until she saw Leo was out of sight.


    The pain in Kate''s leg began to throb, but the pain in her heart was worse. Her father hadn''t beaten her since she was young. If she got bad marks in school, Flora would beat her, but it was always her father who would stop it. He used to say she was too young to be hit; he was such a kind-hearted and good-natured husband and father then. However, when Dora and Anna moved in, he changed a lot, Leo was sterner and much colder.


    "Kate, don''t think that this is over. After I bury Alan, I will be coming after you!" Anna shouted then motioned for one of the large men to pick up Alan''s body.

 Chapter 63 You Killed Alan

    Kate nodded her head and got in the car.


    When they pulled into the driveway, Amy ran out to ask, "Lady Kate, where is Alan? Is he still at the clinic?"


    Kate stared at her and did not speak for a long time.


    Amy felt a little uncomfortable and guilty, she questioned, "Lady Kate, what is wrong with you?"


    "You should know what is wrong with me!" Kate thought that Alan''s death was too sudden and that Amy had to be involved.


    "What¡­What do you mean?" Amy felt very nervous. She clenched her fists and stepped back in fear.


    "Joseph is not here. You don''t need to put on an act," Kate did not stop interrogating her, "You called Anna, right?"


    "I¡­I just care about Alan. I thought since Alan was Anna''s dog, she should know he was ill. Otherwise, she would have blamed us¡­" Amy was not sure what Anna said, so she tried to cover her tracks.


    "As you wished, Alan is gone!" Kate shouted. She realized on the way home that Amy and Anna were probably trying to frame her. If they were indeed evil enough to murder Alan, they were more vindictive than she initially believed.


    "Alan is gone?" Amy looked at Kate and said with uncertainty, "You mean¡­ you mean he is dead?"


    "Don''t put on a show, Amy. You are not a professional actress!" Kate smirked and sat down on the sofa. She was not about to let Amy walk away without questioning her further, "You called Anna just so that she would cause trouble for me at the veterinarian clinic, right? Alan was not dead when I left here with him. If you only informed her I was taking him in, why did she have so many people with her? Your objective is quite obvious."


    "I¡­I just told her that Alan went to the clinic¡­" Amy stuttered nervously. She knew that there was no way she could admit what really happened without losing her job. She was a maid at the Smith mansion so that she could be near Joseph every day. He was everything to her; she didn''t know how she would live without being near him.


    "I don''t care. You and Anna both like to play innocent and will always try to turn it around on me," Kate lost all patience when she warned Amy, "But I promise you both, I will find out the truth!"


    Kate was not willing to be bullied by anyone, especially her sister and the maid.


    "Lady Kate, you cannot convict me of killing Alan without evidence. I only called Anna and told her that Alan was sick. I do not know what happened between you and her. It is none of my business¡­" Amy sobbed.


    Ignoring Amy''s cries, Kate got up, then walked to her bedroom and slammed the door.


    After Amy heard the door shut, she wiped her fake tears away, then cursed to herself, "You forced me to turn against you, Kate!"


    **


    In Triton, John walked into Joseph''s office, "Lord, I¡­ I¡­"


    "Don''t hesitate! Just tell me!" Joseph demanded.


    "And¡­ Lady Kate killed Alan, then Mr. White slapped her in the street," John had seen the report all over the internet while Joseph was in a meeting. He was unsure if it was true, so he called Henry for confirmation before telling Joseph.


    Hearing that Alan was killed, Joseph was outraged, "Mr. Leo slapped Lady Kate¡­"


    John began to say something, but Joseph held up his hand and roared, "SHUT UP!"


    He was not in the mood to hear what John had to say, he pulled out his mobile phone and immediately called the Smith mansion.


    "Lord Joseph¡­" Ricky trembled when he heard Joseph''s voice.


    Amy was in the kitchen, but she ran out excitedly when she heard Ricky. She stood by his side, waiting for him to tell Joseph everything.


    "What has happened there?" Joseph''s cold voice frightened henry.


    He stammered, not sure how to tell his boss about the situation. At last, he managed, "Lord Joseph, Amy knows what happened. She is right by my side; I will have her tell you."


    Ricky rushed to pass the phone to Amy.


    Amy shook as she took the phone from Ricky, "Lord Joseph, this is Amy. This morning, Kate and Alan were playing¡­"


    Joseph let Amy tell him every detail without saying a word. When she was finished, she asked, "Lord Joseph, are you listening?"


    She wanted some kind of response belittling Kate, but Joseph hung up. She put the phone down, hesitantly, "Lord Joseph did not say a word. I don''t know what he is thinking¡­"


    Ricky frowned, "Lady Kate is Lord Joseph''s wife. You blamed her without knowing the truth. What if Lord Joseph is angry?"


    Amy felt a little nervous, but she quickly calmed down and said, "I am just telling the truth. Alan did indeed die in her arms."


    "It was bizarre, though. I don''t understand why Alan died so suddenly¡­" Ricky was also confused but had no evidence to support he was killed.


    When Ricky walked away, Amy sat down on the sofa, contemplating what to do next.


    After Kate got back to her bedroom, she crawled on to her bed. Her mind continued to replay the scene where Leo hit her, she would be traumatized by anyone who hit her, but it was her father; she didn''t understand. Kate gently touched the tender spot on her head and cried out with emotional and physical pain.


    Joseph was trying to call Kate, but she didn''t want to talk to anyone. However, he continued calling, so she finally answered, "Hello?"


    "Kate, you are really something! You couldn''t even be nice to the dog!" Joseph scolded.


    Facing Joseph''s accusation, Kate felt even more pain in her heart. She didn''t want to fight with him, so she replied, "If you called just to lecture me, I am sorry, but you don''t need to bother because I will not listen anyway."


    Kate had hoped since Joseph was kind to her that he might not condemn her so easily. However, she was wrong; everything remained the same; he didn''t even try to find out the truth. He still cared more about Anna and her dog.


    Not knowing what to say, Kate started laughing. She was so upset at herself for believing she might have taken Anna''s place in Joseph''s heart.

 Chapter 64 Kate Fell

    "So, you admit it?" Joseph confirmed.


    "What if I do not admit to it? You will not believe me anyway. Is there any reason for me to say anything? You just want me to agree to divorce you as soon as possible so that you can be with Anna," Kate assumed Joseph had a role in the situation as well.


    If not, why did it happen when he was on a business trip?


    Joseph restrained his anger and said coldly, "Wait for me to come home!"


    "Even when you get home, I will not admit¡­I¡­" Kate tried to defend herself, but before she could, Joseph hung up on her.


    Kate threw her phone on the bed and screamed out loud. She was frustrated at the thought that he would not listen to her. She stayed in her room the entire afternoon yelling and crying when she calmed down; she realized she was hungry and walked out of her room.


    "Lady Kate, Anna is here," Amy told her.


    Kate looked around and did not see Anna, so she assumed Amy was lying.


    "She is in Lord Joseph''s study," Amy added and watched Kate''s reaction.


    Spinning around, Kate was going to confront Anna, but she stopped suddenly. She knew that no matter what she did, she would be Joseph''s wife, but he would always love Anna, and though she was not allowed in his study, Anna was. Feeling discouraged, Kate started to walk back toward the stairs, but Anna shouted behind her, "Kate, you are responsible for killing my dog!"


    Anna strutted down the hallway as if she owned the house.


    "You have no reason for being here," Kate said coldly.


    "You dare to kick me out?" Anna laughed and stared fiercely at Kate, "You should remember that I am supposed to be Joseph''s wife, not you. He has never loved you."


    Kate didn''t argue with her because she knew Anna was right.


    Seeing Kate speechless, Anna laughed even louder, "Even if you don''t agree to divorce Joseph, he will abandon you one day, just like your father did to your mother. One day I will be Joseph''s wife, and even have his child."


    Anna said mean and hateful things just to upset Kate, but it still hurt. What she had said would likely happy, but Kate could not show her weakness.


    Kate did not care that what she said about her relationship with Joseph, but she was outraged when she heard Anna speak badly of her mother, "Pardon?"


    "I''m just telling the truth. Even if you ask me thousands of times, I will repeat the exact same thing. Didn''t your mother ever teach you that if a man does not like you, no matter what you do, it will be hopeless? You better divorce Joseph as soon as possible, or else you will lose miserably."


    Anna knew that Kate was irritated by her mentioning Flora, so she continued to antagonize her.


    "Are you okay, Amy?" Anna tried to help Amy but stared at Kate, "You want to fight with me? Okay, anytime!"


    The two women then began to slap each other. Anna yelled, but Kate was quiet, only defending herself against Anna''s attack.


    Amy stood by watching; she hoped Anna would win. Ricky pretended not to see anything; he did not want to be involved; he just wanted Joseph to be happy.


    "Ouch!!!" Kate suddenly screamed out. Anna was startled and stopped with her fist over Kate, who was lying on the ground, sweating.


    Anna looked down at her, laughing, "You think you feel pain? I am sure you hit me harder, now it''s payback!"


    She pulled Kate''s hair with all her strength, but Kate didn''t reach to stop her, she grabbed her stomach and cried, "My belly¡­ the cramps¡­ it is aching¡­ leave me alone!"


    "No way!" Anna acted as if she was going to help Kate, but then she said, "Where does it hurt? Let me help you¡­"


    Then she punched Kate''s lower stomach multiple times.


    Kate was in so much pain; she felt as if she was going to pass out. She continued to cry and scream in pain as Anna hit her over and over.


    It wasn''t until Amy screamed and pointed at Kate''s legs that Anna stopped, "Lady Anna, Kate¡­ Kate¡­ Kate is bleeding!"


    Anna looked at Kate''s pants; they were covered in blood. She stammered, "Why is she bleeding? I only hit her in the stomach. Is she¡­ pregnant?"


    "There is no time to guess whether or not she is pregnant. We have to get her to the hospital right away. If she dies, we will be in trouble," Amy advised.


    "No, I want her to die. I will not save her," Anna cackled, looking at the blood.


    Amy looked at Anna, realizing how horrible she was made he tremble.


    "But¡­But Lady Anna, if something happens to her, Lord Joseph will punish us. And, since he has been so kind to her lately, I am afraid¡­" Amy stuttered.


    Amy''s plea made the situation even worse. Anna snapped with jealousy, "It is because Joseph changed his attitude toward her that I want her to die!"


    "But¡­" Amy did not know how to persuade Anna, so she was thankful when Ricky walked in and said, "Lady Anna, Lady Kate is your sister. How can you not save her and let her die?"


    Ricky walked out to call an ambulance.


    "You are really a kind person," Anna scoffed at him, "If Joseph asks you what happened, how will you answer? Will you say I did it? You are so ungrateful. Don''t forget you get a lot of benefits because of me."

 Chapter 65 Kate was Pregnan

    "Make sure you watch yourself!" Anna yelled and pointed her finger in Ricky''s face then she turned back to look at Kate, "You will lose your baby by the time the ambulance arrives. Don''t count on keeping Joseph because you are pregnant! Stop dreaming!"


    Anna was both happy but fearful; she didn''t know how to tell Joseph or how he would punish her if he found out the truth.


    After Kate was taken away in the ambulance, Anna called Samuel to see her at the hospital. Anna reminded him, "If you act properly, you will win her heart, and finally, she will be yours."


    Though Anna seemed calm about the situation, Amy was still terrified, "Lady Anna, if Lady¡­ if Kate tells Lord Joseph what happened, we are destined to die!"


    "Don''t worry. I have a way to take care of it," Anna chuckled.


    Amy felt uneasy; she thought Anna might use her as a scapegoat. She vowed to find a way to protect herself.


    **


    Outside the door of the emergency room, Samuel paced back and forth as he prayed for Kate. Each time the door swung open, he looked to see if he could catch a glimpse of her.


    "Samuel!" Joseph hurried down the hall toward the emergency room. He was angry to see that Samuel was there; he punched him in the face.


    "Joseph!" Anna hugged Joseph from behind and cried, "Kate is still in surgery. Calm down and wait for her to wake up."


    When Joseph didn''t immediately push her away, Anna tightened her arms around him. She was enjoying the warmth of his body when she heard, "You tramp! How dare you hug a married man, especially when his wife is hurt?"


    Cassie was infuriated when she saw Anna hanging onto Joseph.


    Anna was frightened of Cassie, but she didn''t want to let Joseph go, "Don''t misunderstand my actions. Joseph was upset; I was just¡­"


    "Shut up!" Cassie glared at her, "I feel sick at the very sound of your voice."


    Standing silently, Anna lowered her head. In the past, when Cassie scolded her, Joseph defended her, but he did not say anything either.


    "Joseph, what happened? How did Kate fall?" Cassie was trying to reach Kate, but when she didn''t answer her phone, she called the mansion, and Ricky said she was on her way to the hospital. Cassie immediately had her driver take her to be with Kate.


    Joseph didn''t know anything more than that she fell down the stairs and was bleeding. When he asked Amy, she sobbed and stammered incoherently. He didn''t have the patience to deal with her, so he rushed to the hospital from Triton, worried about Kate the entire way.


    Three hours had passed, but the door to the emergency room did not open. Everyone waiting was anxious; except Anna, she still hoped that Kate would die.


    When the door finally opened, both Joseph and Samuel ran to the doctor.


    "The mother is out of danger now, but¡­"


    "But what?" Joseph demanded, until that moment, he didn''t realize how much he cared about Kate.


    "The mother was weak and coupled with the external impact; she lost a lot of blood. I am sorry, but the baby didn''t make it."


    "What?" Cassie almost fainted, "Kate was pregnant? Why didn''t she tell me?"


    Joseph turned pale; he didn''t know what to say. He lowered his head and clenched his fists tight. He was distraught before, but now he felt unbelievably guilty.


    Anna was leaning against the wall, she was acting upset, but she was relieved. She only planned to injure Kate; she did not expect it to have such a huge impact. She never thought that Kate might be pregnant and that she would cause her to have a miscarriage. Anna was elated.


    Samuel glimpsed at Anna. Seeing her relatively composed, he said, "Kate is very weak now. We need to take good care of her."


    "Get out!" Cassie shouted at him. She was upset at the thought of Kate losing her baby, and that her grandchild didn''t make it, "This is none of your business!"


    "Aunt, you¡­"


    "Get out!" Cassie cried as tears streamed down her face.


    Samuel had no choice but to leave, but before he did, he warned Joseph, "If you hurt Kate ever again, I will punish you!"


    Joseph was now thinking about what he said to Kate on the phone. He felt it had to be his fault; he must have upset her so badly that she fell down the stairs.


    When the waiting room quieted down, the doctor told Joseph and Cassie that Kate was in her own room. However, she was still weak and pale.


    "Oh, Joseph! Why didn''t she tell me?" Cassie sobbed, "It was because of you. You love Anna and Kate was sad about that. She didn''t dare tell you about the pregnancy because she was afraid you would force her to have an abortion. Kate is a good girl, but refuse to see it and still insist on divorcing her¡­"


    Cassie was so overwhelmed that she passed out. Joseph quickly called a nurse to help, and when she was stable, he went to visit Kate.


    Seeing her lying on the bed, Joseph felt as if a knife were piercing his heart.  He was filled with guilt and wondered if his mother was right.


    Was Kate afraid that I was going to be upset about the pregnancy? Is that why she didn''t tell me? Did she think I would make her have an abortion? No wonder her appetite increased, and she was sick that night. Plus, she was always tired¡­ There were so many signs, but I just didn''t see them.


    Joseph was regretting losing his temper on the phone with her.

 Chapter 66 Nobody Knew

    Kate was happy to see he was there for her, but then she remembered he reprimanded her on the phone. She turned her head in the other direction so that she didn''t have to see him.


    Since you do not believe me, why are you here? It is just to compensate for what Anna has done? Kate thought to herself.


    Suddenly, Kate remembered how Anna pulled her hair and punched her in the stomach. The fury began to flow through her body.


    "Thank God! You are awake!" Joseph cheered with sleepy eyes.


    Kate didn''t acknowledge him; she just looked out the window.


    "Are you in pain?" Joseph asked.


    Kate still did not answer.


    Receiving no response, Joseph said gently, "You can keep silent if you don''t want to talk to me, but I will still be here with you."


    No matter how gentle he was, she still did not want to say anything. His attitude on the phone explained everything. Even if it was a careless reaction, he needed to learn the consequences of what he said. Joseph always believed Anna, not her; she had believed him when he said she could tell him anything.


    Kate''s nurse gave her more medication, and before long, she was asleep again. Joseph gently stroked her face and looked at her stomach, thinking of the life that had been inside. He thought he was going to be a father, but he could only mourn for the child he would never know.


    "Kate!" Lisa pushed open the door and ran to her bedside.


    "Shhh!" Joseph placed his index finger on his lips in a hurry to signal Lisa to keep her voice down.


    Lisa covered her mouth immediately. She saw how weak and pale Kate looked; she whispered, "Is she okay? Why does she look so sick?"


    Joseph signaled that they should talk out in the hall. Lisa had been trying to reach Kate, but she didn''t answer, Lisa called Joseph, who explained Kate was in the hospital.


    "Joseph, Kate is very healthy; she only lost some blood. Why does she look so weak?"


    Joseph lowered his head and said, "She is not sick. She accidentally fell and had a miscarriage."


    "What?" Lisa shouted out of shock, then brought her hand you to her mouth. She whispered, "You mean, Kate was pregnant?"


    "You didn''t know?" Joseph was confused.


    "I didn''t know," Lisa shook her head. After a moment, she questioned him, "You didn''t know? You are her husband, isn''t that something you should realize?"


    Joseph thought Kate just kept it from him on purpose before. He never expected that she even kept it from her good friend.


    She choked, "But now, in less than two months, she lost her grandmother and now her baby. She was eager to divorce you, but your mother begged her to wait. She agreed because of your mother''s kindness and the fact that she does love you. Except now, she has nothing, no grandma, no baby, and no marriage. Joseph, you may be an excellent businessman, but you are not a good husband. You do not deserve Kate or her love."


    Lisa cried, "In my eyes, she is a very kind person. Even if she accidentally stepped on Alan''s paw, she apologized. Yet, in your eyes, she is an evil killer. You have abused her, and still, she loves you¡­"


    The upset was too much for Lisa; she was crying so hysterically that she could not speak. She wanted to say so much more, but she hoped what she said was enough for him to understand.


    "You are right. I''m not a good husband," Joseph said regretfully. He thought about how Kate regarded Alan as her own, even though he tried to keep them apart, Alan still wanted to play with her. However, he had not considered that before accusing her of hurting him. He didn''t realize how much it would have upset her.


    Lisa stared at Joseph and hemmed, "I think you might actually feel guilty. Surprise!"


    "Lisa, I hope will you not to tell Kate about the miscarriage. She is so weak, and I don''t know if she could handle the news," Joseph said.


    "You think about caring for her when she is hurt! I hope that doesn''t change. And, no, I will not tell her. As her best friend, I don''t want her to be hurt anymore," Lisa replied softly.


    "Thank you!" Joseph touched her arm with kindness.


    Lisa was shocked by his tender action; she never imagined that he would be so loving.


    He would never stoop so low as to say thank you or sorry. Yet, he is standing here, apologizing to me. Does this mean that Kate may hold a special place in his heart? Anyway, it doesn''t matter; I just hope Kate will recover soon. Lisa thought to herself.


    Later that afternoon, Kate woke up when she felt a nurse touching her hand. The first thing she saw was the nurse putting another IV into her hand; she shut her eyes out of fear.


    Joseph noticed she was scared and reached his hand out to hold hers. Feeling the warmth on her skin, Kate''s eyes flew open, but Joseph quickly turned her head to look at him so that she would not see the needle the nurse had.


    "It''s okay; just look at me," He tried comforted her, but Kate still did not want to talk to him.


    "Do you want to eat something? I can¡­" Joseph asked.


    "Get out!" Kate shouted coldly.


    "The doctor said you are weak, and you need someone to take care of you."


    "I wouldn''t want to bother you!" Kate thought he was being insincere, "I will only feel weaker if you are around."


    Kate tried to pull herself out of the hospital bed, but she had no strength.


    Joseph didn''t want to aggravate her further, so he agreed with her demand, "Okay, I will leave. You need to relax and not get upset."


    As he walked to the door, Kate turned to see him leaving. When she was alone in the quiet room, she began to sob. Her mind filled with everything that had happened; Alan dying suddenly, her father hitting her, Anna bullying her, and Joseph not believing her. The tears flowed, and she could not stop them.

 Chapter 67 Josephs Offer to Help

    Kate did not want to lose her temper on an innocent person, especially the one who loved her. She replied to Cassie in a low voice, "I''m okay, Mom."


    Cassie felt guilty that no one told her about the miscarriage, but at the same time if Kate didn''t know, she didn''t understand why she was so upset.


    "I brought you some homemade soup. It has a lot of vitamins and nutrients to help you get better. Please, have some," Cassie pleaded. She was trying to comfort Kate and herself over losing the baby. Cassie hoped that Joseph would grow to love Kate if she was to have a child, but she had to push those feelings aside and help Kate recover as quickly as possible.


    "Mom, I don''t want to eat anything. I don''t have any appetite," Kate was too upset to eat anything.


    "That''s not okay; you have to eat something so that you can recover," Cassie said gently, "Your mother told me that you are afraid of needles and taking medication. When you were younger, you would hide when the doctor came into the room. If you want to get out of here sooner, you must¡­"


    Before Cassie finished her story, Kate began to hysterically sob again.


    "Sorry, my dear. I did not mention your mother to upset you. I just want you to get better," Cassie tried to hold back her tears.


    Joseph was sitting outside of Kate''s room since the moment she asked him to leave. When he heard Cassie speaking anxiously, he rushed in, "What happened?"


    "It''s all my fault. I mentioned Flora and Kate became upset," Cassie said with guilt.


    "Joseph, I have to go deal with something. I did bring Kate some soup though, can you please feed it to her?" Cassie wanted to create a give them a chance to bond.


    "Okay," Joseph shook his head and agreed willingly.


    Cassie was relieved to see the change in Joseph''s attitude toward Kate. She leaned down and kissed Kate on the forehead, then turned to her son, "Take good care of her."


    Even though Joseph hadn''t slept the night before, Cassie knew he had to make Kate a priority. He also knew why his mother asked him to help, but at the same time, they both knew Kate didn''t want him around.


    He whispered, "Mom made this soup just for you. Please don''t disappoint her."


    Kate felt a little dizzy thinking about how loving Joseph was acting, but she was not going to let him see it. Without waiting for a response, Joseph sat next to her and held the spoon to her mouth.


    "If you don''t want the soup spit all over the bed, take it away. I don''t want to be around you and two-faced personality," Kate said back immediately.


    "Are you threatening me?" Kate asked.


    "No, I just want you to recover quickly," Joseph replied.


    "Recover quickly?" Kate sneered, "Don''t you and Anna want me to die? Then there would be no obstacles for you to be together."


    Kate suddenly grabbed her stomach and cried out in pain.


    "Are you okay?" Joseph asked, then put the soup down and rushed to push the alarm next to Kate''s bed.


    After the doctor examined Kate, he told them, "You are very weak at this time, you should get too excited or upset."


    "Are you still in pain?" Joseph questioned.


    Getting no response from Kate, Joseph saw her pale lips and inquired, "Are you thirsty?"


    However, there was still no response; Kate just closed her eyes. Knowing that he was doing no good for Kate, he went to the hall and called Lisa.


    Lisa arrived a short time later; Joseph explained everything before she went in to see Kate. She walked in and hugged her friend, "Kate, I know you were sick a lot when you were young, but you have been doing so well. I hope it was nothing major, and you will be better soon, with my help."


    Then she picked up the soup to feed Kate, saying, "This is my first time feeding someone. I will try not to spill it on you!"


    Though Lisa was said smilingly, Kate could see tears in her eyes.


    "Why are you crying?" Kate asked.


    "I¡­I''m not crying," Lisa felt more distressed when Kate noticed her upset. It was the first time she ever lied to her best friend, but she knew what Kate had gone through, and she couldn''t help but feel bad for her.


    "I like you feeding me," Kate smiled and opened her mouth for another bite.


    Joseph stood outside the door, watching and listening to the two friends talk. He was relieved when he saw Kate finally willing to eat; then, he spun around when he heard someone walking up the hallway toward Kate''s room. He was livid when he saw Samuel with a large bouquet of lilies.


    Samuel didn''t say a word, he just tried to step around Joseph, but he was stopped. Joseph was worried that Samuel would say something to upset Kate, so he snapped, "You better not disturb her. The doctor said that she is not emotionally stable at this time."


    "You are worried about her now? What about what did you to her before?" Samuel sneered.


    Out of frustration and worry for Kate, Joseph demanded, "You need to get out of here right now!"


    "Get out of here?" Samuel laughed, "You think you own the hospital? You have no right to ask me to leave. I came here to visit Kate, as you know we have been getting along very well. We even had dinner together the other night."


    "What?" Joseph was surprised; he never even suspected that they were out together.


    "I don''t think neither Kate nor I need to tell you about it. After all, we have done many things that you don''t know," Samuel was trying to aggravate Joseph, and when he saw Joseph''s expression, he knew he succeeded. He laughed, "Okay, Joseph, if you won''t allow me to visit Kate while she is here, I will just have to wait for her to be discharged."


    Samuel handed the lilies to a nurse who was walking by, then pointed to Kate''s room, "Please ensure that she receives these. Thank you!"


    Knowing that Samuel and Kate had met behind his back, left Joseph feeling jealous. He was even more bitter when he heard the nurse tell Kate, "Hello! A young man asked me to bring these to you!"


    "What was his name?" Kate was surprised that whoever sent them didn''t bring them himself.


    "I don''t know. He just handed me the flowers and walked away. Your husband was talking to him and didn''t seem very happy," the nurse whispered.


    "Not very happy?" Kate and Lisa both said at the same time. They looked at each other, both knowing it was probably Samuel.


    "Kate, you have no male friends. I cannot think of anyone but Samuel, and it is obvious that Joseph doesn''t like him," Lisa pointed out.


    "I will put the lilies here, Lady Kate!"


    Kate thanked the nurse before she walked out.

 Chapter 68 Joseph Knows the Truth

    Lisa tried to break the tension, "Joseph, Kate praised about how wonderful the soup was."


    "That''s fine. I will pass that along to my mother," Joseph said, looking at Kate, but Kate now was staring at Lisa.


    "Kate, I have to go back to the tea shop. It has been hectic. Joseph will stay with you until I can come back later," Lisa understood that Kate was angry with Joseph because she had feelings for him. She hoped that Kate would be happier if she spent some time with him.


    "Lisa, I have sent someone to help with your shop so that you can stay here with Kate," Joseph explained.


    "Well¡­" Lisa did not know what to do. Seeing Kate''s begging eyes, she agreed to stay longer.


    After Joseph left, Lisa asked, frowning, "Kate, why don''t you allow Joseph to help you? I can see that he is sincere."


    "Don''t be confused by his pretense. He did all just to compensate for what Anna did," Kate''s plan to seek revenge on Anna when she was recovered played continuously in her mind.


    "To compensate?" Lisa knew Kate miscarried a baby but did not know what it had to do with Anna.


    "You mean you are here because of Anna?" Lisa asked in confusion.


    Kate took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and then told Lisa everything.


    "How could she dare to that to you?" Lisa was furious, "I will make her pay!"


    "Don''t you worry about it. I will not let Anna get away with it!"


    "You say Anna kicked your abdomen?" Lisa was confused because it was different from what Joseph told her.


    "If I hadn''t suddenly got horrible cramps, I would not be here," Kate gently touched her stomach, recalling the severe pain.


    "But Joseph told me that you accidentally fell down the stairs¡­" Lisa mumbled.


    "He told you?" Kate laughed, "He is just covering for Anna."


    "How can he do that?" Lisa regretted trusting him.


    "You know how he treats me. You shouldn''t be angry or act so surprised!" Kate told her calmly.


    "Of course, I''m angry!" Lisa wanted to tell her she miscarried her baby, but considering that she was still weak, she decided not to.


    "He covered the truth just to protect that bitch!" Lisa shouted.


    After Kate fell asleep, Lisa found Joseph and snarled at him, "I gave you a chance to be with Kate, but you do not accept my good intentions at all!"


    "I only asked you to stay with Kate because she does not want to see me. So¡­" Joseph tried to explain.


    "Do you know why she does not want to see you?" Lisa erupted with rage, "You are covering to protect your slut, Anna!"


    "I admit that I misunderstood what happened with Alan, but it had nothing to do with protecting Anna."


    "What?" Joseph couldn''t believe what Lisa was saying, "Anna went to my house and hurt Kate?"


    "You don''t need to play stupid! Kate is not here. I know how you mistreated her because of Anna before, and now that Anna is back, you are pushing Kate to divorce you. You just want to marry Anna!" Lisa took a deep breath then said coldly, "You did too many evil things to Kate. You will pay!"


    Joseph was shocked; he honestly believed that Kate fell down the stairs, just as Amy told him.


    **


    In a well-decorated cafe, light music lofted in the air, but Anna was not soothed in the least.


    Anna said to Dora nervously, "Mom, Kate miscarried her baby. It is a good thing for us, but if she remembers that I hit her before she passed out. If she blames me, I will not be able to explain that to Joseph."


    When she was hitting Kate, Anna didn''t care; she just wanted to inflict pain on her. Dora also thought that it was a difficult situation for her daughter to get out of, "Why were you so foolish? I will never object to you, causing trouble or hitting Kate, but you need to remember there could be consequences. You have killed Kate''s baby, and Joseph is probably by her side."


    "Mom, this is not the time to criticize me. Please think of some way to help me," Anna cried, "I cannot lose Joseph to Kate. I need to fix this!"


    Dora thought for a while and suggested, "How about you admit your fault and apologize to Kate?"


    "What?" Anna could not accept her mother''s advice, "I will never apologize to Kate! Never!"


    "But the situation is dire now. We have to show weakness. Otherwise, when Kate tells Joseph, you won''t have any chance."


    "I¡­" Anna pouted. She could not think of a better way, so she had to take her mother''s advice.


    "Remember, you must keep your vision in mind. After you achieve your goal, you can do whatever you want to get revenge on Kate," Dora didn''t want her daughter to succumb to Kate, but she had no other option.


    Anna lowered her head, "Okay, I can do it. After all, I have been through worse in the last two years. I can deal with this."


    Her words assured Dora, "Don''t worry, my dear. I will help you inherit all the wealth of the White family."


    Dora begged Anna to fake her death in the car accident so that she could frame Kate and obtain all of the White family''s money, and then Anna could marry Joseph.


    "By the way, we also need to find a way to get Daisy out of the house! Otherwise, this is just not going to work. I hate sneaking out to a caf¨¦ just so we can talk privately," Dora said evilly.


    "I agree. We need to get her out!" Anna said before her phone rang.

 Chapter 69 Joseph Questioned Anna

    "Mom, Joseph must know I hurt Kate. What should I do?" Anna asked.


    "Don''t admit it. All servants in the Smith mansion are on your side," Dora reminder her and nudged her to answer.


    Anna said, trembling, "Joseph¡­"


    "Where are you?" Joseph said determinedly, "Come to my house, right away!"


    "Okay," Anna had no reason to refuse his invitation, nor did she want to lose the chance to see him, so she agreed and hung up.


    Dora asked in a hurry, "What did he say?"


    "He asked me to go to his house," Anna was on pins and needles, "Mom, will he break up with me?"


    Anna was not nearly as confident about their love since she came back. Joseph defended Kate twice in front of her. If he found out the truth, there was no way for her to win the battle.


    "Remember you have pictures of Kate on a date with Samuel," Dora told her, "No man wants to see his wife on a date with another man. Plus, there were already so many rumors about the two of them. If you tell him about that, he will not care so much about you hitting Kate!"


    Anna suddenly realized what her mother was saying, "I know how to deal with it!"


    "Remember that you must be calm in the face of danger. You cannot be affected by others mentally, nor can you admit that you hit Kate," Dora warned.


    About half an hour later, Anna stood out at the door of the Smith mansion. She ran her fingers through her hair, took a deep breath, and walked inside.


    Joseph was sitting on the sofa in the living room, waiting for her to arrive.


    "Joseph," She smiled, "I was on the way to visit my sister at the hospital when you called me. I figured it was something urgent, so I came here first."


    Joseph cast a cold glance at her and scoffed, "Really? When did you two start getting along so well?"


    The sarcastic tone in Joseph''s voice shocked her, but she acted natural, "Although the relationship between Kate and I was tense because of you, we are family. And our father is very worried about her; he asked me to check in on her."


    "Your dad cares about her?" Joseph laughed, "I think he only cares about if he didn''t hit her hard enough!"


    Anna was startled, she sighed, "Joseph, please don''t get my father wrong. He didn''t know what was going on at that time, so he hit Kate. He regrets it now and wants to see her, but he fears that Kate may not be happy with him. So, I am going there to apologize on his behalf."


    Even Anna herself was convinced by her own lies. She not only gave a reasonable and logical explanation but also showed her generosity. It was much more convincing than an apology.


    "So, you meane I have to thank him?" Joseph asked coldly.


    "No¡­You don''t need to. After all, Kate is his daughter. He should care about her."


    Anna could not respond to his words.


    "Even though he is Kate''s father, he could educate her rather than hit her. Plus, Kate is my wife! It seems that I have given him too much lenience over the years, so now he dares to hit my wife."


    Anna was terrified by Joseph''s anger, but she understood what he was saying.


    White Group had received many benefits from the Smith Group in the past. If she or her father offended Joseph, it could be extremely detrimental to their company. She had to find a way to get back into Joseph''s good graces.


    "Joseph, I know you are angry with my dad, but you¡­"


    "I''m just angry with your dad? Don''t you want to tell me something?" Joseph said, glaring at her.


    Anna was frightened and dared not look at him. She could only shake head and act dumb, "Joseph, I... I don''t understand what you mean..."


    "How stupid do you think I am? I like to believe that I have met many people, and I am a good judge of character. Yet, for so long, I haven''t been able to see through you!" Joseph finally believed in his heart that he never really knew the woman he thought he had loved.


    "Joseph, what do you mean?" Anna had a bad feeling, but she tried her best to remain calm, remembering that she couldn''t say anything until Joseph asked her bluntly.


    "You made Kate miscarry our child. Am I right? You killed my baby?" Joseph yelled at her.


    "I¡­I don''t¡­" Anna still denied the accusation.


    "Amy, Ricky, you come here now!" Joseph questioned all of them face to face.


    Amy and Ricky had been hiding in another room, listening to the argument, but when Joseph yelled, they walked in, looking frightened.


    Anna could not help worrying that they might betray her. If they did, it would be pointless for her to deny her involvement.


    "Tell me exactly what happened!" Joseph ordered, starting at Ricky.


    "I¡­I was¡­ watering the flowers in the garden when it happened. I was not there. I¡­know nothing." Ricky stammered. It was the best way to act stupid; if he didn''t admit it, he could not get in trouble.


    "Then why are you trembling?"


    "I¡­I feel bad for not being able to take care of Lady Kate. I feel like it was my responsibility¡­" Ricky lowered his head so that Joseph wouldn''t see his guilt.


    Lord Joseph must know I was present. If I lie to him, using the same excuse as Ricky, he will suspect something. So, I need to figure out another explanation. Amy thought to herself.


    "Lord Joseph, after Lady Kate fell, I saw her trousers full of blood. I was quite frightened then that I called the ambulance immediately," Amy blurted out.


    Anna felt confident after hearing Amy''s answer. They both kept their promise and did not betray her. It was clear that neither of them cared for Kate.


    "I give you one more chance, Amy," Joseph stared at her to test whether she was lying, "How did Lady Kate miscarry?"


    "I¡­" Amy was terrified. She glimpsed Joseph and was shocked by his anger.


    She buried her head in a hurry and said, "I don''t know, Lord Joseph. I only saw the blood on her. I didn''t know she was pregnant. You didn''t tell me, neither did she."

 Chapter 70 Not Josephs Child?

    "Okay, I believe you for the time being. But if I find out what you did, and you are lying to me, you should be prepared for the consequences!" Joseph shouted.


    Until Anna returned home, Joseph didn''t trust Kate, but the more Anna was around, the more he could see that he was being misled. After he saw what kind of person Kate was, he did not want her to suffer. Joseph''s warning to Ricky and Amy was like a fatal blow.


    Amy kneeled on the ground and began sobbing. Joseph glanced at her but didn''t say a word. He stepped over her to go upstairs then slammed his study door.


    "What are you doing?" Anna grabbed her arms to stand up and reminded her in a low voice, "Calm down! If Joseph finds a weakness, we will all be done!"


    Amy said with fear, "If Lord Joseph finds it out, we will die..."


    Anna covered her mouth immediately and said with a fierce look, "How can he know it if we don''t tell him?"


    Then, she shifted her focus to Ricky. Though she did not say anything, Ricky understood immediately and waved his hands in a hurry, saying, "I don''t know!"


    "What the f**k? I did not get even with her for killing my Alan, but she slandered me now," Anna screeched, "I think she must feel guilty, so she did not tell Joseph about her pregnancy. Perhaps it was not Joseph''s child at all!"


    "What do you mean, Lady Anna?" Amy suddenly became very interested, "If it wasn''t Lord Joseph''s child, whose child was it?"


    Anna glimpsed the study upstairs and whispered, "I saw Kate on a secret date with Samuel several days ago. They sat in a quiet corner; obviously, they did not want to be seen by others."


    Amy was puzzled. She asked again, "But everyone knows that Lady Kate loves Lord Joseph?"


    "Does Joseph love her?" Anna asked, "Not at all. You are a woman, do you like being ignored all of the time? Plus, there is the rumor that she had an affair with Samuel before. But, only they know the truth."


    After listening to Anna''s theory, Amy thought it could be possible, "Kate has been trying to get pregnant. She would have been happy about her pregnancy and would not keep something like that from Lord Joseph, unless¡­"


    "Amy, Lord Joseph does not believe me now. You must persuade him not to be fooled by Kate," Anna encouraged her.


    Soon after Anna left, Joseph walked back downstairs.


    Amy had a lot to tell Joseph, but she knew it was not an appropriate time. She asked, "Lord Joseph, are you hungry? Do you need me to prepare something for you?"


    Joseph ignored her, sat on the sofa, and took out his phone.


    "Lord Joseph, if you are busy with your work, I can go to the hospital and take care of Lady Kate."


    Joseph stopped and asked her seriously, "Are you sure you can take good care of her?"


    "I will give you permission to go to the hospital, but there is one requirement."


    "Please tell me, Lord Joseph."


    "Don''t tell her about the miscarriage."


    "Okay," Amy nodded.


    Later that evening, Amy arrived at the hospital with soup for Kate.


    "Lady Kate, Joseph asked me to prepare some soup for you," Amy wanted to talk with her for a while, but Kate turned her head away.


    Amy felt embarrassed and said, "I know you are still angry with me, Lady Kate. But you should take care of yourself first. Lord Joseph asked me to take good care of you, and I will do that well so that he does not punish me."


    "Get out of here before I lose my temper!" Kate shouted. She clearly remembered that when Anna hit her, Amy just stood by and cheered her on. The fact that she was pretending to care made Kate furious.


    When Amy saw her getting angry, she laughed to herself and tried to aggravate Kate further, "Lady Kate, I hope you will recover soon. You know, after you came to the hospital, Anna told Lord Joseph that you killed Alan. She asked him to seek justice for her."


    Kate felt nearly choked when she heard it.


    "Lord Joseph promised her that he would find out the truth and told her not to be so sad¡­" Amy said all she wanted to say. Then she put her hand to her mouth, "Sorry, Lady Kate, I forgot that you shouldn''t be getting upset. Don''t be angry."


    Kate always believed that Amy lied, yet at that moment, she chose to believe her. It sounded exactly like what Joseph would do. After all, he married her just to seek revenge for Anna.  She clutched the sheet tightly and cursed, "Joseph, you are so insincere!"


    Since Amy achieved what she wanted to do, she began to act innocent again, "Lady Kate, Lord Joseph does care about you, though. Otherwise, he would not have asked me not to tell you¡­"


    "Not to tell me what?" Kate snapped.


    "No, I cannot tell you. If I do, Lord Joseph will fire me. And he is still investigating whether or not you had an affair. So, I shouldn''t talk nonsense¡­" Amy smirked then pointed at the soup, "Lady Kate, you should have some soup so that you can get better!"


    He suspects that I was having an affair with other men? How ridiculous! Did he think he could divorce me easily? He wishes! Kate thought to herself.


    "Lady Kate¡­"


    "Get out!"


    Kate did not want to hear anything more about Joseph. She did not want to be hurt anymore.


    "You¡­you must remember to eat the soup! I will not disturb you again," Amy said with fake sympathy.


    "Kate, you''ve already had dinner?" Lisa asked when she walked into the room and saw the soup bowl, "Who brought it to you?"

 Chapter 71 The Miscarriage

    "Huh?" Lisa was shocked to hear that Kate wanted to leave the hospital. After thinking for a moment, she smiled, "You suffered from serious anemia and must stay in the hospital for at least a week. You need medical care."


    "I can take good care of myself after leaving the hospital. Go and tell the doctor that I am okay to leave now."


    "Kate, what''s the matter with you? Are you bored here? Don''t worry; I''ll keep you company if that is all it is," Lisa thought Joseph was at the hospital with her, so she was surprised and disappointed to see that Kate was alone.


    "You''re right; some men just aren''t that into a woman, no matter how much you do for them. And, sometimes, they will never trust you," Kate said as she thought of what Amy told her. It was as if she was being stabbed in the heart over and over again.


    "Did Joseph do something to hurt you?" Lisa''s heart tightened, "What did he say?"


    "Amy didn''t make it clear, only mentioned that Joseph suspected that I had an affair with other men," Kate snarled.


    "That bastard!" Lisa was furious, "Kate, you need to give up on that man, or he will continue to torture you for the rest of your life!"


    "Either divorce or be tortured, I''ve suffered enough," Kate lowered her eyes and spoke in a low tone, "He would rather blur the truth than believe me. He did everything he could to force me to divorce him."


    Lisa wanted Kate to leave Joseph, but she felt that it wasn''t fair just because it was what Joseph wanted.


    "Kate, tell your mother-in-law the truth! She will get the justice you deserve!"


    "But I don''t want to affect their relationship," She certainly believed that Cassie would be on her side, but Joseph loved Anna so much.


    "But Kate, you are acting silly! You are too kind to be bullied," Lisa sighed and tried to comfort Kate, "Would you please listen to what the doctor said and get well before you leave the hospital?"


    "Thank you, Lisa!" Kate was touched by Lisa''s concern and agreed to stay in the hospital until the doctor said she could leave.


    "You''re welcome! We''re like sisters, so it is my duty to take care of you," Lisa said, trying to hold back her tears.


    Daisy knocked on the door and stuck her head in the room, "Kate, how are you?" She asked anxiously. She knew that Kate wouldn''t be in the hospital if Anna hadn''t fought with her.


    Lisa was relieved to see Daisy was there; she needed to get to her shop. She leaned over and hugged Kate, "I hope you get some sleep. I will come to see you tomorrow."


    "Okay, and thank you again, Lisa!" Kate smiled.


    "Daisy, would you please stay with Kate tonight? I can be back early tomorrow morning to take over," Lisa asked on her way out of the room.


    Daisy''s answer gave both Kate and Lisa a great sense of comfort. They all knew that one someone who cared would be considerate of other''s feelings.


    As Lisa walked out of the hospital, she dialed a number she hadn''t called in a long time. Almost in a whisper, she asked, "Are you available tonight? How about we get a drink?"


    "Lisa, how are you? How is everything? What happened? Do you need help?" the man on the other end of the phone asked.


    "Yeah, I need your help, let''s talk face-to-face, though" Lisa didn''t think that Nick Wilson knew her so well.


    A short time later, Nick and Lisa met at the tea shop.


    Lisa told Nick about everything that had happened and what she planned to do. She explained she needed his help if he was willing.


    Nick frowned as he listened to Lisa, when she stopped, he said, "I do want to help you, but I know Joseph loves Anna so much. If I was to beat her, how would I be able to face him again."


    "Do you deny my request?" Lisa smiled.


    "Don''t you remember that you said you would help Kate, even though you had a good relationship with Joseph? Now that Anna is back, you are changing your attitude? You are so indecisive!"


    "I''m sorry, Lisa, I want to help you, but¡­" Nick thought for a while and continued to say, "I could ask Anna to say sorry to Kate, would that be okay?"


    "Just say, sorry?" Lisa was so angry to hear this that her voice became louder: "How could a sorry be enough? Anna beat Kate to the point that Kate had a miscarriage! She''s a murderer!"


    "Lisa, Lisa, calm down. I understand, I just thought that they are sisters so we could try to resolve the situation amicably," Nick didn''t want to offend either Kate, Anna, or Joseph.


    "Well, now I know who you really are. You are a snob that will defend whoever Joseph loves. I can''t be your friend anymore, so you need to leave," Lisa barked, and she turned her head away from Nick.


    "Honey, honey, you know my heart. I would do anything for you," Seeing that Lisa was angry; Nick felt nervous. He took out his cellphone and called Anna.


    "Hey, Anna! This is Nick Wilson. Are you available tonight? How about meeting me? I have something I need to tell you about Joseph Smith."


    When Anna heard Nick''s voice and his request to meet, she immediately almost interrupted him to decline. She was glad she didn''t, though, when she heard he wanted to talk about Joseph.


    After Nick and Anna agreed on a place to meet, Nick hung up the phone and turned to Lisa, "You can see that I called Anna, she will meet me tonight. Are you still angry?"


    Lisa was secretly delighted, but she didn''t want Nick to know. She said thoughtfully, "I just want justice for Kate. No matter what I do tonight, do not stop me!"


    "You don''t plan to kill her, do you?" After hearing what Lisa said, Nick was worried.


    "Don''t worry, I know how to deal with it, and I won''t get you in trouble," Lisa replied.


    "Lisa, I know you''re a good and kindhearted girl, I¡­"


    "Don''t talk nonsense, let''s go!" Lisa ordered. The plan of how she was going to teach Anna a lesson was all that was in her head, she had no patience to hear what Nick had to say.


    About thirty minutes later, Nick and Lisa walked into a small pub; they saw Anna waiting for them.


    "Nice to see you, Nick. It has been a long time since we have seen each other. You said you wanted to talk about Joseph," Anna greeted Nick with a charming tone.


    "Anna, I heard that¡­Kate had miscarried her baby¡­?" Nick asked bluntly as he sat down.


    "You came here about Kate? I know you are chasing after Kate''s best friend right now. But, Nick, don''t forget that you are Joseph''s friend, you shouldn''t¡­" Anna snapped.

 Chapter 72 Anna Needs to Learn

    "Blame me?" Anna White sneered, "Kate killed my dog, and I didn''t seek justice. It is her that is to blame."


    "But you are sisters. Why don''t you get along? Kate has always been easy to get along with."


    Anna cringed whenever she heard anyone complimenting Kate. She smiled politely, "Nick, I am happy to meet with you, yet you keep talking about Kate. If you continue to, I will not stay. Kate is nothing but an annoyance to me!"


    "Who''s the annoyance?" Lisa snapped from around the corner, "Why do you always bully Kate? Did she ever do anything wrong to you?"


    Anna White was shocked by the sudden appearance of Lisa at first; then she glared at Nick. She realized that she had been set up.


    Nick knew that Anna would be angry, but he didn''t regret asking her to meet. If he could do something to make Lisa happy, he would.


    "Anna, you killed Kate''s baby. You must pay!" Lisa said before pulling out a small stick and slamming it down on Anna''s hand.


    "You are so ungrateful! Kate treated you like a real sister, but you just took advantage of her! You did nothing but hurt her! Anna, you will learn what it is like to be hurt!" Lisa shouted as she continued to hit Anna.


    "Help!" Anna screamed immediately.


    Nick was standing back; he did want to stop the fight but was afraid that Lisa would be unhappy. So, he just waited to see what would happen.


    "Help? Do you help Kate when you hurt her unborn child?" Lisa didn''t stop swinging her stick; she knew it wasn''t strong enough to kill Anna, but it would definitely damage her.


    "Nick, tell her to stop! She''s crazy! Ouch¡­" Anna cried while trying to hide behind him.


    The small pub echoed with the sound of the stick slapping Anna and her cries.


    **


    At the hospital, Daisy tried to talk with Kate. However, Kate only stared out the window.


    Daisy encouraged, "Kate, don''t be sad. You are young, and you will have other chances."


    Kate replied with a faint smile, "Daisy, I need to ask you something important. Would you support me if I was to leave Joseph right now?"


    When Kate was going to leave Joseph before, Daisy reassured her that things would probably get better because she knew Kate loved Joseph. After Flora passed away, Daisy and Lisa were like Kate''s guiding light, always giving her warmth and support.


    "No!" Daisy was confused and then immediately said, "I mean, you''ll have another baby in the future¡­"


    Daisy said while thinking of what Anna said when she was beating Kate. They were too vicious not to remember, and she was sorry that she had been unable to stop Anna. Kate had suffered so much, but there was nothing she was able to do for her.


    "Kate, you¡­" Seeing Kate was bewildered, Daisy guessed that she didn''t know what had happened.


    Should I tell her the truth?


    "Daisy, tell me what happened," Before Daisy could change the subject, Kate shouted. She could see from the expression on Daisy''s face that there was more to the story.


    "Kate, I don''t want to upset you. I thought you knew what happened, and that is why I came here to comfort you¡­" Daisy sobbed.


    Kate held Daisy''s hand to comfort her in return; she said, "Why are you crying? I''ve suffered through so many things, but I am tough now. Tell me, I promise that I can accept whatever you need to say."


    Kate thought Daisy was going to say that Joseph was trying to force her to divorce him. Kate was aware of that because Anna told her.


    "Your¡­your baby''s gone¡­"


    The light in Kate''s eyes suddenly faded, and she stared into space.


    "Kate, don''t be so sad¡­"


    No wonder that her stomach hurt before she lost consciousness. As Kate thought back, she could hear Amy shouting that she was bleeding but then Anna kicked her and she passed out. The next thing that Kate remembered was waking up in the hospital. However, Joseph never mentioned anything about a miscarriage in the times he had visited her; Kate immediately assumed he was covering for Anna.


    Suddenly, Kate clued into what Amy said; Joseph suspected that she had affairs with other men. It must have been a plot to start a rumor that the baby was not Joseph''s.


    Kate put her hands on her stomach; tears filled her eyes.


    "I was pregnant, and I didn''t even notice. No wonder I had such a big appetite and always want to sleep so much lately," Kate whispered to herself. Her world had been in chaos since Anna returned; she and Joseph hadn''t continued to try having a baby; she didn''t even pay attention to her cycle.


    "So, you didn''t know¡­" Daisy felt sorry for Kate, and she said, "Kate, don''t worry, you can have another baby in the future. The most important thing for you now is to take good care of yourself. So¡­"


    No more children in the future, there was no chance to have a baby with Joseph.


    "Daisy, it''s late. I would like to sleep; you can go home. Don''t worry, and I can take care of myself," Kate pretended to be calm.


    "Kate, you need someone to take care of you right now. I can''t leave you here alone¡­" Daisy was worried about Kate. She knew how much Kate had suffered and didn''t want her to be alone.


    "You can tell me if you are upset. We are family, and we can share our sorrows," Daisy reminded her.


    "Don''t worry about me, Daisy. I won''t do anything silly again, nor will I be sad about how I have been hurt in the past. I just want to recover emotionally and physically, then make a strong plan for my future," Kate calmly told Daisy.


    Daisy didn''t know what more she could do to convince Kate to let her stay, so she said goodnight and told Kate to call if she needed her.


    The room was tranquil after Daisy left. The only sound that could be heard was Kate snarling with resentment toward Anna and the sobs over the loss of her unborn baby. She didn''t know that she was pregnant, but it still felt like part of her had been taken away.


    The rollercoaster of emotions played in Kate''s head. She was forced to get pregnant, then had to cooperate with Joseph in order to get pregnant, and finally, she was carrying their child, but then it was unexpectedly gone. Kate was sad partly because she knew Joseph didn''t love her, but also partly because she did want to have his baby.


    **


    Joseph had taken on a new project to keep busy and to keep him distracted from thinking about Kate and their baby. He worked late into the night, hoping that by the time he got to the hospital, Kate would be asleep, and he could watch over her. Around 10 p.m., he was about to leave the office when Nick called him.


    "Joseph, you need to come here now. Or else someone will die!" Nick demanded.

 Chapter 73 Greek Gif

    Lisa was still trying to hit Anna when Joseph arrived. She quickly knew that it was Nick who called him. She glared ferociously at Nick, he felt guilty, but he cautiously said, "Are you okay, Lisa?"


    Joseph ignored Anna''s plea, then turned to Nick and said coldly, "Nick, take her to the hospital!"


    "Who?" Nick Wilson looked at Anna and then looked at Lisa, "Both of them are hurt."


    "Anna!" Joseph shouted.


    "Well, okay then."


    A man usually treasures his loved one. Nick said to himself.


    Nick was about to take Anna to the hospital, but he couldn''t just leave Lisa. He put his hand out to her and said, "Lisa, let''s go together!"


    Nick protected Lisa each time Anna tried to attack her, so she didn''t really get hurt. Anna was the one who was covered with injuries.


    "Joseph, do you know that Anna had killed your baby? Why do you want Nick to take her to the hospital? What the hell are you thinking?"


    Lisa shook with rage, then lifted her stick over her head and was about to hit Joseph. Anna saw what Lisa was going to do and pushed Joseph out of the way. She held her arm up to block Lisa''s swing.


    Joseph was slightly stunned for a moment before coldly yelling, "Get out of here!"


    Nick worried about Lisa a lot and quickly apologized to Joseph, "Why don''t you take Anna to the hospital, and I will take care of Lisa."


    Joseph looked at the angry Lisa, said nothing. He then turned to Anna and asked her to leave with him.


    Although Anna was hurt all over, being near Joseph, she didn''t feel any pain. She couldn''t take her eyes off Joseph''s face from the moment they got in the car. She wondered if the wounds on her body made Joseph''s heart hurt. Anna touched one of her cuts and let out a painful cry.


    Joseph ignored her and continued to look straight ahead, never changing the cold expression on his face.


    Anna was unhappy with Joseph''s reaction. She couldn''t help but complain, "Joseph, don''t you know how barbaric Lisa was acting? She hit me all over, no one has ever bullied me like this, except my mother..."


    Regardless of what Anna said, Joseph didn''t reply. Finally, Anna gave up and sat quietly until they arrived at the hospital.


    The sun was just coming up when Joseph pulled into the emergency room parking lot. Anna saw that Kate''s nurse was at the doorway, "Joseph, didn''t you bring me here to see the doctor? Why¡­"


    Joseph suddenly considered Kate''s condition. If he asked Anna to take the blame right now, the news of miscarriage would not be concealed, and Kate would be traumatized.


    "Wait here!" While thinking, Joseph said suddenly; his tone was filled with anger.


    **


    In her room, Kate was lying on the bed, as white as a sheet. Some hair was stuck to her tear-stained cheek. Joseph thought she looked beautiful as he reached out to push her hair back, but suddenly Kate opened her eyes.


    There was a split second of confusion when Kate saw Joseph''s handsome face. Her eyes filled with anger, and her heart pounded with resentment.


    "You are awake?" Joseph looked at her with tender eyes.


    Kate glared at him, "Can you not be so deceitful?"


    "Deceitful?" Joseph noticed that Kate was extremely emotional, "Kate, what happened? What is wrong?"


    "Kate?" He said softly, he had never spoken to her so intimately before, but after everything, she knew it made Kate feel sick to her stomach.


    "Mr. Smith, do we know each other that well? Please don''t call me Kate!" Kate said.


    Joseph didn''t know she had cried herself to sleep when he looked into her bloodshot eyes. He pursed his lips to speak, but nothing would come out. He sighed and was then finally able to say, "It''s very early in the morning. Try to get some more sleep; we can talk later."


    "In order to divorce me, you really will do everything you can!" cried Kate as she looked at Joseph.


    "I didn''t want to divorce you," He looked at her thoughtfully.


    Kate sneered, "Of course, you won''t dare mention a divorce. I just don''t understand it, though, even after your mistress killed my unborn child!"


    "You know about the baby?" Joseph was shocked, "Who told you?"


    "Is that important? How long did you plan to hide the truth to me if I didn''t find out on my own?" Kate touched her belly, crying and laughing, "If it weren''t for the miscarriage, I wouldn''t even have known I was pregnant. I am so stupid, no wonder I was constantly being bullied."


    She didn''t know she was even pregnant. Who told her about the miscarriage? Joseph''s heart ached.


    "If I knew I was pregnant, I would have desperately protected the child when Anna was fighting with me..." cried, thinking of Anna punching her stomach while she cried out in pain. Kate sobbed even harder, "If it weren''t for Anna, my child would be alive!"


    Joseph took a deep breath; it felt as if a mountain was crushing him. He was hurt to hear Kate so upset, but he didn''t know how to comfort her.


    "Joseph Smith, how are you going to rescue her this time? Are you going to say that the child was not yours, and Anna was doing so for your sake?" Kate looked at him with an unsympathetic expression; there was no love in her eyes.


    Joseph could feel her anger, and he wondered how she knew everything. Suddenly, he thought of Amy; she really was daring to challenge his authority.


    "I didn''t want to help her. Since you already know about it, I don''t intend to hide it from you," Joseph got up and opened the door. He pointed at Anna and ordered, "Come in!"


    Anna looked at Joseph innocently, "Isn''t my sister angry with me?"


    Joseph didn''t say a word. However, Kate clutched her bedsheet in her fist when she heard Anna''s voice.


    "Well, did you two plan to kill me while I am lying in a hospital bed?"


    "No, I... I came to visit you," Anna paid careful attention to her words so that she could not get caught up in her own lies.


    "Visit me?" Kate couldn''t help but laugh, "What reason do you have to visit me? You killed my unborn child; how are you going to fix that?"

 Chapter 74 Move Forward

    Anna was frightened and tried to hide behind Joseph. She calmly said, "Joseph, it is obvious that my sister''s miscarriage was an accident. Why is she blaming me? It was not my fault, Amy can testify to that!"


    "Joseph, and Anna, you two put on an outstanding show," Kate said sternly, "Do you want to force me to divorce you? What if I won''t agree? Are you going to kill me and then claim that I committed suicide?"


    "My dear sister, Joseph, and I are not that bad. We..."


    "Shut up!" Joseph interrupted, he grabbed her by the arm and scolded, "I have never seen someone as brazen as you!"


    "Joseph..." Anna was scared to death; her face went pale.


    Kate was also taken aback by Joseph''s reaction. She couldn''t understand what he was doing.


    "Do you think I brought you to the hospital to see a doctor?" Joseph sneered coldly, "You know what you have done!"


    Anna was so scared and pale; she looked as if she might pass out. She put her head down and shook it, "I haven''t done anything. Don''t listen to her nonsense!"


    "You are hopeless!" Joseph took the phone out and played a recording.


    Anna slumped to the ground when she heard her own voice. She couldn''t believe what was happening. She never thought that Joseph would record her conversations.


    "The evidence is right here. What do you have to say?" Joseph said, his cold eyes showed deep disgust.


    Kate was even more stunned than she had been. She looked at Joseph''s emotionless face, wondering: Didn''t he come here to conceal Anna''s crime, so why is he exposing her now?


    "Joseph, I didn''t hurt the child in my sister''s belly on purpose. I was just defending myself. I saw her bleeding and called the ambulance at the first instance of danger. How could I know that the child would not be saved¡­?"


    Kate crawled out of her bed and walked toward Anna. Joseph was worried about her stability and reached out to help her, but she pushed him away. Anna could see that Kate was furious and wanted to hurt her, but she was not going to look weak in front of Joseph.


    Then in a panic, Anna said, "Sister, I really didn''t want to hurt you, I¡­"


    A loud slap interrupted Anna, then multiple more slaps followed. Kate was angry, and the impact was intense. Anna slumped more and more with each hit.


    "I didn''t do anything to hurt you, but you were always against me. Two years ago, you voluntarily offered to pick me up, but you got into an accident on the way. Ever since the moment you supposedly died, I was blamed for your death." Kate snarled at Anna. Then she turned to Joseph, "Now, you are trying to force me to get a divorce. You two have teamed up to persecute me. Do you really think that I am so weak that I will allow you to bully me?" Kate


    "Kate, you need to get some rest. We will talk about everything when you have recovered, okay?"


    "Stay away from me! You are disgusting!" Kate pushed him away.


    Joseph stood in the middle of the room, feeling helpless.


    Anna held a hand on her beaten face and cried. She couldn''t believe what happened and that Joseph didn''t protect her.


    "Crawl to the door!" Joseph ordered Anna.


    "Joseph..." Anna was stunned, staring at him with tears in her eyes, shaking her head, "I didn''t hurt my sister''s unborn child. It was an accident. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Amy; she had witnessed everything."


    "Do you think I will ever believe you and Amy again? You have done so many bad things, how can I trust you?" Joseph had no patience for her nonsense. He gritted his teeth and said, "Get out, or I will kick you out!"


    Anna had never seen Joseph so angry before, she was scared and said, "I will leave, but don''t be angry with me..."


    Feeling not well at all, Kate closed her eyes. She was slightly relieved after hearing the conversation between Anna and Joseph. However, no matter how cruelly Joseph treated Anna, Kate would never feel grateful to him. She knew that he was pretending so that she wouldn''t be as angry and let Anna get away with what she had done.


    When Kate woke up again, the sun was shining in her room. She thought that Joseph had left after he kicked Anna out, but when she opened her eyes, Joseph was there. He rushed over to her bedside and asked, "Are you hungry? Mother brought you some soup¡­"


    "Mr. Smith, there was a lady outside that fainted. She mumbled your name," A nurse hurried in to tell Joseph. He walked out to see Anna on the ground; he bent down to pick her up.


    Kate was behind him and sneered at the scene. She thought it was a pity that they were not actors in a movie; they seemed to put on such a good show. Kate walked back to her room without saying a word.


    Soon after Kate was back in bed, Cassie knocked on her door.


    "Kate, how are you today?" Cassie said with a bright smile.


    Cassie''s kind smile and gentle tone made her bad mood much better.


    "Mom, I am so sorry that I have been worried about me over the last few days."


    "Silly girl, we are family. Come on; I have specifically asked the nutritionist to make this soup for you. Try it and see if you like it or not."


    When Kate thought of Cassie''s wish to have a grandchild, she was overwhelmed and sobbed, "Mom, do you know that I¡­?"


    Seeing the tears rolling down Kate''s face, Cassie put down the soup bowl and touched Kate''s hand, "Kate, why are you crying? Did Joseph make you angry again? Just tell me, I''m always on your side!"


    Mentioning Joseph just made Kate''s heart tightened. He was her husband, but he was with Anna.


    "I am talking about the miscarriage," Kate whispered, "I am so sorry, Mom. If it weren''t for my carelessness, the baby would still be here¡­"


    "You don''t even know that you were pregnant?" Cassie assumed that she had known.


    Kate Smith shook her head and smiled bitterly again, "Nobody knew, they couldn''t even love the baby, maybe the accident is a good thing. Besides, I only got pregnant for my own reasons; it was a business transaction. It wouldn''t have been fair to the baby. I would not have been a good mother, plus, this is a good reason for Joseph to leave me. I am thrilled."


    "Kate, what are you talking about?" Cassie was terrified, holding her cold hand, "Don''t be discouraged, you are so young, you''ll have other children in the future, and this time... this time the miscarriage was an accident..."

 Chapter 75 An Ulterior Motive

    "You mean, it''s wasn''t an accident?" Cassie had only found out that Joseph wasn''t home and didn''t know exactly what happened. Considering Kate''s situation, she didn''t ask, but she was determined to find out the truth since Kate brought it up, "Kate, tell me exactly what happened. Like I said before, I will always stand by you!"


    Kate was moved, then calmly told Cassie everything about the night she supposedly fell.


    "Anna White! How dare she?!?" Cassie jumped up out of the chair and immediately called Joseph.


    Cassie could hear a phone ringing from down the hall; she realized Joseph wasn''t far away. She began to yell as she walked down the hall, "You son of a bitch! Why don''t you come out?"


    When Cassie found Joseph, she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him to Kate''s room. When they were at the door, she began to yell, "Did you know that your bitch caused Kate to miscarry your child?"


    "I just recently found out," Joseph replied while his mother waited to see how he would stick up for Anna. He sighed and said, "When she wakes up, I''ll¡­"


    "You will what? Make her apologize to Kate? Easy for you to say. Kate''s baby was also your baby, that vicious woman killed your baby. What do you see in her anyway?" Cassie had never scolded her son in public before. In her eyes, her perfect son was didn''t worry about anything, but she worried about him every moment, especially when he was dating Anna.


    "Calm down, Mom. I will handle this," After Joseph finished, he turned to Kate, who showed no emotion from her hospital bed, "Don''t worry. I''ll give you a reasonable explanation!"


    It was also his baby, she was sad and so was he. How could he cover for Anna?


    "Joseph, don''t let me down!" Cassie was pissed off but didn''t know what to say to her son.


    Joseph knew that staying in Kate''s room would only anger her more, so he asked his mother to take care of her and walked out, looking at the ground.


    Cassie knew there wasn''t much love between her son and Kate; she didn''t want to force anything on either of them. When Joseph left, she immediately began to encourage Kate, "Cheer up. It is never too late to move on!"


    "Yeah, there''s a long way to go. I can''t waste my whole life on a man who doesn''t love me," Her sorrowful eyes suddenly shone with a bright light. It was as if at that moment, the clouds lifted, and the sun shone in, her mood improved.


    The baby was gone, and the bond between them was completely over. She no longer had to have a baby to protect Cassie''s feelings. Kate knew in all honesty that her marriage should have been over when her grandmother died, but it was she who couldn''t let go.


    "Kate, what do you mean by that?" Cassie frowned and felt uneasy.


    "Kate, stop overthinking. Joseph was just into that crap, and after this ..."


    "Mom, you pull him in here against his will, and I don''t want to endure this suffering any longer. Just let it go for my sake, okay?" Kate would be influenced by Cassie every time she wanted to give up. But this time, there would be no fixing the problem, she was utterly devastated.


    The sudden death of her grandma left a constant pain in her heart, and although she couldn''t be sure that it was related to Joseph, she couldn''t continue to live with him. She didn''t love him like she once had, and he had never loved her.


    Cassie knew that her continued persuasion was not proper since Kate had been hurt too much. She saw her son''s attitude toward his wife had gotten worse, so she stopped trying to convince Kate things would get better.


    At last, she apologized, "Kate, you are a good daughter-in-law. No matter what''s happens with you and Joseph, I will always love you as my daughter."


    "Thank you, Mom!" Kate smiled, having Cassie understand made her feel a lot better.


    In another room, Dora shouted at a doctor, "How is my daughter?"


    Anna woke up when she heard her mother''s voice. She reached out to hug Dora, "Mom, I''m done! I was so screwed this time ..."


    Dora rubbed her back and comforted her, "Don''t cry, my dear. Tell me what''s going on, and I will help."


    "Joseph, he ..."


    Joseph walked in just as Anna opened her mouth.


    Dora saw her panic and followed her gaze, "Joseph?"


    "You are awake?" Joseph showed no emotion.


    Anna pulled her knees up to her chest and repeatedly cried, "I didn''t hurt her! I didn''t hurt her! I didn''t¡­"


    Sensing that Anna had done something, Dora tried to intervene, "Joseph, you don''t think that Anna had something to do with Kate''s miscarriage, do you?"


    "The evidence is overwhelming; there isn''t really much she can say," Joseph walked to the side of Anna''s bed and questioned, "You also plotted Alan''s sudden death, didn''t you?"


    Anna was frightened and pitifully looked at Joseph, "You bought Alan for me, he was important to me. Why would I want to kill him?"


    "You''re still lying!"


    "Joseph, I didn''t ..."


    Anna was so flustered that she couldn''t fight back. She heard a knock on the door, hoping it was the doctor, she yelled, "Come in."


    Amy walked in; Anna was alarmed to see her, "What is she doing here?"


    "Miss Anna, I could not lie any longer. I am sorry if what I say offends you," Amy nodded at Anna, and then confirmed, "Lord Joseph, it was indeed Miss Anna that caused Lady Kate to miscarry her baby. When I said I was going to call an ambulance, Miss Anna threatened me. She said that she would let Lady Kate and her baby die¡­"


    "Bitch, you''re lying!" Anna never expected Amy to betray her. "You were there. You were watching us then and ..."


    "So, you admit it?" Joseph looked at her with a cold gaze.


    Anna then realized that she had made a colossal mistake, she immediately denied everything, "I mean, Kate fell down the stairs, and this bitch wouldn''t help her up. Joseph, don''t believe what she is saying. She is just trying to cause trouble because she has an ulterior motive!"

 Chapter 76 Kneel and Beg Forgiveness

    Dora understood her daughter, but Anna was an impulsive person who could not cope well under pressure. When Anna was unable to respond to the accusations, Dora was disappointed. She believed that if she could, she would be able to win over Kate, just as Dora had with Flora.


    "Joseph, please allow me to say something," Dora took on Anna''s responsibility.


    Quickly, "On that night, Anna was asked by her father to apologize to Kate. Leo felt extremely guilty for hitting his daughter. Due to his difficulty walking, he entrusted Anna to speak to Kate on his behalf. Don''t listen to what Kate is saying, and do not incriminate Anna."


    Dora assumed that Joseph still loved Anna, she was unaware that after he caught her telling so many lies that he had no feelings for her.


    "Incriminate her?" Joseph replied, "Anna admitted to harming Kate, and I am sure that you are completely aware of everything."


    "Admitted?" Dora looked at Anna in surprise. Anna shook her head as her mother continued, "Joseph, you cannot force Anna to admit something she did not do. She is the love of your life!"


    "As her mother, you don''t know what your daughter has done? She took advantage of Kate''s trust and conned her way into my heart. And now, she killed my baby. I will get even with your daughter for all she has done!"


    Joseph directed his two bodyguards to take Anna to Kate''s room.


    A few moments before they walked into her room, Kate hung up the phone with Lisa. She was shocked to see Anna kneeling on the ground and shouted, "What are you, don''t here?"


    Joseph walked in, and before he was able to shut the door, Kate heard Dora shouting. She was yelling, "Joseph, you don''t understand what Anna is saying. She¡­" Then suddenly, she was stopped by one of Joseph''s bodyguards.


    Kate thought they were all putting on an excellent performance, but when she saw Anna kneeling at her bedside, she did feel gratified.


    "Kate, I have found out the truth. You have the right to punish her," Joseph was going to send Anna directly to the police station, but he wanted to allow Kate to get revenge for herself and their baby.


    "You finally admit what you''ve done!" Kate snarled. However, she was curious as to why such a stubborn person would readily admit to her crimes.


    "I admit that I argued and fought with you that night. But I did not kill your baby on purpose. You didn''t tell me that you were pregnant. I suspect that you hid that fact on purpose!"


    "On purpose?" Kate thought Anna did not regret her actions and that she only wanted to belittle Kate further, "You mean it was not Joseph''s baby? So, I used you to kill the baby?"


    "You are not only slandering me but also Samuel. What a great hoax!"


    How could I forgive such an evil person! Kate thought to herself.


    "Slander? Even Joseph suspects that you are having an affair with Samuel," Anna was purposely trying to prompt a conflict between Kate and Joseph.


    Seeing Anna''s intentions, Joseph warned her immediately, "Talk about what we have evidence of, not nonsense!"


    Then Joseph asked Kate, "Do you want her to go to the police station or¡­"


    "Are you willing to do that?" Kate asked cautiously, "You love her. I am sure that if you send her there, you will find a way to get her released."


    "Don''t say such angry things! I am willing to punish Anna," Dora knelt down and begged, "Lord Joseph, please let my daughter go. She is just bad-tempered but doesn''t have an evil mind."


    "She is as evil as you, Dora! You bitch!" Cassie pushed the door open and marched toward Dora. Raising her hand, Cassie slapped Dora across the face, "You are an evil, evil woman! You not only stole Flora''s husband, but you also taught your daughter how to do the same. Anna killed my grandchild; she cannot escape punishment!"


    Dora was furious after Cassie hit her, "Don''t talk about the past in front of them! You don''t understand the love between Leo and me, so you have no right to judge!"


    "Mom, please stop!" Anna was humiliated, but Dora felt ashamed and did not care that Cassie was Joseph''s mother. However, Anna knew that it would only make things worse between her and Cassie.


    When Dora heard her daughter yell, she snapped to her senses; she remembered that White Group would need Joseph''s help in the future, so she tried her best to restrain her emotions.


    Once Cassie was done with Dora, she stepped toward Anna and slapped her as well, "You son of a bitch!"


    Anna''s cuts from Lisa''s beating were still fresh, and the impact of Cassie''s slap caused them to start bleeding again. Stunned by the blood and force of the hand across her face, Anna was speechless.


    While Cassie was disciplining Anna and Dora, Kate watched Joseph. She expected to see him stop his mother, but instead, he remained calm and stood quietly.


    "You need to know what the consequences are of injuring others for no reason," Cassie wanted to send Anna to prison so that she could no longer interfere in Joseph''s and Kate''s marriage.


    Anna was scared and apologized, "Aunt Cassie, I understand that you think this my fault. I did not do it on purpose. I am so sorry¡­sorry¡­"


    Cassie was trying to force Anna to admit what she had done, which left Amy feeling relieved. Since she was not involved in the fight, she might be able to escape punishment by the police.


    "Can you bring my grandchild back, or can Kate recover just because you apologize? No, I will not let you get away with this!" Cassie was not going to lose the opportunity to get Anna out of their lives.


    "Kate, I know I hurt you and your baby. But Dad is old; he needs my help. Please forgive me this time for Dad''s sake. I will never disturb your life with Joseph again," Anna begged sincerely then knelt in front of Kate.


    "Do you think I will forgive you because you are using Dad as an excuse?" Kate sneered, "In the last two years, you have tried to frame me multiple times for things I haven''t done. If you hadn''t been caught this time, would you apologize and ask me to let you go? You know everything you have done and what you deserve."


    "So, you mean you will charge her?" Dora shouted, "Fine, she can handle it. It won''t be that big a deal. Even if she goes to prison, she will still be young when she gets out. She will be able to start over!"

 Chapter 77 The Wealth or Anna

    "Your father has difficulty walking; you know that," Dora frowned, "Before I left, he asked me to visit your sister because he felt guilty for slapping her. However, he did lose his legs because of her. She forgets that, but I really don''t think your dad can save you this time."


    When Kate was reminded of her father''s inability to walk, she felt confused. No matter how cruel he had been to her, he was still her father. Kate knew Dora was right and that Leo lost his legs when he and Anna got in the car accident on the way to pick her up.


    Cassie noticed that Kate wasn''t reacting to anything; she was afraid that she would let Anna get away with her crimes. She told Kate, "Even if people blame you for the accident, that has nothing to do with these two evil women. Don''t let your guilt get the best of you."


    "Cassie Smith, mind your own business!" Dora shouted, still trying to save her daughter.


    "Kate is my daughter-in-law. I will get even with whoever hurts her," Cassie said determinedly.


    Kate was very touched by Cassie''s words. Though she and Joseph did not get along very well, at least his mother treated her like a daughter.


    Dora was speechless.


    "Do you really want to save your daughter?" Kate asked as she tried to come up with a plan. She wondered how Dora would react if she had to pick between the White family''s wealth or her daughter.


    "What do you mean?" Dora asked in confusion.


    Joseph looked at Kate; he had so many questions and concerns. He had no idea what Kate was thinking, and he was worried.


    "I will give you two choices; give up all of the White family''s wealth, or have your daughter go to jail."


    Dora erupted like a volcano, "I knew you just wanted to kick us out of the family, but I never expected that you would threaten me like this! Forget it! I will not give up!"


    "You''re right. I have always wanted you to leave. My mother built the White Group and left it to me. Your existence only pollutes it!" Kate would never have been so cruel if they hadn''t hurt her so much. She had to stand up for herself, though, or else they would continue to bully her.


    When Cassie heard Kate''s ultimatum, she commented, "Kate, it was always her dream to be a rich woman. To achieve her dream, she was willing to be Leo''s mistress for years. If you take the money away from her, it would be worse than losing her daughter."


    "No, I don''t agree," Dora refused, "The White family belongs to me. I will not leave even when I die!"


    "Do you hear that, Anna? I gave your mother an option, but she chose the money over you," Kate scoffed, looking at Anna, kneeling on the floor.


    Dora squatted next to her daughter and rubbed her back, "You will only be in jail for a few years. It will be okay. After you are released, you¡­"


    "Mom!" Anna collapsed and cried in front of everyone, "Have you forgotten everything I went through the past two years? Every day, every hour, even every second was torturous. And now, you want me to continue suffering? I listened to you and wasted two years. If you give me up, I will¡­"


    "Shut up!" Dora was afraid that Anna would tell everyone what they did two years earlier. She swiftly covered Anna''s mouth and scolded, "What are you saying? Why are you so upset? Don''t make a fool of yourself in front of so many people, okay?"


    "I will count to three, and then I need your final answer," Kate said sternly.


    "You can do what you chose, Mom," Anna said as she plotted how to get revenge on Kate. Joseph was still in the room, so she had to be careful, though, "I will be as careful as possible, and I will continue to be strong."


    Cassie thought about the car accident hoax she came up with two years earlier; she had no choice in the situation, "Okay, I will give up the White family if you let Anna go this time."


    "Did you hear that, President Joseph?" Kate turned around to ask Joseph, "I hope you can testify on my behalf."


    Joseph felt uncomfortable when Kate called him President Joseph. He understood that they did not have an intimate relationship, but the title made him feel even more isolated from her.


    "Of course, I will," Joseph replied.


    Anna was crushed to hear Joseph''s answer; it felt like he stabbed her and left her to die.


    "It is settled then. Please get out of my house NOW!" Kate demanded not even worried about where they would go. She also mentioned, "By the way, only take your belongings. Do not take anything that belongs to me! If I find out that you have, you will be in even more trouble."


    Dora was enraged. The only hope she and Anna had would be if Leo begged Kate to allow them to stay. She prayed he would since they had been married for so long.


    "Wait!" Joseph called to them suddenly.


    Kate was alarmed; she assumed he was going to try to stop her from kicking Dora and Anna out of her house.


    "Joseph?" Anna asked cheerfully; she was thrilled that he was going to help her.


    "Joseph, if you¡­" Cassie scolded him in advance as a warning. He nodded and put his hand up to tell his mother she did not need to say anything more.


    "The proper person to inherit White Group is Kate, not Dora. I think you know what you must do next, correct, Mrs. White?" Joseph glared at Dora.


    Dora was appalled by what Joseph was insinuating; she froze in her tracks.


    Kate could not believe that Joseph was standing by her.


    Cassie was thrilled, "Thank you, my son. You should have done this sooner."


    "Joseph, why are you attacking my mother when she is already down? If she does not have White Group, we will have nothing," Anna cried with frustration.


    "That is the whole reason. Don''t you understand?" Joseph smirked.


    Anna was frightened; she shook her head in disbelief, "No, Joseph! I am the one you love! You cannot treat me this way!"


    "I''ve said that I hate dishonesty!" Joseph emphasized each word, "We are done, forever!"


    Anna fell to the ground as if a huge mountain landed on her shoulders.


    "Excellent!" Cassie applauded her son, "You should have seen her true personality long ago. The entire time, she cheated you and framed Kate. She almost forced you to let go of the one who truly loves you."

 Chapter 78 Well Done Kate

    Seeing her daughter discarded like garbage, Dora reprimanded Joseph, pointing a finger in his face, "Joseph, you make me furious! My daughter sacrificed so much for you, but you just throw her away with a few simple words! You are insanely cruel!"


    "So, what?" Cassie argued back, "Do you still want my son to pay her some kind of settlement? You know yourself how much help you got from Smith Group, wasn''t that enough?"


    "You¡­" Dora did not know how to answer.


    "ENOUGH!" Kate did not want to hear them bickering, "I will give you one afternoon. If you cannot move all your things out in that time, I can have someone help you!"


    "You¡­" Dora was too angry to say anything.


    "Mom¡­" Anna cried bitterly. She knew whatever she said would be pointless, so she grabbed her mother by the arm and pulled her out of the room.


    "They are finally gone! Thank goodness, now it will be quiet in here!" Cassie smiled. She turned to Kate and nodded at her, "Kate, very well done!"


    Though Cassie praised her, she could not be happy. After all, no matter what punishment Dora and Anna received, it would bring her baby back. Kate was overwhelmed with the guilt and not realizing she was pregnant.


    "Dora is keen on appearances. She fought to become a rich woman by marrying Leo, despite numerous obstacles. Two years ago, when Anna left, she was lost more than her daughter, perhaps that is the cruelest punishment she could receive."


    Cassie sighed and continued, "And, Anna is just as much of a bitch. She is the same as her mother, seducing rich, married men. She was severely punished this time, but if she ever dares to try and seduce my son again, I will make her pay!"


    The comments Cassie made were also so that Joseph was aware of what she would do. She was concerned about him, even though Anna did not fool him at that time. Cassie did not believe that Anna would give up that easily and would try to trap Joseph.


    "Mom, you can go home," Joseph smiled at Cassie.


    Understanding what he was saying, Cassie smiled back and then said, "Kate, please make sure you get a good rest today. I will be back to visit tomorrow. Also, if there is anything you would like to eat, please just tell Joseph or call me and I will make it for you."


    "Thank you, Mom!" Kate smiled at Cassie, "You have been doing so much for me. You must be exhausted!"


    Joseph felt that it was not suitable to mention the baby in front of Kate. He looked over to see her reaction, but she remained calm, though she did not reply to Cassie.


    Cassie was mortified and said, "I am leaving now."


    Kate understood that Cassie was just trying to encourage her to work things out with Joseph and that she was not trying to hurt her. However, Kate could not imagine staying married to Joseph after everything that had happened. She wanted to thank him for punishing Anna, though, "It must be very difficult for you to break up with Anna."


    Joseph did not say anything; he just sat and looked at Kate.


    "I will be discharged tomorrow. So, if you have anything to tell me, please wait until then," Kate did not want to talk about their marriage. She already had enough emotional conversations and was exhausted.


    Seeing the dark circles under Kate''s eyes, he also thought it wasn''t appropriate to speak about their marriage at that time. He softly said, "Okay, you get some rest."


    Once Joseph left, Kate immediately called Daisy.


    "Dora and Anna screamed and cursed you when they got home. When Mr. White came home from work and found out what happened, he did not say a word. Dora grabbed him and hit him, but he just took it and remained silent."


    "Okay, call me if anything happens. I need to get some rest," Kate hung up the phone and closed her eyes. However, her mind would not stop racing, and she was too anxious to fall asleep. She wondered if she let them off the hook too easily, she did not feel confident in the punishment they received.


    **


    The next day, Lisa was in Kate''s hospital room, "When I went to get the paperwork for you to leave, Joseph had already done them. We can leave as soon as you are ready."


    "Okay, let me get changed out of this hospital gown, then we can go!"


    When Kate walked out of the bathroom, Lisa looked at her, then lowered her head.


    Kate was confused and asked, "What''s wrong with you?"


    Lisa shook her head and sobbed, "You are so much thinner. You need to eat more when you get home!"


    Kate laughed, "You will be a good mother!"


    "Why do you say that?" Lisa questioned.


    "You know, only mothers would say such things!"


    "You too¡­" Lisa blurted out but suddenly regretted what she said. She quickly changed the subject, "Kate, I need to tell you something. There is a man who has recently been chasing after me."


    "Really?" Kate smiled in surprise. Seeing her smile, Lisa felt better.


    As Kate and Lisa walked out of the hospital, they saw Joseph waiting for them. He rushed to take their bags and put them in the car.


    "Thank you!" Lisa said politely, but Kate turned away, pretending not to see him.


    "Since you have someone to pick you up, I will not take you home," Lisa said to Kate.


    "Okay," Kate mumbled.


    After getting in the car, Kate still refused to look at Joseph. She avoided all eye contact with him. He wanted to talk to her repeatedly over the last few weeks but could not think of a topic for them to discuss; he was extremely disappointed.


    The hour-long drive to the Smith mansion was silent. Joseph gradually slowed down to a stop. Kate reached out to open the door, but Joseph said, "Don''t get out."


    Kate was shocked, and before she knew it, he was at her door, he quickly put his coat around her shoulders, then picked her up. Joseph carried her into the mansion even when she demanded that he put her down.


    "The doctor said you are still weak and need to rest. You should try not to move too much and make sure that you keep warm," Joseph was afraid that she would not listen to him, so he repeated the doctor''s warning.


    "I don''t need your help," Kate said coldly, thinking he was insincere.


    "But I want to help," Joseph persisted as he kicked the bedroom open and then gently placed her on the bed.

 Chapter 79 Goodbye Joseph

    "Go away!" Kate shouted with disgust when she came to her senses.


    In the past, it was always Joseph who acted so cold, but now it was Kate. It was the same cold and unaffectionate atmosphere, but the one creating was the only difference.


    Joseph got up immediately and asked gently, "Did I hurt you?"


    Kate did not answer him. She got up, pulled open the drawer, took out a file from it, and signed her name.


    "I just signed our divorce papers. Congratulations! You are free. And, I am congratulating myself for being rid of your torture!" Kate had never been so sure of anything before. Instead of feeling sad, she felt a great sense of relief.


    Joseph stared at the agreement that he had a lawyer create and asked, "You are going to divorce me?!?"


    It was a great joke! He had been eager to divorce me before. Now that I have agreed, why are you asking me? He should be thrilled. Kate thought to herself.


    "Mr. Smith, I have signed it. I hope you will sign it too. We should divorce sooner than later," After saying that, she put the agreement on the table and left the bedroom.


    Later that evening, Kate sent Lisa a message asking her to rent a car so that she could move her belongings. Lisa agreed without asking any questions because she wanted to support Kate''s decisions.


    **


    Early the next morning, Lisa arrived in the rental car.


    Joseph had no idea that Kate would leave so soon. Therefore, when he woke up and found Kate packing, he anxiously asked, "What are you doing?"


    Kate did not look at him; she simply replied, "I have no connection to you or this house now that I have signed the divorce papers."


    Joseph frowned and became angry. He grasped her hand to stop her and said, "I haven''t agreed to it!"


    Kate scoffed and calmly said, "You made the agreement. Do you have an objection to the content in it? If not, I think you should agree to sign it. After all, there is no love in our marriage, only sorrow."


    "What if I don''t agree?" Joseph was filled with heartache when he thought of them getting a divorce.


    "Do you think you can compensate for Anna''s crime if you don''t divorce me? Don''t daydream! Plus, I am sure she is waiting for you to marry her," Kate said to irritate him further, "I don''t love you anymore. I am more worried that I may wake up one night, remember what you and Anna did to me, and physically hurt you."


    "Kate, are you ready to leave?" Lisa had been waiting downstairs, but when Kate didn''t come down, she went to check on her.


    Kate replied, "Yes, come in!"


    "Okay!"


    Lisa had explained to Nick that Kate had a lot of things to move since she had lived there for two years and that they could use his help to carry the heavy items. Nick agreed to help, but when he walked in and saw Joseph''s hurtful expression, he didn''t know what to say.


    Though Lisa was afraid of Joseph, she ignored him and concentrated on gathering Kate''s belongings.


    "You just have this stuff?" Lisa asked in surprise, pointing at the package. She feared that one car would not be big enough or all of Kate''s items. However, there were only two suitcases.


    "Two suitcases! It''s enough," Kate smiled and glimpsed Joseph, saying, "If you are worried that I took anything belonging to your family, please feel free to check."


    Joseph felt a sudden pain in his chest when Kate permitted him to check her luggage. He suddenly realized what a large part of his heart belonged to Kate.


    Lisa saw Joseph''s expression change. She stepped in front of Kate and said, "Lord Joseph, Kate has suffered a lot during the last two years. I hope you can let her go."


    "Yes, Joseph. Since you don''t love her, I also think you should agree to¡­"


    "You really want to divorce me?" Joseph interrupted Nick and asked Kate.


    "Of course!" Kate answered without thinking.


    "Okay!" Joseph smiled reluctantly, "I agree to the divorce."


    "Thank you!" Kate replied, but her voice cracked because she was still a little hurt.


    It only took five minutes to walk from the bedroom, pack the car and get to the gate, but to Kate, it felt much longer.


    "Don''t be sad, Kate. Everything will be fine, and you will live a much better life after leaving Joseph," Lisa comforted Kate, "Now that Anna and Dora are gone, you can go back to your home. No one will hurt you or say bad things about you there! And¡­"


    "Lisa, can you tell me which way to go? I am worried I may make a wrong turn,"


    Nick interrupted her on purpose because he was afraid that she might say too much.


    "Are you an idiot? You have been there before."


    "I forget. I haven''t been there for a long time. I cannot remember clearly," Nick


    looked her in the eye, signaling to her what he was doing.


    "Okay, I will help you," Lisa sighed.


    Kate remained silent all the way. She replayed scenes of her life with Joseph; she had thought she could easily forget the two-years of unhappy life together. However, when she left, she felt conflicted. Her love for Joseph had been torturous, but she could not forget everything.


    Half an hour later, when they arrived at the White mansion, Leo was waiting.


    Before Kate climbed out of the car, she could see the anger on his face.


    Leo immediately began to shout, "Kate, Anna is your sister. Even though she made a mistake, you should not kick her out of this house. And Dora, she is two-faced but did not do anything to harm you. I am so disappointed!"

 Chapter 80 Dora the Scoundrel

    "Okay, thank you!" Kate thanked both of them.


    Nick said, "You are welcome! You are Lisa''s best friend, so you are also my friend. We will be by your side when you need us!"


    Kate felt like crying. But she tried to restrain herself and replied, "Don''t worry. I can deal with everything."


    "Kate!" Daisy pulled Kate to a corner and whispered to her, "Your dad is furious now. You''d better stay away from him and not talk to him until he calms down!"


    "Daisy, I divorced Joseph," Kate told her calmly.


    "What?" Daisy was shocked. She asked, "You love him. Why would you¡­"


    "Love?" Kate scoffed, "Can love to replace everything? At that time, he did not fall in love with me. I don''t want to live such a humble life."


    Daisy looked at her with pity and encouraged her, "I will back every decision you made."


    "Thank you. Let''s take my stuff to my bedroom."


    "Okay!"


    As Kate and Daisy were carrying her suitcases inside, Leo rolled his wheelchair up to them. He was even angrier than before; Kate hadn''t said anything to him after when he shouted at her. He yelled again, "Didn''t you hear what I said?"


    His questioning made Kate very uncomfortable. She said, "Some words, I have to pretend not to hear."


    "How can you say that?" Leo thought his daughter was polite before, but she had become more and more headstrong, "Don''t think that you can force others out of her as the owner of this house."


    "You are correct; this is my house. I have the right to kick anyone I don''t like out," Kate argued back at him for trying to defend Dora and Anna.


    "You¡­" Leo was too angry to utter a word. After a while, he shouted, "Will you really drive them away?"


    "Yes. I am serious!"


    "Lady Kate, I have got all your things in your room," a maid commented.


    "Okay, now go clean my bedroom right now. Throw out any of Dora and Anna''s belongings. If I find anything of theirs in my room, I will deduct it from your salary!" Kate ordered.


    Kate was aware that Dora hired all of the servants. Therefore, if she did not establish her authority immediately, they would look down upon her.


    "Yes, Lady Kate!" the maid nodded and signaled to the others to help.


    Leo did not understand why Kate was asking them to clean her room. He questioned, "Are you moving in?"


    "Yes!" Kate answered him directly as she thought it not necessary to cover up the fact. Perhaps it was because she had already accepted the truth, but Kate calmly said, "I have divorced Joseph, so I will now live in my own home."


    As his daughter, Kate clearly knew what was worrying Leo. She smiled, "Don''t worry, Dad. I will help you manage and operate White Group."


    Kate did not want to take over the family business, but with Leo''s difficulties walking, she had to try.


    "You?" Leo looked at her, suspiciously, "I asked you to get a bachelor''s degree in economics, but you didn''t listen. You took art, how do you think you will be able to manage a company? It is not easy!"


    "Dora is only good at playing bridge, and she isn''t family. However, you allowed her to manage White Group," Kate snarled. She sighed and said, "I understand that I have not learned about corporate management, but I am not totally ignorant of how it works."


    Leo knew that he could not change her mind, so he asked, "Did you really divorce Joseph?"


    "Do you think I''m lying?" Kate commented.


    Leo took a deep breath and cried, "I know that there was no love between you two and that you would get a divorce sooner or later. However,¡­"


    "Dad, if you don''t have anything else to say, I am going to go to my bedroom to rest," Kate interrupted.


    "You don''t¡­" Leo asked her cautiously, but Kate went upstairs without looking back.


    Leo had no choice but to watch her walk away.


    At dinner, Kate and Leo were eating quietly when Dora''s shrill voice echoed from down the hall.


    "You bastard, Leo! Your daughter and I have nowhere to live, but you are sitting having a meal as if nothing happened. Do you still consider me your wife and Anna, your daughter?"


    Hearing Dora''s voice from behind him, Leo put his knife down and turned his wheelchair around to face her. He glimpsed at Kate as he spun around; he wanted to say something but dared not to.


    Kate continued eating her dinner, ignoring both Leo and Dora.


    "Don''t shout in here," Leo ordered and glared at her as a warning not to make a mess in the house.


    Dora either did not understand what he meant or didn''t care. She shouted, "I will not only shout, but I will also break everything in this house! I will not let you live in peace!"


    Running into the living room, Dora began to smash anything she could grab. Leo wheeled his chair behind her and saw his valuable vase laying broken, "What are you doing, Dora? Do you know how expensive that vase was?"


    "I don''t care. If you don''t let me come back, I will break everything!"


    Kate slammed her fork and knife down on the table. She marched to the living room and warned Dora, "I will count to three, and then if you do not stop, I will call the police!"


    Dora paused for a moment, "Don''t threaten me with the police!" She sat down on the sofa and lit a cigarette, "I will not leave her, even if I die, I will haunt this house!"


    "Get her out of here!" Kate ordered the housekeeper.


    "I¡­I dare not¡­" the housekeeper stammered.


    Dora smiled in satisfaction, "He will not listen to you. He only sees me as the owner of this house!"


    "Since you are so loyal to her, you can leave with her!" Kate turned to Daisy, "Pay him what he is owed, and then he is to leave the property."


    "What?" Dora turned angry, "Don''t push me to hit you."

 Chapter 81 Back in Kates Room

    The housekeeper trembled. He immediately stooped down to beg Kate, "Lady Kate, Dora forced me to monitor your every action and report to her. Please forgive me this time. I dare not¡­"


    "You useless, piece of crap! You just give in when others threaten you? No wonder you cannot achieve anything!" Dora shouted at the housekeeper.


    "Dad, Dora promised me in the hospital that she and Anna will not step foot in this house as long as I let her daughter go. She agreed only yesterday, but now she is going back on her word. Do you think this is acceptable?"


    Kate asked Leo because he was the head of the family and because his answer would be like stabbing Dora in the heart.


    Leo felt uncomfortable and did not know how to respond.


    "Are you deaf or mute? Say you want us to stay here. SAY IT!" Dora shouted angrily, seeming to overwhelm Leo.


    Kate could see clearly that Leo had been fed up with Dora for a long time, but he was stuck in an awful situation.


    Seeing Leo remain silent, Dora was furious. She yelled, "You will regret this!"


    Kate looked at the fragments of the vase and crouched down to pick them up.


    "Dad, I remember that my mother gave you this vase," Kate whispered. Inside she cursed that woman that dared to smash a vase left by her mother.


    Leo observed the vase fragments. In his mind, what he thought of was not Flora''s love, but the vase''s value. Therefore, he did not acknowledge Kate.


    Kate didn''t say anything more as she and Daisy cleaned up the fragments. The housekeeper stood, watching them in silence.


    Suddenly, Leo told him, "You are fired!"


    "Mr. White, I¡­"


    "No room for discussion. I will pay you an extra one-month salary," Leo did not want to listen to his explanation.


    Kate did not object to her dad''s decision. After all, if they kept the housekeeper, all of their actions would be reported to Dora and Anna.


    "Mr. Smith, besides the housekeeper, Sunny also likes to tell others what is happening," In Kate''s presence, Daisy dared to tell Leo everything.


    Leo frowned and thought for a while, then he called Sunny into the room, "Today will be your last day of working here."


    Sunny was frightened, "Mr. White, I have been committed to serve you all of these years and have made no mistakes. Why are you firing me?"


    "You should know it is pointless to use that as a reason for me to change my mind," Leo shook his head in disbelief.


    Sunny was full of bitterness, but with Dora out of the house, nobody could help her.


    "Kate, I fired them as you wish. Can you¡­"


    Kate thought Leo fired them for his own reasons. She never expected that it was to get on her good side so that she might let Dora and Anna back.


    Leo shut his eyes and gave up begging.


    **


    That night, Kate laid in bed wide awake. For the last two years, she hadn''t slept in her childhood home. It was where she grew up, but she was not used to it.


    Perhaps it was because her mother was not there, so it did not feel like home.


    **


    At the Smith mansion, Amy observed dinner still on the table and sighed, "Lord Joseph still did not eat dinner. I have heated them many times."


    "It seems that the departure of Lady Kate has taken its toll on Lord Joseph," Ricky commented.


    "How can that be, though? Lord Joseph wanted her to leave before. After all, he does not love Kate at all."


    "Don''t be so loud. She is Lord Joseph''s wife; you should not call her by her first name only," When he barely escaped punishment, Ricky learned a valuable less and became very respectful.


    However, Amy ignored him and contested, "I am just telling the truth."


    "Are they living apart? I saw Kate left with two big suitcases yesterday," Amy guessed, "Or are they divorced?"


    "Divorced?" Ricky thought for a while and said, "There is a possibility. After all, Lord Joseph does not love her, and they would have divorced at some point."


    "Is there a chance that Anna will not be his wife? She did lead to Kate''s miscarriage," Amy was happy with the belief she defeated two of her enemies. She hoped that she could win Joseph''s heart.


    **


    Just as the sun was starting to come up, Kate finally fell asleep. It was mid after when she woke up.


    Daisy made soup and took it to her room. She said gently, "Kate, you haven''t fully recovered. You need to get more rest in the next few days."


    "It does not matter." Kate wanted to get a shower and go to Symantec to resign.


    "Don''t make me worry about you, okay?" Daisy asked.


    "Don''t worry about me, Daisy," Kate told her and then went to brush her teeth. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Daisy taking out her mother''s picture.


    Kate asked her in confusion, "Daisy, what are you doing with my mother''s picture?"


    "Don''t you remember your mother''s photo was in the middle of the living room before?"


    "Yes."


    "After you left, Dora had someone to take it down, saying it was unlucky. Now that she is gone, we should put it back where it belongs. We should let everyone know who the owner of this house is."


    Daisy''s actions greatly touched Kate; she said, "Okay, you are right! Please have it put up again!"


    "By the way, Kate. Since the housekeeper and Sunny were both fired. Do we need to recruit someone else to replace them?"


    Kate patted her head, saying, "Oh my! I forgot about that. Yes, I trust you to find someone. Remember, with Dad having difficulty walking; we need someone to help him."


    "Okay, I promise I will find two suitable people."


    "Great!" Kate felt relieved that Daisy was there to help her.


    **


    At three o''clock, Kate walked into the Symantec office.


    "Why are you leaving?" Albert was surprised when he received her resignation letter.


    The first reason he could think of was because of Joseph.

 Chapter 82 Get the Divorce Certificate

    "Because of my family affairs. I hope you can understand."


    "Family?" Albert asked.


    Kate knew he was referring to Joseph, so she explained, "To assist with my father''s company."


    Albert felt bad for Kate and told her, "I am unwilling to accept your resignation for the work and benefits you can bring to me. But you¡­"


    "Sorry, Albert. As I said, I hope you can understand," Kate apologized and walked out of his office.


    Albert had no way to stop her. However, the moment she was gone, he called Joseph.


    "Resign?" Joseph was somewhat surprised.


    "You didn''t know? I thought you two discussed it," Albert cautiously replied.


    "It is okay, I get it," Joseph said and hung up.


    Kate left Symantec and went directly back to the White mansion. She saw a black car parked in front of the house. She moaned when she realized it was one of Joseph''s many vehicles.


    As soon as she walked in the door, Kate demanded, "Why are you here?"


    "You resigned?" Joseph asked directly.


    "You were well-informed rather fast!" Kate guessed Albert told him. She asked Joseph, "What does it matter to you?"


    "You really hate me, don''t you?" Joseph asked, but he already knew the answer.


    "How else should I feel? Am I supposed to love you?" Though she knew she still felt some love for him, she had to stop herself from saying it. After all, she was not going to repeat the past.


    "Then what''s your plan?" Joseph asked out of worry.


    "To tell you the truth, I''m going to inherit White Group," Kate told him for no reason other than to annoy him, "Dora wanted Anna to take it over, but now all of her plans have failed. What a pity!"


    Kate thought Joseph would be angry about her taking over the company. However, he surprised her; he gently said, "You don''t know much about managing a company. It may be very difficult for you."


    Though Joseph truly cared about her, she just assumed he was trying to down her abilities.


    Kate refuted, "I can learn. No one is born knowing how to do things. As long as I study hard, I will do very well."


    "I believe you can do it. Anyway, if you need my help, you can ask me at any time," Joseph said with a smile.


    Help? Ask him? Did I hear that, right? Kate questioned and stared at him. However, no matter what Joseph said, she would always think he had evil intentions.


    "By the way, if you sign the divorce agreement, we can get the divorce certificate as soon as possible. I may be swamped and not have time to deal with it," Kate said impatiently.


    Joseph did not reply to her immediately. He smiled again and said, "We can go now. I have the agreement in my car."


    When they went to the marriage registry for the first time, it was to get their marriage certificate. At that time, Joseph would not even look at her, and if he did, his eyes were full of bitterness. Even though Kate was forced to marry him, she loved him and thought things would be better in the future. She believed they would cook together; Joseph would listen to her, respect her family, and possibly resolve the misunderstandings. However, after two years, everything had changed but not for the better. She gained nothing in the end but not regret marrying Joseph.


    "Why aren''t you smiling?" Kate teased on purpose.


    Smiling? Joseph asked himself. When he looked at Kate and saw the smile on her face, he was crushed.


    "It''s a gratifying decision. You finally don''t have to wake up next to your enemy anymore. Do you remember when we came to get the marriage certificate? You had such an attitude and refused to look at me," Kate said.


    Joseph looked at the certificate, and the word divorce was like a knife piercing him. Their marriage was ending, and he admitted that he did not like her and only married her to seek revenge for Anna. During the two years of their marriage, he treated her horribly, and she had plenty of reasons to be happy about the divorce. Yet, Joseph wanted to tell her that he fell in love with her after he knew the truth. He wanted to start over, and have a normal life where they did things as a couple, like shopping and cooking. But, Kate would not give him the opportunity.


    Their marriage ended today. Joseph admitted he did not like her and married her just to revenge for Anna at the beginning. So, in the past two years, he mistreated her. She had enough reasons to be happy about the divorce now. However, Joseph also wanted to say that he gradually fell in love with her after the misunderstandings between them eliminated. He wanted to start all over again and get along well with her.


    "You see, this is a divorce certificate. There is only one word different from the marriage certificate. We have been through a lot!"


    "You should be happy about it, though, because now you will have a new life and be free to marry anyone you want," Kate reminded him.


    Joseph squinted his eyes and said, "That is complete nonsense!"


    "So, what? You cannot bully me now. I''ve divorced you, and my grandma is gone. You cannot threaten me now. I''m not afraid of you!"


    Joseph did not know how to answer her. He was mortified at how terribly he had treated Kate during their marriage.


    Seeing him not reacting, Kate felt as if she might have pushed him too far. She smiled, "It is all done. I will be leaving now."


    After taking several steps, Kate suddenly remembered she had something for Joseph. She took a cheque out of her purse and walked toward him, "Sorry, I nearly forgot about this. It is the cheque you gave him before; it is all here. I never spent a penny."


    Joseph looked at the cheque and did not understand, "Why are you returning it to me?"


    "I asked for it at that time so that my grandma could have the best medical care, but now, she¡­No, you actually used it to buy Dora the management right to White Group. Now, I am in charge, so I am giving it back to you."


    Joseph looked at her and remained silent.


    Kate felt very uncomfortable having Joseph staring at her, "Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?"

 Chapter 83 A Farewell Dinner

    Kate stared at him, "I''ve said that it is none of your business. If you want to make things difficult for me so that you can get revenge for Anna, I will have issues. So, I hope you will be kind."


    She spoke more confidently than before, Joseph noticed. He figured it was because she ended their marriage and was out from under his control. Regardless, in his eyes, Kate looked lovelier than ever before. He could see her true beauty that had been restrained by his cruelty and dominance.


    "Let''s have dinner together!" Joseph advised.


    "Have dinner?" Kate was surprised. She asked curiously, "Do all divorced couples have a farewell dinner?"


    Her words were so cute that he chuckled, "It is my first divorce. How would I know?"


    Kate scoffed, "I am glad to be the first one. When you divorce again, you will have experience."


    Joseph cast a cold glance at her and warned her, "Don''t mention the word divorce from now one!"


    Why did he not want me to mention it? Was it not what he wanted? Now that I have no connection to him, why should I have dinner with him? It would be the last time. Just look at it as a farewell dinner. Kate reminded herself.


    Kate was lost in her thoughts and didn''t notice the stair in front of her. She was about to fall over when Joseph reached out to grab her.


    "Thank you!" Kate thanked him without hesitating. She thought Joseph would let go over her hand, but instead, he held it as they walked toward the restaurant across the street. Kate was shocked but didn''t pull away from him.


    When they were seated at a window table, Joseph pulled her chair out and let go of her hand. Even when he took his hand away from hers, Kate could feel the heat from it still on her skin.


    The waitress handed a menu to Joseph. He said, "Give it to her!"


    Kate stared at her hand but did not take it from the waitress.


    "Ma''am, the gentleman has asked that you order," The waitress commented.


    "Mm¡­Okay," Kate then looked away from her hand, feeling both shy and frustrated.


    "A steak dinner; that will be all. Oh, wait, no potatoes."


    Kate pushed the menu to Joseph''s side and said, "It''s your turn."


    "You¡­" Joseph was going to ask how she knew he didn''t like potatoes. But thinking about what she wrote in letters, he knew immediately.


    "I don''t like potatoes nor soybean products. If you like, you can order them. Anyway, it''s your treat," Instead of admitting she knew he did not like potatoes; Kate said she didn''t like them. Kate quickly took a drink of her water to cover her lie.


    Joseph said, "We will also have two soups, please!"


    When the waitress walked away, Kate asked, "Why did you order two soups? One would be enough! It is a waste of money."


    "Okay, since I know you do not lack money. Then I will enjoy myself!" Kate chuckled.


    "So, this is your true side?"


    "Yes, now that we are divorced, I can be my real self," Kate smiled then whispered, "It was true that I love you, but I was also terrified of you."


    "You were indeed in much pain being with me," Joseph sighed.


    The awkward atmosphere became worse because of Joseph''s words. Kate thought he would be happy to celebrate that they got a divorce. However, he looked upset, and if anyone else saw him, they might think he loved her.


    When the meal arrived, Kate picked up her fork to cut her steak, but Joseph stopped her and, with his usual warning tone, said, "Have your soup first."


    Kate wanted to eat her steak, but when she looked up and saw Joseph''s eyes, she ate her soup.


    "Can I have the steak now?" She asked naively like a child, with a smile on her face.


    "Yes!" Joseph nodded and passed her back her plate.


    "You cut my steak for me?" Kate looked at him and asked with uncertainty.


    "Is there anybody else here except you and me?"


    She wanted to ask why he cut the steak for her, but she thought she shouldn''t. When she saw Joseph hadn''t touched his food, she asked, "Joseph, why aren''t you eating your dinner?"


    "Does it matter to you?"


    Then after a while, Joseph picked up his knife to cut his steak, then he put the plate in front of Kate.


    "It''s for you," Joseph said gently.


    Kate was startled by his action. She was putting another bite in her mouth but stopped, she asked, "You don''t want it?"


    "I''m not hungry," Joseph replied, even though he was starving.


    "O¡­Okay," Kate was lost in her thoughts again.


    Why is he treating me so well? Did he start to love me? No, impossible. He only loves and cares for Anna. Don''t overthink this. This is just a farewell dinner, probably for Anna''s sake. It would be impossible for him to love me. Kate repeated over and over in her head.


    "It was the first time someone cut steak for me. Thank you," Kate said, making how happy she was apparent.


    Joseph felt embarrassed at first. He wanted to say it was his great honor, but finally said, "Then eat all of it!"


    "Okay, then!" Kate nodded and ate her steak, ignoring Joseph sitting across from her.


    When Kate was done, Joseph looked at her and then called the waitress to clean the table.


    "Ma''am, you are so lucky to have such a handsome and considerate boyfriend. Usually, most customers cut their own steak. It is very seldom that I have seen men cut up women''s steak. I admire you!" The waitress praised as she glanced at Joseph.

 Chapter 84 Joseph Became Drunk

    "I ate all the steak. If you want to have some, we can order more," Kate said.


    "No, I am not hungry," He replied.


    "But you don''t eat anything, not even the soup. You like steak; you should have some. And¡­" Kate quickly covered her mouth.


    Oh no! I shouldn''t have told him that I know he likes steak. It only proves to him that I know him and care.


    Joseph looked at Kate lovingly. He knew that if he didn''t say something, Kate would keep feeling embarrassed. He asked, "I am asking you, do you need more steak?"


    "Mm¡­No¡­I¡­I''m full now." Kate nodded her head. To avoid looking at him, she shifted her focus to the soup on the table and said, "I¡­I will have the soup, though. Don''t want to waste it."


    "Don''t force yourself to eat it. I am afraid you may overdo it and make yourself sick like last time," Joseph commented.


    Kate put her spoon down and stared at him, "Last time was because¡­"


    Realizing what he said, Joseph immediately apologized, "I am so sorry that I did not care about you enough before."


    It had been several days since Kate''s miscarriage, and both Kate and Joseph were heartbroken, but neither would speak of what happened. However, Kate was surprised that Joseph apologized. She smiled at said, "It was not your fault. The baby was in my stomach, and I didn''t know. Plus, I was using the baby in exchange for my freedom. I was not a good mother; it was only right that¡­"


    The atmosphere turned gloomy and uneasy.


    "Let me take you home," Joseph said softly.


    "Okay, thank you!" Perhaps it was to change the topic that Kate agreed so quickly.


    When they walked outside, the streetlights were on. Kate didn''t look at anyone as they drove toward her childhood home. She thought of how she and Joseph were so hateful toward each other, but after getting a divorce, they sat down and had a lovely dinner. He cut her steak and was even driving her home; it felt as if it were a date.


    "We are here!" Joseph said.


    Kate glanced at him, "Thank you!"


    Joseph watched her rush out of the car and wanted to say something but didn''t know what.


    Kate dared not wave goodbye to him; she was too emotional when she thought that she might never see Joseph again. She ran into the house without turning around. When she got to her bedroom, she slammed the door and slid her back against it until she was on the floor. It was apparent that she could not forget Joseph no matter how hard she tried; the tears continued to flow down her cheek.


    Joseph sat in front of the White mansion for a long time. He hoped that Kate would come back out and say that she made a mistake. He had given up when his phone rang.


    "We got a divorce today," Joseph struggled to say the words.


    "What?" Cassie snapped, "Do you want to be with Anna? Kate has done so much for you if you¡­"


    Before Cassie finished her words, Joseph hung up the phone impatiently. He was already upset, so his mother''s anger only frustrated him more.


    Joseph''s phone rang again; he was about to decline it, assuming Cassie was calling back, but it was Nick. He thought of how Nick helped Kate move; he decided to answer, "Hey, Nick!"


    "Hi, Joseph! It has been a long time since we had drinks. Are you available?"


    The thought of being drunk and forgetting all of his problems sounded wonderful, so Joseph agreed.


    Nick texted Joseph the address of where he was and waited. He ordered wine and food so that it would be ready when Joseph arrived.


    "You got here quick! I thought it would take you longer. Do you have other plans tonight?" Nick asked as he poured a glass of wine for Joseph.


    "The first plan is to drink," Joseph laughed and chugged the entire glass. He picked up the bottle and poured himself another glass. He drank it down and was about to pour a third glass when Nick stopped him.


    "I ask you out to drink with me, not to let you drink by yourself," Nick was afraid Joseph might get drunk.


    Joseph ignored Nick and continued to drink.


    Nick realized that something was wrong, "You are obviously upset. What happened?"


    "I see that you have a close relationship with Kate," Joseph mumbled.


    "Don''t misunderstand why I was there. I just wanted to help Lisa; after all, she is Kate''s best friend. Lisa asked me to help, so now you are mad at me? I don''t have any romantic feelings for Kate. But, now that she moved, you will have privacy for you and Anna."


    His words irritated Joseph. He stared at him and murmured, "You also think I am too hard on her?"


    "I cannot say you are too hard on her, and you cannot force yourself to love her. You did only marry her to get revenge for Anna. There was no love between you, so the marriage was doomed from the start," Nick knew he was blunt, but Joseph had to hear it.


    Joseph picked up one glass of wine after another. A few hours later, he was drunk and on the verge of passing out. Nick intended to call his driver to take him home but decided to call Lisa instead.


    "What the f**k? Nick, why are you calling me at midnight?" Lisa was cranky.


    Nick was frightened by her yelling, "Don''t be mad, Lisa. I¡­I am drunk. I meant to call a driver, but I dialed the wrong number. You¡­You go on sleeping. Sorry."


    "Drunk?" Lisa was afraid that something might happen to him, "Where are you?"


    "At the inn where we often have wine. It is near to Kate''s home¡­" Nick looked at Joseph and sneered, "Joseph is also here. He is drunker than I am¡­"


    Since Joseph was there as well, Lisa decided to call Kate and pick them up.

 Chapter 85 What did Joseph do?!?

    "I am sorry to bother you, Kate. Two of my friends are drunk; I''m worried about them. Would you please check on them and make sure they are okay? They are at a pub not far from your house," Lisa explained which pub and told Kate to take Daisy with her.


    "Drunk? Who is it?" Kate wanted to know before she left her house.


    "Well, it is¡­" Lisa said cautiously, "It is Nick and Joseph!"


    Kate sat up when she heard Joseph''s name.


    "Kate, I didn''t call you to save Joseph. Nick asked me to pick him up, I owe him, but as for Joseph, you could just pretend that it is someone you don''t know," Lisa commented, worrying that she would upset Kate.


    "It is no problem, I will leave right now," Kate said casually, but her heart was pounding.


    Since it was late, Kate didn''t want to disturb Daisy, so she decided to go to the pub alone. The crisp autumn air felt good on Kate''s face as she hurried toward the pub. When she arrived the man at the front door told her that Joseph and Nick had left.


    "Left?" Kate asked the man. She had spoken to him many times before when she and Lisa were there.


    "Mr. Wilson was picked up by his friends while Mr. Smith left with a beautiful woman¡­" He quickly stopped what he was saying because he knew that Joseph and Kate were married. He followed up with, "I have never seen Mr. Smith so drunk before!"


    A ton of different scenarios ran through Kate''s head. She quickly looked around on the street for the woman and Joseph but did not see any sign of them. She wondered if Joseph made it home safely; she took out her phone to call him but hesitated. Kate remembered they were divorced and had no reason to care about him, yet she was still worried. After struggling with her thoughts, Kate decided to go home.


    Lisa was patiently waiting next to her phone, but when Kate didn''t call within twenty minutes, she called her, "Kate, what happened? Did you find the two drunk idiots?"


    "They were already picked by someone else when I arrived. I''m not sure whether they got back home safely¡­"


    "Well, I''ll call Nick to see if he is okay, and you should call the Smith mansion," Lisa said and hung up.


    Kate sat on her bed, debating with herself if she should call Joseph or not. She thought if she did call, he might think she still cared, but if she didn''t, she would worry all night. After thinking about what might have happened to him and telling herself that she needed to follow her heart, she decided to call.


    "Hello?" Amy answered the phone. "Who is calling? It is the middle of the night."


    "Amy, did Joseph get home?" Kate said in a calm voice.


    "Did you mean that Joseph has gotten home safely?" Kate demanded. After living in the same house as Amy for two years, Kate knew that if Joseph weren''t home, she wouldn''t have been so calm.


    "Yeah, Lord Joseph came home, but not alone. He is with Miss Anna in his room. Do you want to know what they are doing? I am sure I can give you a live show!"


    Immediately, it felt as if Kate''s heart was ripped out and stomped on. She tried to remind herself that it was only a matter of time before he and Anna were back together.


    Kate Smith, you were only dreaming. You should have known they would be together; Joseph was looking forward to the divorce. It is pointless for you to be hurt by this.


    While Kate tried to find the words to reply, Amy continued to taunt her, "If I were you, I would move on too. After all, Lord Joseph doesn''t love you!"


    "Thank you for reminding me. It''s really hard to stop worrying after so long," Kate hung up on Amy. She threw her phone down on the bed beside her and tried to hold back her tears.


    **


    Kate woke up at 10:00 a.m., she had planned to be at White Group early that morning but going to bed so late disrupted her plans.


    When she went downstairs to get breakfast, Daisy was in the kitchen, "Good morning, Kate. Mr. White said that you should stay home and get a good rest until you are feeling better. He explained that he could manage the company until you are feeling up to it."


    For a moment, Kate was distracted by work and forgot about Joseph and Anna. She asked Daisy, "Did you find someone to help take care of Dad?"


    "Yes, I am actually meeting with a few people this morning. You could interview them if you like. We can hire them if they are qualified and will be a good match, or I will continue looking."


    "Thank you for everything you have done, Daisy," Kate smiled.


    "Don''t mention it! I am happy that you moved backed and those two bitches are gone. Peaceful and beautiful days are ahead!" Daisy exclaimed.


    "Yeah, it''s nice to have each other," Kate replied. Daisy smile warmed her heart, "Frustrated with love but proud of friendships. I never thought I would be lucky enough to have two great friends like you and Lisa by my side."


    "Don''t be sad; you are a terrific woman. You will definitely meet your Mr. Right in the future," Daisy said to cheer Kate up.


    "Come on; you are old enough to be in love for the first time!" Kate teased.


    "Oh, Kate, don''t mention first love. I..."


    "You what...? Is there someone you like?"


    "NO, NO¡­ I... I''ll try my best to find someone."


    **


    It was lunchtime before Joseph opened his eyes and felt a soft, naked body next to him. He looked at her face and immediately pushed her away.


    "Why are you here?"


    Anna fell off the bed, said with a trembling voice, "Joseph...you drank too much last night. Nick called me, and I picked you up from the pub..."


    Nick, that bastard! Who asked him to call Anna? Joseph cursed in his head.


    "Did I do something last night?" After calming down for a while, Joseph Smith asked coldly. He knew he was in a bad mood when he went to meet Nick, and the last thing he remembered was drinking a lot of wine.


    Anna looked at him nervously, biting her lower lip, lowered her head in silence.


    "Speak!" Joseph ordered.


    "Joseph, you should know that I won''t hold you responsible. I was willing to do it with you. For many years, I wanted to. I was waiting for you¡­"


    "Shut up!" Joseph yelled as he lifted the blanket to get up. He did a double-take when he saw bloodstains on the white bed sheet; it was as if a needle was piercing him in the eye. He never thought he would be drunk enough to do something that absurd.

 Chapter 86 A New Plan

    Anna saw Joseph''s reaction and apologized, "I am so sorry, Joseph. I should have left last night, but it was so difficult when you¡­"


    The anger was building inside of Joseph; he couldn''t believe what he had done.


    "Joseph, don''t be annoyed. I''ll leave immediately. I won''t mention this to anyone. You have done nothing¡­" Anna mumbled as she picked up her clothes that were lying around the room.


    When she was dressed, she went downstairs and saw Amy. She covered her mouth and cried softly.


    "Miss Anna, are you okay?" Amy had been waiting in the stairwell, eager to know what had happened. She had turned her back on Anna, and if she were going to be Lady Smith, Amy''s life would be torture, so she had to try to win back Anna''s trust.


    Anna knew it was not the appropriate time to get even with Amy. She needed to play the victim and make Joseph feel bad, "I am fine; please just take good care of Lord Joseph."


    "Miss Anna?" Amy called until Anna was out of sight, then she quickly ran upstairs.


    "Lord Joseph..." Said Amy.


    "Get out!" Joseph yelled as soon as Amy opened her mouth.


    Amy was scared by Joseph''s shouting. She thought of Anna crying and her disheveled clothes. She assumed they slept together, and she wouldn''t normally be surprised. However, when they were at the hospital, and Joseph interrogated Anna, he treated her like a criminal, and then when she was accused, he didn''t stick up for her.


    Did Joseph and Anna make up? Would Kate come back? Amy worried.


    **


    In the small villa, Dora applauded when she heard the story of her daughter''s night.


    "Like, I said as long as you acted well, Joseph will be fooled, no matter how clever he thinks he is."


    "But Mom, Joseph showed no love for me. He would not get a divorce because of this, nor will he marry me¡­" Even if the plan was successful, Anna had no confidence that she would be able to win Joseph back.


    "Anna, I''m not criticizing you, but you should try to keep calm in bad situations.


    Through all of this, Kate looks much better than you. This was the only way you would have a chance to win!"


    Anna did not refute anything her mother said, "Even if I could keep calm, I still need Joseph to give me an opportunity. Why should I bother to fight with Kate if there is no chance to be Lady Anna?"


    "Get pregnant with his baby!" Dora shouted at Anna. She had the idea before, but Anna could never get into Joseph''s bed, but they immediately had hope when Joseph was drunk.


    "Mom, Joseph didn''t even touch me at all last night. There is no way I am pregnant. We need to find another way. I want to be the real Lady Anna!" She cried.


    "Then... how to?"


    "Find a way to conceive a child."


    "Mom, didn''t I say that? Joseph didn''t want to touch me..." Thinking of Kate being able to bear a child for him while she couldn''t, she was envious.


    "Don''t you understand what I mean?" Dora stared at her daughter and made the statement clear. "As long as you get pregnant and blame Joseph, you can become Lady Anna!"


    "Well..." Anna frowned, "How can I do that? I don''t want to get pregnant by anyone other than Joseph!"


    "Anna, this is not the time to be picky. You said that Joseph was not willing to touch you. If you don''t take advantage of what he thinks happened soon, you will never have another chance. I bet that Joseph will avoid you in the future!" Dora was annoyed at her daughter''s attitude.


    Anna panicked, and after a long pause, she signed, "Okay, Mom."


    Dora White looked at her troubled daughter and said, "Kate Smith drove us away with her mother''s legacy. The purpose was to make us broke one day. Your father is unreliable, so we need to find a way to make our lives better. At least until we can get even with Kate!"


    "Sorry that I am useless, and that you are suffering because of me right now. You can be sure that I will work hard so that you will have a good life again!" Anna said as the goal of becoming Lady Anna grew in her heart. By the time she became Lady Anna, she would have everything, the money, the social status, and all of the other perks, including getting even with Kate.


    **


    Kate was up early to go to White Group with Leo the next day. Leo was uncertain about Kate''s abilities. He hoped she would be able to make a significant contribution to the company, but he was also worried that she might fail.


    "Dad, I''ll start with the simplest work. If there is anything that I don''t understand, I will get advice from the managers in each department," Kate assured her father.


    "Don''t you plan to take over White Group immediately?" Leo was surprised when he heard his daughter''s plan.


    "My purpose is not taking over White Group but to make it better and better. Then I could share some of your burden in the future!"


    Leo looked at Kate, "You had always been the best since childhood. If you are willing to learn, nothing can stop you!"


    Kate had forgotten how long it had been since she heard a compliment from Leo. His words filled her with encouragement, "Then off to work, I go!"


    "Go on, and tell me if you have any problems."


    "Okay! Have a good day, Dad!"


    Soon after Kate left, Dora walked into Leo''s office.


    "Do you know how uncomfortable my daughter and I are?" The moment she entered the room, she began to shout at Leo.


    Dora knew Leo well enough to know that he would give in to her sooner or later if she continued to complain.


    Leo''s eyebrows wrinkled when Dora barged in, "Dora, I am giving you $10,000 a month. That should be more than enough to cover your expenses, plus you and Anna are living in the villa. Your style of living hasn''t really been downgraded that much!"


    "It is not the same!" Dora couldn''t accept his comments and snarled, "We are like outsiders again. What is the difference between now and when I was your mistress? I have to live in the White mansion to feel like your wife!"

 Chapter 87 You Lost My Respec

    When Dora heard Leo yelling at her and not giving in, she couldn''t handle his accusations. She walked toward him and whispered, "You could not control your desires and seduced me. Since you put me in this position, you are responsible for me!"


    Leo suddenly blushed and then turned his head the other way, "Don''t say such things here! It is disgraceful!"


    "Disgraceful? Why don''t we walk out holding hands? Then all of your company''s staff could see how you fooled them!" Dora cared a lot about her dignity, yet she also took great pleasure in trampling on others. She despised Leo, and if it were not for Flora''s wealth, she would not have put up with all of the insults and humiliation for so many years as his lover.


    "Dora, now Kate is working here. If she sees you, it will cause a lot of trouble," Leo mentioned Kate, hoping that Dora would be scared.


    "Kate is working at White Group?" Dora was shocked at the news. She grabbed Leo''s collar and yelled, "You forgot what you promised me? Have you forgotten what we did to her? Leo White, I finally understand that you are a true snob. You will use anyone if it is convenient. Now that you think Anna can''t do the job, you are going to use Kate!"


    Both Dora and Leo knew what she said was correct. Leo always prioritized profits over everything, including his family.


    "Let go of me!" Leo pushed Dora''s hand away, "Don''t threaten me with the past. We are in the same boat; if you tell, you will not escape punishment either."


    "That is true, but have you ever thought that if I were to tell, you would lose everything, including your daughter?" Dora chuckled.


    Leo knew how vicious Dora was and the consequences of aggravating her. He sighed impatiently, then calmly said, "Now that Kate and Joseph are divorced. I have to be very careful."


    "What? They divorced?" Dora was overjoyed. She patted Leo''s leg and shouted,


    "My prayers have been answered. Kate was finally abandoned!"


    Leo frowned and reminded her, "Kate is not as weak as she was before. You''d better not to antagonize her!"


    "Should I be afraid of her?" Dora grinned ear to ear, thinking of what Anna had achieved the night before.


    "Leo White, as you are such a realistic man, don''t blame us for being heartless!"


    "Holy shit, Dora! Just leave my office!" Leo did not understand what she meant and assumed she was talking nonsense.


    After Dora walked out of Leo''s office, she went looking for Kate. She saw her talking to the sales supervisor.


    Dora shouted, "Kate White, come here!"


    Kate walked out of the sales department and glared at Dora, "Please behave yourself in public."


    "Wow, you really are just like a leader!" Dora looked Kate up and down, "Even if you are in charge of White Group, you will only make it worse without Joseph''s support!"


    "It''s none of your business. This is my company, so you don''t need to worry about it," Kate smiled at Dora. She knew Dora would be irritated and unhappy about her taking over White Group.


    "Yes, you are right, it is none of my business. And, as Joseph''s ex-wife, I am sure you don''t need to know that he and Anna slept together last night," Dora announced proudly.


    Kate''s face turned pale, and her heart felt as if it was shattered into a million pieces.


    Dora was delighted about her reaction. She added, "I probably should not have told you. After all, you are just his ex-wife. He has the right to pursue a new life. He has always loved Anna; I am sure they will be happy!"


    As scenes of Joseph and Anna living happily ever after played in Kate''s head, she clenched her fists and tried to block Dora''s words out.


    **


    At Smith Group, John passed a folder of documents to Joseph, "Sir, this is a copy of the timeline for our latest product. Please take a look and let me know if you have any questions."


    John noticed that Joseph did seem to be himself; he was sitting at his desk with his head down. John asked, "Lord Joseph, are you okay? Do you need me to call a doctor?"


    "How is White Group doing?" Joseph worried when he thought of Kate taking it over.


    "No big changes. Remain stable."


    "Prioritize White Group if we have suitable resources."


    "But Lord Joseph, your grandpa always said..."


    "Do you need me to tell you again?" Joseph interrupted him.


    "Okay, I got it; I know what to do," John nodded and rushed out of the office.


    **


    Two women sat across from each other in a small caf¨¦. Dora smiled, and Cassie snarled the entire time. Cassie would never have met with Dora if she hadn''t said she had something important to tell her.


    "Please, just tell me. I don''t want to be around you any longer than I need to be," Cassie barked.


    Dora knew that Cassie hated her, so she said, "I don''t know whether Joseph has told you or not, but he had made up with Anna. They slept together last night; he was Anna''s first. If you don''t believe me, feel free to ask your son, or ask the house staff. I will not lie to you about my daughter''s innocence," Dora said confidently.


    Cassie was speechless; she picked up her bag to leave.


    "Don''t slander my daughter for seducing a married man. Joseph and Kate are no longer a couple; they got a divorce. So, it is legal for Anna and your son to be together."


    "What?" Cassie was both shocked and angry.

 Chapter 88 Cassie Confronts Joseph

    "That is complete nonsense!" Though Kate had mentioned it in hospital, Cassie could not accept that she would actually get a divorce.


    "You can ask your daughter-in-law or your son to see if I am lying. By the way, when you do speak to Joseph, you should ask him when he is going to marry my daughter!" Dora said arrogantly.


    "Marry her? Impossible! I will never recognize Anna as my daughter-in-law. Therefore, Joseph will never marry her."


    Cassie''s answer was precisely what Dora expected her to say. She did not argue back; she just calmly replied, "Then let''s what and see!"


    The world was spinning around Cassie; she sat down because she felt as if she might pass out. After a few minutes, she got her bearings and called the Smith mansion. When she heard from Amy that Kate had moved out and Anna had stayed the night there, she had no choice but to believe what Dora said.


    Cassie got up and immediately went to Smith Group. She was furious about the entire situation and originally intended to speak with Kate but then realized it was Joseph''s responsibility and that she should talk to him.


    "Mrs. Smith, Lord Joseph is now¡­ "


    "Get out of my way!" Cassie pushed John away and rushed into Joseph''s office.


    Joseph heard the commotion and told John, "Let her in!"


    "You are a great actor, my son. You always sing a different tune with me," Cassie shouted at Joseph, "Kate was abandoned all because of that bitch. You don''t blame her or punish her; instead, you let her into your bed? Don''t you feel guilty for Kate or for your baby? And why would you divorce Kate? You pushed her into it, didn''t you?" Cassie interrogated her son. She took a breath and then continued, "Joseph, I understand that I cannot force you to love anyone, but you should be grateful. If your father''s plan had not succeeded, your grandpa would have given up on him, and your uncle would be running Smith Group."


    Joseph lowered his head, and Cassie said, "I apologize, I should not tell you of the conflicts in the past."


    "Perhaps it was better for her to leave me," Joseph whispered.


    Cassie wasn''t sure what to say to her son, "There is nothing I can do now, but I will never allow you to marry Anna. You would lose me as your mother."


    "Who said I am going to marry her?" Joseph questioned, the thought of marrying Anna was long gone.


    "Then you¡­" Cassie felt a little relieved. "Dora said you slept with Anna last night and that you are going to marry her. I''ve also asked the servants, and they confirm that she indeed stayed the whole night in your bedroom. You¡­"


    "Enough!" Joseph did not want to hear anymore, "I can look after my own affairs."


    "Mom, though Kate and I are divorced, I hope you will continue to care about her. She has always respected you and looked at you as her mother."


    Cassie was a little surprised by Joseph''s comment. She asked him, "Why don''t you care about her on your own?"


    He smiled bitterly and answered, "She does not need my care, and I don''t have a right to care about her."


    "What do you mean? Tell me, and perhaps I can help you," Cassie pleaded.


    "No need, Mom. Kate has been put through a lot the last two years," Joseph got up and looked out the window.


    "You only realize to care about her now, but she does not need you anymore," Cassie said softly. Knowing that Joseph would not marry Anna, she was more good-natured, but to Joseph, her words were like pouring salt on an open wound.


    She then cautiously asked, "Please explain what happened last night. How did Anna get into your house?"


    "I was drunk and blacked out¡­" Joseph mumbled.


    "We must figure out a way to get rid of them. Otherwise, you will be in trouble! Why didn''t you restrain yourself?" Cassie demanded.


    "I was drunk at that time and do not remember a thing. I only know something happened because Anna was lying beside me when I woke up," Joseph admitted.


    **


    Joseph called Anna to meet with her after work.


    Anna ran to her mother, shouting, "Mom, Joseph invited me to dinner tonight!"


    Neither Dora nor Anna thought Joseph would speak to Anna after he found out she caused Kate''s miscarriage.


    "I will remind you again that you must be calm when facing this situation. Especially when we are being driven out. We must be careful in the beginning and then celebrate after we are sure we can win!" Dora advised.


    "Mom, I just want to share my happiness with you. You want me to get pregnant as soon as possible, but if I can be with Joseph, I will not need to have someone else''s baby!" Anna exclaimed.


    "That is a better option. I know if you were to have another''s baby, that bitch, Cassie, would find out!" Dora had been concerned about their plans from the start.


    "Yes, if I were caught up lying to Joseph about a baby, then I would have no chance," Anna''s joy was suddenly replaced by worry.


    "Don''t give up! We do everything necessary, even if you need to have a sexual relationship with him. As long as you are having his baby, Vincent Smith will agree to you marrying Joseph, and then Cassie will have no say," Dora got more and more excited. Her eyes filled with desire for an extravagant life.


    "If it means becoming Joseph''s wife and beating Kate, I am willing to suffer through anything!" Anna was determined to get Joseph into bed and actually have sex.


    Dora and Anna found an outfit they hoped Joseph would find appealing. Anna wanted to seduce Joseph, but her mother carefully reminded her, "Stay calm, and Joseph will surely be attracted to you."

 Chapter 89 Permission

    After she sat down, Joseph said directly, "I''m sorry about last night¡­"


    "It does not matter¡­I¡­" She said excitedly but immediately realized she should remain calm. She lowered her head and blushed, "Joseph, I will not put you in an awkward situation. Let''s just pretend it never happened."


    "You can ask anything of me, except for marriage," Joseph didn''t want to feel as if he owed her anything.


    Anna was shocked and disappointed. She could tell Joseph was disgusted with her, and he would give her anything but not marry her.


    Did I have any chance now? Anna asked herself.


    "Joseph, though my mother and I were kicked out, we can survive. I do not need anything from you," She said then to arouse his sympathy she continued, "It is all my fault. I care about you very much, and I did some wrong things. I know I was wrong, and I apologize for everything that happened with Kate and the baby. I would appreciate it if Kate could forgive me."


    Joseph stared at her and warned, "If you realize you were wrong, please behave yourself and watch your mouth. Don''t go after Kate to cause trouble."


    Anna felt very uncomfortable hearing him stick up for Kate, but she had to appear to be respectful, "I promise I won''t."


    "Think about your request and let me know," Joseph got up to leave.


    Anna got up and pretended to fall into Joseph. He caught her, but as soon as she was stable, he pulled his hands away. She clearly knew that seducing him would not work, so she quickly asked, "Joseph, can I work at Smith Group?"


    She did not want to miss the chance of propositioning, so she followed up with, "My mother and I are not working at White Group. If you would allow me to work at your company, I promise not to cause any trouble. If I do, you can fire me, and I will not contest."


    "I will arrange for you to work," Joseph sighed.


    Anna thought the answer was not clear enough, so she asked again, "At Smith Group?"


    Joseph planned to have her work at another company, fearing that she would sabotage his work. However, after thinking about the situation, even though she would be working at Smith Group, they did not need to be in contact, so he nodded in agreement.


    "Okay, I will wait for direction from you," Anna was happy, thinking that she still had a chance to be close to Joseph.


    **


    After her first day at the White Group, Kate went to Leo''s office to offer him a drive home, "Dad, just wait for me, and I will take you home. It is more convenient."


    Leo waved a hand and shook his head, "No, thank you. I am accustomed to my driver taking me home. You have your own affairs to attend to; I will not be a bother to you."


    Leo still declined and said, "Kate, I don''t want to change my ways. You must have a lot of work to do. Don''t worry about me and make this any more awkward."


    "Are you going to see Dora and Anna?" Kate guessed what he was trying to say.


    Leo thought for a while and nodded, "They are my wife and daughter. I need to be responsible."


    "I understand, and I am sure your driver will take you there. Please be careful, though," Kate said and turned to leave.


    Before she left, Leo called her in a hurry, "Wait a minute!"


    Kate stopped her steps and turned around to look at him, "Is there something else?"


    "Are you adapting to the work here?"


    "Yes, I got an initial understanding of each department today. However, I still need more time to learn about each in-depth. When I am capable of taking over for you, you will be able to stay home and rest," Kate said with a smile.


    Leo was sensitive to her words, thinking she wanted him to be relieved of his position as soon as possible, "It does not matter, there is no rush. I can help you!"


    "Thank you, Dad."


    When Kate left White Group for the evening, she noticed a few missed calls from Lisa. She called her back immediately.


    "Quick! Quick! Kate. Come to the inn! I have ordered food!" Lisa hung up the phone immediately then, giving Kate no time to refuse.


    When she heard Lisa mention the inn, she thought of Joseph and how much he loved Anna. Before becoming depressed, she quickly reminded herself that she divorced Joseph, so he was free to do as he chose.


    When Kate stepped into the inn, Lisa ran over to hug her. She then pulled Kate to a table, "You sit here, Kate."


    After a few moments, Nick walked in and sat down across from Kate, "Hello, ladies!"


    "Hi¡­" Kate cautiously replied.


    "Haha! Why do you look so worried, Kate? It is because Nick and Joseph are friends, so you¡­" Before Lisa could finish, Joseph walked over to the table.


    Kate was curious as to why Lisa stopped speaking; she lifted her head and saw a tall man standing there. Joseph pulled out a chair and sat down.


    "Everybody is here. Let''s cheer!" Nick exclaimed, but when he saw Joseph''s cold expression, he quickly put his cup down.


    "Replace the wine with coffee," Joseph ordered.


    "Cheers! Kate," Lisa clinked the cup with Kate.


    Kate drank it down quickly and then realized that it was strong wine.


    "Who gave you permission to drink wine?" Joseph scolded her in a warning tone.


    "Is that any of your business?"


    "The doctor has told you that you cannot eat hot and spicy food or drink wine." Joseph tried to convince Kate to slow down by using the doctor''s words.


    "It really is not any of your business!" Kate snarled then poured another glass of wine before saying to Lisa and Nick, "It has been a long time since we have drunk together! Cheers!"

 Chapter 90 We Are Strangers

    Kate laughed, "It was just a miscarriage, no big deal. If I were still carrying the baby, I would not drink. Cheers!"


    "Kate¡­" Lisa felt sad for her, and she clearly understood why she was acting strangely. If she had known earlier, she would not have agreed to the dinner.


    Before Kate drank another glass of wine, Joseph grabbed her hand.


    "Let go of me!" Kate stared at him and shouted.


    "You can hurt me or yell at me, but don''t hurt yourself!" Joseph said as he took the glass with his free hand.


    Kate was irritated, "Joseph Smith, you know that we are divorced, right? You have no reason to intervene in my life!"


    This man is ridiculous! He still thinks that I am his wife, and he still is trying to control me. Kate thought.


    "You two, please don''t argue! I have taken the liberty to invite both of you to clear up some misunderstandings. If not, I will continue to feel guilty," Nick said.


    "No need to clarify anything," Joseph knew what he was going to say. He was upset about the situation, but he felt there was no use to discuss it further.


    "But Kate doesn''t understand," Nick looked at Kate and said, "Kate, Joseph drank too much last night, so he and Anna¡­"


    "Nick, I have stated numerous times that Joseph and I are divorced. We are no longer in a relationship, and I expected them to be together. It is not a surprise," Kate said, then grabbed her purse and walked out.


    "Kate!" Lisa followed her.


    Seeing Kate leave, left Nick feeling even worse, "I am so stupid! I thought¡­"


    Before Nick finished his words, Joseph also got up to leave.


    "Kate, are you okay?" Lisa finally caught her up.


    "Sorry, Lisa, I didn''t mean to make things awkward."


    "That''s fine. I hope you will not blame us," Lisa felt horrible, "Let''s go home!"


    As they walked past the door, Joseph was walking out. Lisa stood in front of Kate as if she was trying to protect her.


    "I will take you home," Joseph said to Kate.


    "Take me?" Kate sneered, "As my husband or¡­?"


    Joseph could not answer her.


    "Joseph Smith, we are not married anymore. We don''t need to pretend like we are close. I appreciate your offer to take me home, but no, thank you!" Then Kate pulled Lisa away.


    Seeing Kate disappear into the dark, Joseph felt as if a knife pierced his heart.


    Nick ran to catch up with Kate and Lisa, but they were too far away.


    "Joseph, I really thought you might have been able to clear things up between you and Kate. Now, it seems¡­"


    Suddenly, Joseph hit him, but Nick wasn''t sure why.


    "If you did not call Anna, then nothing would have happened!" Joseph was furious.


    Nick stood up, holding his face and frowned, "I thought you were in love with her at the time..."


    "Sorry, Joseph. After you reprimanded me this morning, I have been trying to figure out how to fix the situation between you and Kate. So, I invited Kate, but it seems that I have made things worse," Nick was filled with guilt.


    Joseph calmed down and said in a low voice, "Even if this didn''t happen, we are not likely to make up."


    "Then how will you deal with Anna?"


    Joseph did not answer him. He walked directly to the parking lot and drove away.


    **


    Kate was storming away from the inn with her arms crossed. She regretted what she did in the restaurant, but she was upset because she still cared for Joseph.


    "Kate!" Daisy called out to her when she saw her walking in the dark. She had been sitting outside, waiting for Kate.


    She looked at Daisy and asked, "Why are you sitting here? Did you have dinner?"


    "I called you, but you did not answer. I was worried about you, so I sat here waiting."


    Kate stroked her hair gently.


    "I guess you didn''t eat dinner, either. Let''s go in and get some food!" Daisy took her hand and smiled.


    "I am sorry, Daisy. I forget to tell you that I would not be home for dinner. I didn''t mean for you to wait," Kate apologized.


    "It doesn''t matter. Please enjoy your meal. You must be very hungry!" Daisy put a bowl of soup in front of Kate.


    "How do you know I didn''t eat dinner?" Kate questioned.


    Daisy put down her spoon. She was nervous because someone had called her, but she calmly replied, "Because of the connection between us. We grew up together, so we know these things!"


    Hearing this, Kate felt moved. She said, "My mother always said that you would be a good wife one day. You could always cook, even at a very young age! Your future husband will be fortunate!"


    Daisy felt shy and blushed. "Don''t worry about me! I will take care of myself and find my Mr. Right!"


    "You are just like my sister, so I should worry about you. If my mother were still alive, she would have found someone suitable for you long ago. Daisy, you need to think about yourself and not worry about me. You must seize the chance to meet someone you like or tell me," Kate said softly.


    Kate felt relieved after changing the subject, and Daisy was touched, she smiled and nodded, "I will pay attention."


    **


    The next day, Kate got up to go to work at White Group. When she walked in, Leo''s assistant stopped her, "Lady Kate, Lord Leo asked me to tell you that he will not be going into work today as he does not feel well. He requested that you do his work today."


    Kate nodded and called Leo.


    "I heard that you don''t feel well. Is there anything wrong with you?"


    "Nothing major," Leo replied.


    "I''ll call the family doctor to see you and make sure," Kate told her father, she was worried since it was her fault he was disabled.

 Chapter 91 End the Relationship

    Kate worked for the entire morning, reading various plans and figuring out how to implement them. She wanted to be involved because Kate believed that she could fight a hundred battles and win them all as long as she knew her enemies and how to cope with any problems she encountered. When she was determined to take of White Group, she vowed to be fully engaged in all aspects.


    Looking up and seeing her mother''s photo hanging on the wall, Kate said, "Mom, I know I can follow in your footsteps. I will go for it!"


    After lunch, Kate was on her way back to her office when the receptionist called out, "Lady Kate, Chairman Vincent from Smith Group, is her to see you!"


    She looked up and saw Vincent waving at her with his one free hand and supporting his cane with his other.


    Kate hurried to greet him, "Welcome to White Group, Grandpa."


    "Are you available now? I have something to talk to you about."


    "Yes, I am!" Kate took Vincent to a nearby meeting room.


    "Please sit down," Kate said and pulled out a chair.


    "You wait for me outside," Vincent told his guard.


    Seeing Vincent''s unapproving look, Kate felt nervous.


    "Cassie told me that you divorced Joseph, did you?" Vincent questioned.


    Kate admitted truthfully, "Yes."


    "Why don''t you tell me? I''m your grandpa!" Vincent slammed his cane down on the ground in anger.


    In the Smith family, only Cassie and Vincent showed favoritism toward Kate. Though she wasn''t as close to Vincent as she was to Cassie, he always blamed Joseph for anything that happened.


    "Sorry, Grandpa. I didn''t mean to upset you," Kate whispered.


    "You think it is enough to apologize to me?" Vincent was not as friendly as before, "We helped White Group because you were part of the Smith family. Since you divorced Joseph, I don''t think I should continue to help you."


    Vincent knew it would hurt Kate, but he chose to tell her what was on his mind because nothing was more important to him than Smith Group.


    Kate understood exactly what he meant, "You mean we should end the relationship between White Group and Smith Group?"


    "Yes, that is correct!" Vincent did not hesitate. He gripped his cane and stared at Kate, "You have no connection to us now. You need to develop your company on your own."


    "Grandpa, I understand, and I will!" Kate promised.


    "You have more of a backbone than your father ever has. I believe that with you managing White Group, it will develop quickly and more efficiently," Vincent encouraged.


    "Thank you!"


    "By the way, Joseph is very stubborn. He may not take in my advice. If possible, I hope you can convince him."


    "Okay," Kate nodded.


    Vincent felt relieved after hearing Kate agree, "I am not a heartless person. If you are ever in trouble, tell me, and I will help to the best of my ability. I just don''t want White Group to be like the adopted child of Smith Group forever."


    "Grandpa, thank you for your offer, but I hope you don''t ever need to worry. I can take care of things on my own!"


    "Great!"


    After Vincent left, Kate sat in the meeting room for a long time. She felt an overwhelming pressure without Smith''s help, but she would never give up.


    "Max, decline politely the resources that Smith Group provided us. If they ask, you tell them it was my decision," Kate was aware that Vincent visited to tell her what he thought was best. If she did not reject any help offered, Vincent might not be as friendly. Also, Kate did not want to receive any assistance from Joseph; she would only be under his control again.


    Max asked in confusion, "We have developed very quickly with Smith Group''s help. If we reject their offer, I am worried that we will be severely affected, and¡­"


    "Do as I said! I will take the blame for any loss and consequences," Kate said determinedly.


    **


    At Smith Group, Joseph grew furious when he was notified that Kate turned down his help.


    John sensed his coldness, so he put his head down and pretended not to notice.


    "Is she going to cut all relationships with me?" Joseph mumbled to himself.


    "Mr. President, since Lady Kate rejected our help, you could ask other companies to help her," John suggested.


    "That is a great idea!" Joseph acknowledged.


    "What is happening to you and Lady Kate?" John summoned the courage to ask after Joseph liked his idea, "All females like being charmed. As long as you buy her luxurious bags, cosmetics, or other gifts, she will not be angry with you. It is very common for couples to quarrel with each other."


    "Contact Wilson Group now!" Joseph stared at him instead of responding. His mind was in a ton of different places on who he could ask to help Kate.


    John was frightened by the look in Joseph''s eyes, "Yes, sir! I will go do it right now!"


    **


    When Anna began working at Smith Group, she thought her chances of becoming Joseph''s wife would increase. The next part of her plan was to gain Joseph''s love and trust.


    After work, Anna waited for Joseph beside his car. She was waiting nearly an hour when Joseph finally appeared. She lifted her high-heeled shoes in the air and limped toward Joseph, "Joseph, you finally finished work!"


    Joseph had not expected to see Anna; he asked impatiently, "What are you doing here?"


    "I..." She lowered head and looked at her foot, saying, "There are too many stairs, I hurt my ankle, and the heel broke. I didn''t want to walk barefoot on the street, so I waited for you here in the garage, hoping..."


    "Don''t make up stories!" Joseph interrupted her coldly, "You can go somewhere and call a taxi. Don''t think that I will give into you just because you are using that one mistake as an excuse!"


    Joseph regarded himself as a responsible man, but he would never compromise because someone was forcing him to do so.


    Suddenly, Anna cried, "Joseph, I don''t intend to threaten you with that night. I really don''t want to embarrass myself in public, so I hid here. I admit I wanted you to take me home, but I would never threaten you. If you are unwilling to drive me, I will go away right now. Don''t be angry with me¡­I beg you."

 Chapter 92 My House

    Within five minutes, Henry appeared in the garage, "Lady Anna, please get in the car."


    Anna looked at Joseph''s cold expression; she felt as if he was persecuting her. With tears in her eyes, she sighed, "Joseph, don''t be angry with me. I will not disturb you again. I promise to stay away from you¡­"


    Joseph did not say anything else to Anna, he told Henry where to take her and walked out of the garage without looking back.


    Tears streamed down Anna''s face as she watched Joseph silently walking away.


    **


    After Leo found out that Kate declined resources from Smith Group, he was so furious that he rushed out of Dora''s villa. She used the excuse that he was having difficulty walking to go with him.


    "I was only away from work for one day, and you created so much trouble for me!" Leo shouted at Kate as he forced his way into her office, "You think we can develop further without their help? You are so na?ve!"


    Kate knew she could not escape from Leo''s wrath, so she calmly replied, "You always tell me to count on myself and not on others. If we rely on Smith Group forever, we will end up losing everything one day. We are nothing more than beggars!"


    "You..." Leo swung his cane as if he was going to hit Kate.


    Dora stood by quietly watching the entire scene; she was overjoyed.


    "Dad, you haven''t apologized to me for slapping me before. Now, you want to beat me again?" Kate kept her distance, but she was just like her mother, not afraid.


    Leo looked down at his legs, then put his cane back on the ground, "Kate, you apologize to Joseph tomorrow and beg him to continue supporting us. Otherwise¡­"


    "Otherwise, what?" Kate stared at him and was determined not to back down.


    "Kate White, do not push me to beat you!"


    "You think you can beat me whenever you wish just because you are my father?" Kate asked, "You are not qualified to be a father at all. You have never cared about me!"


    Leo felt guilty hearing how Kate felt. She had kept her words in for a long time, and if Leo had not pushed her, she would have continued to keep her feelings inside.


    "Kate, even though he doesn''t seem to care about you, he is still your father. You are his daughter, and you should listen to him!" Dora helped to defend Leo.


    Kate stared at Dora and asked coldly, "Who permitted you to come in here?"


    "I..." Dora was speechless and turned to Leo for help.


    "Kate, I know you are not happy with Dora, but you should think about me. After all, she is my wife, and I am disabled. I need someone by my side to take care of me¡­"


    "I had Daisy hire someone to take care of you. You don''t need to worry about it," Kate replied, not giving him a chance to say anything more.


    "If you want Dora to take care of you, you can move to her house!" Kate snapped.


    Dora was aggravated, she questioned, "How can you interfere with our relationship? I will be with my husband. Wherever he is, I will be with him. It is none of your business!"


    "Yes, you can be with my father, and you are right, it is none of my business. It just will not be here!"


    Dora never imagined that Kate would be so harsh. She turned to leave then cursed, "I will be back in my house after Anna marries Joseph! I will take everything from you!"


    Leo glanced at Kate and sighed, "Why are you so different now? Is this the outcome you want?"


    As Leo went to his bedroom, he was furious with Kate. He shouted as he got to the top of the stairs, "You think you are capable of managing the whole company? I guess you don''t need me there."


    Considering that he was angry and upset, Kate knew there was no point in arguing with her father. She swore to herself, "I will develop White Group with my own abilities. I will prove to the world that I am capable of inheriting my mother''s company without Smith Group''s help!"


    "Lady Kate, I have some good news for you!" Max knocked on the door and walked in with a big smile on his face, "Wilson Group would like to work with us! Many companies want to work with them, but they chose up. It is a great surprise!"


    "Really?" Kate was surprised and happy; her confidence increased immediately.


    "Talk with Wilson Group and prioritize our collaboration. I need you to put all effort into this project."


    "Yes, Lady Kate!" Max was upset about Kate''s declining Smith Group''s help, but when they gained a new partner, his confidence and respect for Kate grew.


    "Max, you have worked as my father''s assistant for many years. You must have excellent knowledge of the company. If I don''t know something, I will ask you."


    Kate seldom talked with Max, but they thought they might need to work closely in the future, she knew she needed to gain his trust.


    **


    During her break, Anna went to look for Kate. She was very familiar with White Group''s offices and went directly to Kate''s office.


    "Come in, please!"


    "Hi, Manager Kate!" Anna greeted her hypocritically.

 Chapter 93 You have the Chance

    She picked up the phone and called the reception desk, "I am going to tell you only once, do not let irrelevant people near my office without my permission!"


    "Yes, Lady Kate!" The receptionist answered in a hurry.


    Anna clenched her teeth, "Don''t push me, Kate White! White Group is not only yours. My father contributes to it, and I am his daughter. How can you say that I am irrelevant?"


    "You can ask the employees whether they listen to you or me!" Kate refuted calmly.


    "You¡­" Anna was amazed. After a moment, she said, "I heard you declined Joseph''s help. It seems that you are smarter than I thought, you declined the offer before I asked Joseph to cancel. I will have White Group ruined, and it will be your fault. You cannot compete with me!"


    "Have you said enough? Please get out of here!" Kate sighed.


    "Kate White, do you think I lost the battle just because you kicked me out? You look down on me!" Anna sneered, "I slept with Joseph last week. I was waiting for that day for a long time, and now that I have fulfilled my dreams, I will become his wife!"


    Kate knew Anna was trying to aggravate her, so she restrained herself, "Please do not show off in front of me until you are actually Joseph''s wife, and even then, I still won''t care. It is none of my business. You can leave now!"


    "f**k you!" Anna was irritated when she saw that was not getting upset, "When I become Joseph''s wife, you will be number one on my list of enemies!"


    "It would be my honor! Bring it on! I am patiently waiting for the day!" Kate laughed, even if Anna became Joseph''s wife, she would not be afraid.


    **


    "Lord Joseph, I have reached out to collaborate with White Group as you requested," Dobby Wilson notified Joseph.


    "Okay, thank you!" Joseph replied.


    "But why don''t you help Kate? She is your wife¡­" Dobby asked.


    Instead of answering his question, Joseph reminded him, "Don''t divulge that I asked you to help her."


    "Don''t worry; I will keep this secret. After all, this is a win-win situation."


    After hanging up the phone, Joseph sat down and stared at the ceiling, thinking about Kate.


    **


    Leo thought Kate would retreat in the face of difficulty. However, to his surprise, she was able to establish a relationship with Wilson Group. His anger began to fade, and when she arrived home, he praised her for her work.


    Kate should have been shocked by the fact he was impressed, but she just responded, "I am just doing my job!"


    He had planned to compliment her further, but when Kate did not seem to care, Leo changed the subject, "Kate, tomorrow Vincent turns 80 years old. I think you should make an appearance at the party."


    "I know you have principles, but if you don''t go, others will gossip about it after. Plus, Vincent treats you well. I am asking you to represent our family," Leo guilted Kate to go, he had made a promise to Dora that he would convince her.


    However, he was not sure why Dora would want Kate there.


    Kate did not give him a direct answer; instead, she went to her bedroom and shut the door.


    "Kate?" Daisy followed her after she overheard the conversation with Leo. When Kate didn''t respond, Daisy opened the door and smiled, "Kate, you should go! You have always said Joseph''s grandpa and his mother like you. You divorced Joseph, but there is no need to take it out on those who treat you well."


    "Okay, I will go get a gift tomorrow morning," Kate sighed.


    "I will go with you!" Daisy exclaimed.


    **


    The Smith family planned a grand celebration for Vincent''s eightieth birthday. The servants were up early to decorate and prepare food.


    Cassie was worried that Joseph might be reluctant to attend, so she called him to ensure he would be there.


    By dusk, guests were starting to arrive, and the atmosphere was pleasant. However, Kate arrived just as Joseph was parking his car, and Dora, Anna, and Samuel were just getting out of Samuel''s car. The five of them just stared at each other, unsure if an argument was going to start.


    To break the awkward silence, Samuel greeted Joseph and Kate. Though he knew they were divorced, he pretended not to know and called her family still.


    Kate frowned with embarrassment and did not bother correcting him. After all, she was there to celebrate Vincent''s birthday; she did not want to mention unpleasant topics.


    Dora did not care, though; she quickly corrected Samuel, "She divorced Joseph, so she no longer your family."


    Samuel pretended to be startled and looked at Kate. He asked, "You divorced Joseph?"


    Anna wanted to comment, but she remembered that her mother said not to say much and to leave a good impression with the Smith family.


    "Since you asked, I am not hiding the fact that I divorced him," Kate said bluntly.


    Joseph stared at her, he was crushed by her direct answer. He did not understand why she was in such a hurry to tell Samuel about the divorce.


    Was she in a hurry to marry Samuel? Joseph thought to himself and felt a little disappointed.


    "Congratulations, Samuel! You have the chance to pursue Kate!" Dora laughed.

 Chapter 94 Birthday Celebration

    "Did I say something wrong? Everyone knows you love Kate!" Dora argued.


    Anna glimpsed Joseph; she felt jealous when she saw he was focused on Kate.


    "Kate!" Cassie called out.


    Kate looked towards the direction where the voice came and saw Cassie in a red dress standing at the door. She smiled and said, "Hi, Mom!"


    Cassie was quite pleased to hear her call her mom. She wrapped her arms tightly around Kate, as Anna stood by watching, "Oh, my dear. I missed you so much!"


    Anna saw the glare in Cassie''s eyes and immediately knew she was trying to aggravate her. Anna clenched her fists and told herself that one day Cassie would regret treating her the way she did.


    Dora also kept her anger to herself and said, "Mrs. Smith, Joseph, and Kate are not a couple now. I think it is not suitable for her to address you, mom."


    Cassie''s smile disappeared when she turned to Cassie, "I don''t care if she and Joseph are divorced or not. In my eyes, she is still my daughter and is allowed to call me mom. It is none of your business. You are nothing by a slut who climbs into the bed of married men, and you have taught your daughter to do the same!"


    Dora was embarrassed by Cassie''s insults and was infuriated that she was so cruel in front of their children, "I was polite with you, but you are trying to shame me. Since you are the one who mentioned my daughter climbed into your son''s bed, I would like to ask you, will Anna have a chance with Joseph?"


    "Don''t speak so loud, Mom," Anna was pleased that her mother finally said something in public, but she had to look as if she was upset. After all, she wanted everyone to talk about her and Joseph being together.


    "I didn''t want to ruin this happy day, Vincent''s birthday. However, Cassie started this¡­"


    "Enough!" Cassie interrupted. She knew that Dora and Anna were only there to cause trouble and ruin the party; she was not going to be fooled by them.


    "I don''t want to talk about the immoral things you have done. I only want to warn you that if you cause trouble at my father''s party, you will not leave here without being punished," Cassie smiled. She was a rational person and knew it was not the time or place to have that conversation.


    Cassie grabbed Kate''s hand and said in a friendly voice, "Kate, this is your home, forever! Please know that you are always welcome!"


    "Thank you, Mom...Mrs. Smith." Kate called Cassie mom without thinking, but then quickly remembered what Dora had said.


    Cassie patted her hand and told her, "Call me Mom."


    "Thank you again, Mom!" Kate smiled.


    Dora also walked into the house holding her daughter''s hand and rolled her eyes at Kate when they walked by.


    She was surprised, she looked at him and then lowered her head. Her eyes were focused on his coat; it reminded her of when she met him in college. He was 6-feet tall and often wore a long coat. He was undoubtedly the most attractive man in the school, and since then, he only became more handsome. Kate thought the world revolved around him, but he hurt her, and her world gradually collapsed.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Joseph waved his hands in front of her face.


    Kate snapped back to reality and avoided eye contact with Joseph so he would not see how hurt she was.


    "If you think it too noisy in here, you can go out to the back yard. Noelle is here somewhere; she would probably join you."


    "She is here?" Kate had not seen Noelle for a long time. They had met at her eighteenth birthday party and been close since.


    "Yes, she called and asked about you the other day," Joseph smiled.


    "I''ll go see if I can find her. Thank you for letting me know," Kate replied.


    Kate was surprised that they had been so calm with each other. She began to wonder why Joseph was speaking so kindly.


    "Mm¡­I was accustomed to calling you mother, Mom; it will take some time to stop calling her that. I hope you don''t mind. I will be more careful next time," Kate quickly explained.


    Joseph was confused because Cassie told her that she was still her daughter, "Who told you not to call her Mom? Who said that I mind?"


    "You¡­I¡­" Kate did not know what to say.


    "We got a divorce, so I should change how I address her. I don''t want to cause trouble."


    "My mother asked you to call her as you did before," Joseph said decisively and then walked away. He was not angry with how Kate spoke to Cassie; he assumed that she was trying to disconnect from him and his family.


    Kate watched Joseph until he was out of sight. She was confused, but there was nothing she could do; they were divorced. She walked into the house with her gift; Vincent was in the middle of the living room, accepting gifts and hugs from the guests. Again, Kate wanted to go unnoticed, so she planned to be one of the last ones to speak with him. However, Gina saw her, "Kate, you were just discharged from the hospital and are still weak. How about you come up first and then rest?"


    Though Gina appeared to be respectful and modest in public, she was two-faced. She knew that Kate and Joseph were divorced, but she acted as if she didn''t know. She wanted to cause trouble and make the evening unpleasant for everyone, including Vincent. After all, Vincent wanted a great-grandchild, but the hope was gone when Kate had a miscarriage.


    Joseph heard what Gina said, and he was not happy. He watched Kate walk toward Vincent.


    Kate hugged Vincent and kissed him on the cheek, "Grandpa, I hope you stay in good health, and every day is a blessing."

 Chapter 95 Vincents Party

    Kate was disappointed that Vincent obviously didn''t care for her as much as he had when she was married to Joseph. However, she was aware it would take some time to adjust, so she just had to be patient, but just as she was about to step aside, Gina called out again.


    "Kate, what did you bring? We would all love to see it!" Gina exclaimed.


    Feeling embarrassed, Kate hesitated. She knew that the gifts others brought were more expensive than hers.


    "What''s wrong with you, Kate?" Gina looked at her and asked.


    Suddenly, Anna thought of the gifts she had given Vincent. She took advantage of the situation, "My dear sister, it is routine practice to present the gift that you brought. It is the only way that Grandpa can receive your blessings."


    Anna opened the box and pretended to be startled, then took a step back so that Gina could see. They both started laughing, then Gina chuckled, "It is a coffee maker. No wonder Kate hesitated to open the box. But, I can understand, I am sure since you have taken over White Group, you are very busy and don''t have time to shop."


    Kate had taken a lot of time to find what she thought was the perfect gift for Vincent, so Gina''s comment crushed her.


    "Stop talking nonsense, Mom!" Samuel defended Kate, "Grandpa likes drinking coffee, so I am sure he will like it."


    "Your grandpa does indeed like drinking coffee, but he did not need a coffee maker. Plus, this machine isn''t a brand name. Grandpa may not use it¡­"


    "Wow! I did not think that you are a snob who would judge a person by what they give as a gift," Jenny stuck up for Kate, "Maybe I am not qualified enough to attend your birthday party. You do know the scarf I got you was only $100. You may not like it or wear it; after all, it does not live up to your high-class lifestyle, and you may be embarrassed."


    "I don''t mean that, Jenny. I¡­"


    "Whatever you mean, Kate is family. She gave the gift to Grandpa, and it is a token of her affection. Grandpa did not say if he likes it or not, but you felt the need to voice your opinion. You really know how to destroy a party," Jenny spared nothing when it came to protecting Kate, she was still not aware of the divorce.


    Gina almost blurted out the truth, but Samuel stopped her.


    "Kate, come here and sit next to Joseph and me," Jenny grabbed her hand and pulled her to Joseph. She looked at him and said, "Joseph, you need to take care of your wife. Do not let others humiliate her."


    "Okay!" Joseph replied without hesitating.


    Why did he agree with Jenny? He knows we are divorced. Is it just because he is accustomed to pretending he loves me in front of his family? I can''t worry about that now; I just want this party to be over as soon as possible. Kate told herself.


    When Anna went looking for Joseph, she found him staring gently at Kate, who was still sitting beside him.


    Joseph was afraid that Kate might be bored, so he asked, "Do you want to go to the back yard for a bit?"


    "Back yard? Is Noelle there?" Kate asked.


    "Yes, I believe she is!"


    "Okay, let''s go look!" Kate smiled.


    Just as they were getting up to leave, Anna ran over, "Joseph, where are you going?"


    "It''s none of your business," Joseph answered in a hateful tone.


    Anna was hurt because of Joseph''s cold attitude toward her. She did not care if he mistreated her at Smith Group, but when he did in front of Kate, she feared Kate might realize she and Joseph were over for good. If Kate realized that, then Anna had no leverage over her.


    "You are the same as your mother, both irritating. How can you do so many horrible things?" Joseph said and walked away.


    Samuel walked over to Anna as she was about to chase after Kate and Joseph. He whispered something in her ear, and then Anna stared at him, "My mother is not irritating. It is just that Cassie goes too far!"


    Samuel looked around to see that everyone was happily chatting and not paying any attention to them. He grabbed Anna''s hand and said, "Talk in my bedroom?"


    **


    The back yard was covered with blooming flowers, and the scent wafted in the night air. The fragrance memorized Kate, she took a deep breath and asked Joseph, "Which one of these flowers smell so good?"


    Joseph smiled at her and replied, "You can see for yourself, just a few more steps."


    Then Kate saw a sea of roses, lilies, sunflowers, tulips, and many others she had never seen before.


    "I remember there being a grassy hill here, but now it looks like an endless sea of flowers. How did this happen?"


    "They were specially ordered from overseas for Grandpa''s birthday."


    "So beautiful!" Kate exclaimed, focusing on the flowers.


    "Do you like them?" Joseph asked.


    "Yes!" She immediately shouted. Kate was so fixated on the flowers that she answered without thinking.


    She likes flowers so much, but I have never sent her any. Joseph noted.


    "Sister!" Noelle waved at them.


    Kate stopped blushing and ran toward Noelle.


    "It is so nice to see you. I have missed you so much!" Noelle hugged her tightly.


    "Me too!"


    "I asked my cousin where you were. He said you have been busy and haven''t had time to meet with me. I was hoping to spend some time with you tomorrow.


    Kate glimpsed Joseph, wondering why he did not tell Noelle and his whole family.


    "Noelle, in fact, Joseph and I¡­"


    "Noelle, how has your studying been going?" Joseph interrupted nervously.


    Kate was startled and filled with confusion; she looked up at Joseph with a snarl.


    Noelle rolled her eyes at him, "My dear cousin, I am an adult and in college. Please don''t ask about my studies every time you see me, okay? I am fed up with it."


    After Noelle finished thought, she quickly hid behind Kate and shouted, "Sister, I only told the truth! Save me!"

 Chapter 96 Dont Talk Nonsense

    "Do you need to stop studying just because you are an adult?" Joseph''s tone sounded like he was her father.


    "I ... I didn''t mean it ..." Noelle''s voice immediately got quieter as she spoke to Joseph.


    Kate could feel the tension growing between Joseph and Noelle. They were brother and sister, but she had to do something to ease the atmosphere, "Noelle is an adult. You don''t need to treat her like a child."


    Joseph didn''t expect to hear Kate supporting Noelle. He turned his head to look at her; Kate was worried.


    Oh no! Is Joseph going to shift his attention to me and my lifestyle? Kate thought nervously.


    Just as Kate thought she was going to be interrogated, Joseph turned back to Noelle and smiled, "Yes, she is an adult, and we should talk about something else."


    Noelle was relieved, she stepped out from behind Kate and said, "Brother, I really sympathize with my future niece or nephew, having such a stern father. Thank goodness that my Kate is gentle, she will be a good mother!"


    The atmosphere immediately became tense again. Joseph''s face suddenly became stern, and Kate turned pale.


    "Brother, I ... am I right? A family that has a stern father but a kind mother balance out. Children who are brought up in families like that are lucky!" Noelle didn''t notice Joseph''s change in mood and continued talking.


    Kate thought she knew what Joseph was upset about, she smiled, "Noelle, you said in your last message that you have chosen to major in art. How do you like it?"


    "I like ... like ..." Noelle replied while looking fearfully at Joseph, wondering what she had said wrong.


    Joseph was worried that Noelle''s comment made have upset Kate. He watched her closely until he was sure that she was okay.


    "Your mother said you had a gift for drawing when you were young. It shouldn''t be a hard subject for you to master," Kate said to Noelle, not realizing that Joseph was looking at her.


    "Nothing is a problem if you enjoy it!"


    "Yeah, as long as you enjoy it, no problem should seem like a problem ..." Kate whispered. Noelle''s words warmed her heart.


    "Just like the relationship between you and my brother. I remember when my mother told me he didn''t like you, but you persisted and became his wife. Now, he loves you too!" Noelle was thrilled to use Kate and Joseph''s relationship as an example.


    "We..." Kate didn''t know how to tell Noelle the truth. It was a difficult situation; Kate had always wished Joseph would love her like she loved him but never would.


    "Noelle, I ..."


    "Kate, Noelle, Joseph, there you are! I have been looking for the three of you!" Cassie rushed over with a smile on her face, "Dinner is starting! Hurry!"


    "Have all guests left?" Noelle questioned. She didn''t like being in noisy environments and hoped the guests would leave before they ate. She took Kate''s hand, "Sister, we don''t need to greet the guests, let''s wait until they have gone home. I am not going in there with strangers. How can I happily sit down to eat?"


    "Well ..." Kate had planned to go home early so that she was not embarrassed any further, but Noelle pleaded with her.


    "Kate must be hungry. You can wait since you''re not hungry, but Kate can''t," Joseph knew Kate had to eat to keep up her strength.


    "Actually, my Kate doesn''t like places where there are so many people. As a husband, you should care about that!" Noelle barked.


    Joseph looked at Kate hesitantly, as if he was waiting for her answer. Kate was a bit embarrassed to be sandwiched between the siblings. She looked back and forth and finally sided with Noelle, "I will stay with you, and we will eat later."


    "Kate made her own decision. I did not force her!" Noelle smiled proudly.


    "Aren''t you hungry?" Joseph looked at Kate and asked.


    "Not at all."


    She was a little hungry, but Kate promised Noelle, so it was better to wait. Not to mention that she did want to be around a bunch of strangers, and it was even more awkward that her divorce from Joseph hadn''t been disclosed yet.


    "Okay, Noelle, you and Kate just stay here chatting for a little while longer. Joseph will go to greet the guests," As long as Kate was willing to stay at the party with the Smith longer, Cassie was happy.


    "Just go ahead, I have a lot to share with Kate so don''t disturb us!" Noelle giggled.


    Before leaving, Joseph looked at the two, and talked to them as if talking to small children, "Don''t run around, and don''t talk nonsense!"


    Don''t talk nonsense? What does that mean? Is it a warning? Maybe he doesn''t want Noelle to know about the divorce? Kate thought when she saw the warning in Joseph''s eyes.


    "Kate, does my brother treat you like a child?" As soon as Joseph was out of sight, Noelle started complaining, "He never used to say more than he needed to."


    "He is saying more," Kate had noticed that Joseph was talking to her more since the divorce than in the entire two years they were married.


    "That is good; it proves that he has opened his heart to you, and you will get to know each other better," Noelle knew that Joseph was in love with Anna before, but she never liked her. In her eyes, Kate was much better than Anna, even before they became close friends.


    "No," Kate disagreed, she knew they were not together.


    "Huh?" Noelle didn''t understand.


    Kate was about to explain but stopped when she thought of Joseph. Joseph interrupted her when she tried to tell Noelle the truth and reminded her not to talk nonsense before leaving. If she told Noelle, she would be upset about it, so it was better to wait and tell her.


    "Noelle, the flowers over there are so beautiful. Let''s go and talk a look," Kate changed the subject. Kate''s suggestion instantly diverted Noelle''s attention; she jumped up and ran into the flower field.


    "These aren''t a regular seasonal flower, so they seem to be extra precious. Look at how extravagant everything is. Grandpa is too old to enjoy the flowers, though, and most of the guests are inside; we seem to be the only ones enjoying them. I guess they just weren''t worth the work!" Noelle said, gently touching the flower petals.

 Chapter 97 I Just Want You

    "Yes, we appreciate them, and if there were more people out here, the flowers would lose their charm," Noelle said, then an odd expression appeared on her face. She could see Joseph walking out of the house with a servant behind him.


    Noelle pointed in Joseph''s direction, "Kate, what is my brother doing out here again?"


    Kate looked over immediately and saw the tall, handsome man approaching them. She thought he was inside with guests, so she didn''t understand why he was outside.


    "Let''s take it to that gazebo. We will eat there," Joseph said to the servant.


    Noelle''s mouth began to water when she saw the food on the tray, "Joseph, you are so considerate. You must have known we were actually hungry!"


    Joseph said nothing; he only glanced at her and walked to the gazebo.


    "I know you are not worried about me. You''re afraid that Kate is starving!" Noelle teased.


    "No, it''s not..." Kate denied with embarrassment, but she was also a little excited.


    "Kate, you and my brother, have been married for so long, how can you still act like a shy little girl?" Noelle whispered in her ear, "My mother said that my brother is good in most ways by the doesn''t know how to express his love. He is about as dull as a piece of wood!"


    "As dull as a wood?" Kate didn''t agree with Noelle. She wanted to say that Joseph and Anna were loving and affectionate, so maybe he was only emotionless and dull when he married her.


    "Why don''t you eat?" Joseph interrupted the two who were whispering to each other.


    Noelle hurried to sit down and handed a fork and knife to Kate.


    "Thank you!" Kate looked at the food and smiled; she was hungry.


    "Eat the soup first," Joseph ordered, his stern eyes glared at her as she was about to put a carrot in her mouth.


    When she heard him, Kate put her fork down and picked up a spoon to eat her soup. Maybe it was because of the look in Joseph''s eyes or because she was at the Smith home, but she did everything Joseph told her to.


    Noelle''s eyes jumped back and forth between the two, "Joseph, come on, I am single. Can you please care about my feeling and not be so lovey-dovey in front of me?"


    "Just focus on your plate!" Joseph ignored his sister''s words.


    "Okay¡­" Noelle was almost a little afraid of her brother. She stopped talking but secretly blinked at Kate from time to time, suggesting that Joseph was vicious.


    Kate smiled, but her heart was breaking. She used to spend time with Noelle when Joseph wasn''t around. But, after the divorce, she and Joseph were talking and eating a meal together.


    It was as if Anna read her mind because suddenly an annoying female voice yelled out, "So, I finally find you!"


    Anna appeared with Samuel by her side.


    "Kate, Noelle, have you had dinner?" Samuel asked.


    Joseph didn''t look up when he heard Anna''s voice; it wasn''t until Samuel spoke that he gave a cold glare.


    "Yes, we did!" Kate responded politely.


    "That''s good," Samuel seemed relieved to hear Kate''s answer.


    "What are you doing here?" Noelle looked at Anna with disgust and said harshly, "This is the Smith home, and you are not welcome here. Get out!"


    Although Noelle was afraid of Joseph, she took Kate''s side and did not want to give Anna the opportunity to break them up.


    "Miss Noelle, I ..." Anna lowered her head as if she was embarrassed, but her fists were clenched tight.


    Samuel saw that Joseph wasn''t going to stand up for Anna, so he quickly said, "Noelle, Miss Anna is a guest of our family. Please, don''t do this."


    "If she were a true guest, I would be polite and treat her with respect. However, I am afraid that she only has bad intentions to ruin my brother''s relationship with Kate!" Noelle stated, not caring about Anna''s feelings.


    "Miss Noelle, if you treat me as an outsider, then your sister, Kate should also be an outsider," Anna snarled.


    The reply made Noelle even angrier. She warned confidently, "Kate is my brother''s wife; she''s not an outsider!"


    "Really?" Anna looked at Kate with a sneer. "Sister Kate and Joseph are divorced. Miss Noelle doesn''t know?"


    "What are you saying, divorce?" Noelle looked at Kate in disbelief, "Kate, is this true?"


    Kate couldn''t deny it and nodded, "Joseph and I went through the divorce formalities a week ago..."


    Noelle let go of Kate''s hand and shook her head, unwilling to believe what she was told. She stammered, "But that is impossible. You¡­you¡­you were so intimate just a few moments ago. It doesn''t seem like you are divorced at all¡­"


    Kate knew that she and Noelle were like sisters, and she had kept her divorce a secret, so Noelle had to be furious.


    Anna knew she said something she shouldn''t have. She put her head down and didn''t dare look at Joseph.


    "Brother, why did you get a divorce?" Noelle sobbed.


    Joseph cleared his throat slowly before turning his anger to Anna, "It is none of your business whether Kate and I have divorced or not."


    "Joseph, you said that you would be responsible for me. Didn''t you get a divorce to take care of me?" Anna was so scared that she turned pale.


    Anna was going against what her mother told her to do, but she knew Joseph was tired of her. No matter what she did, she could not get near him. She had to take advantage of what happened the night Joseph''s got drunk. Anna couldn''t believe that he would be so irresponsible in front of others.


    Joseph replied unsympathetically, "I made it clear when we spoke¡­"


    "I don''t want any compensation; I just want you!" Anna cried.


    "That sounds shameless and really disgusting!" Noelle felt sick even though she understood Anna was only harassing Joseph, and he wanted nothing to do with her.


    Noelle saw that there might still be a chance for Joseph and Kate, so she said, "Anna, my brother liked you before, while you flaunted around in front of us, I put up with it. But, now it seems that he knows your true personality and doesn''t like you anymore. You better leave her as soon as possible."

 Chapter 98 Im Yours

    "Who took the initiative to climb into my son''s bed? Who slept with my son while he was drunk? If you two had a consensual and willing relationship, would you feel mistreated?" Cassie criticized as she walked up to the group.


    "She is right!" Noelle supported Cassie.


    "You...all of you are just bullying me!" Anna cried and ran away.


    "Bullying? I think it is kind that we''re not beating her!" Noelle clenched her teeth angrily.


    Cassie thought that Joseph, Kate, and Noelle would be having an excellent time together, but then she heard Anna screaming and crying. So, she wanted to ensure the situation didn''t get too out of control.


    Kate''s palms were sweating. She thought she could ignore her feelings for Joseph, but when she heard what happened that night between Anna and Joseph, she felt disgusted. It was also evident from Joseph''s reaction that he didn''t want any responsibility for the situation.


    "Don''t you love her? Since she slept with you, why not take some responsibility?" Kate didn''t really want to know the answer, but she couldn''t stop herself from questioning Joseph. She didn''t want to look like she was on Anna''s side, but she couldn''t believe that the man she loved was so irresponsible.


    "Kate ..." Cassie interrupted her, "What are you talking about? How could Joseph like that bitch. He knows Anna''s true character now and wouldn''t marry her."


    "Mom, whoever he marries in the future has nothing to do with me. I just think he should be a responsible man," Kate put her head down and calmly walked out of the garden.


    "Joseph, what are you waiting for? Go after Kate!" Cassie worried that Samuel would jump at the chance to comfort Kate.


    Joseph was in a daze and didn''t move, so Noelle anxiously yelled, "Joseph!"


    But before Joseph could take a step, Samuel ran to catch up with Kate.


    "Damn it, that bastard will never give up on his evil desires!" Cassie barked.


    The night breeze blew on Kate''s cheeks as she walked along the tree-lined road. Samuel followed her but deliberately kept a distance between them so that he would not upset her further.


    The trees created shadows from the street lights on the road, and Kate didn''t notice a pothole. She stumbled and nearly fell, but Samuel rushed to catch her.


    "Are you all right, Kate?" Samuel asked.


    Kate looked at him, wondering why he was there.


    He said, "I was worried about you, so I followed you."


    "Thank you," Kate pushed him away to keep a distance between them.


    "I''m okay," Kate said with a smile.


    "Don''t hide it, I am not blind," Samuel grinned.


    "Your hands were tight fists the entire time Anna was talking, and there was no expression on your face. It was easy to see how much you care."


    Kate didn''t want to talk about the situation. She felt embarrassed and began to blame herself, "I need to go home."


    "Kate, you just heard that Joseph and Anna have..."


    "Don''t mention them again, okay?" She interrupted impatiently. Seeing a taxi passing by, she flagged it down and got in, leaving Samuel frowning on the side of the road.


    What is so good about Joseph that Kate is sad after divorcing him? Samuel wondered.


    **


    Vincent sat in the main hall with a serious look on his face after all the guests left. He told Cassie, "Contact the media to report that Joseph and Kate have got a divorce!"


    Cassie was anxious when she heard her father''s order, "Dad, there are so many misunderstandings between Joseph and Kate that lead to their divorce. But, the truth is they are very loving toward each other."


    Jenny didn''t expect to hear that they were divorced; she gasped when she heard. Gina turned to her and sneered, "Noelle spoke to Kate. It turned out that she didn''t think of herself as a family member, so she didn''t pay much attention to picking a gift for Father."


    "Enough, isn''t this bad enough already?" Cassie hated hearing anyone saying bad things about Kate.


    "Do you know what Dora told me ?" Vincent said.


    Cassie should have known that Dora said something or else Vincent wouldn''t have been so angry. She could guess what Dora told him, so after taking a deep breath; she said, "Dad, you know better than us, what kind of person Dora is. I am not prejudiced against them, but they are evil. If Anna marries into this family, I am afraid it will turn into a total disaster!"


    "I don''t think so, Cassie," Gina interrupted to express her opinion, "After all, Joseph and Anna love each other, which is beneficial for family harmony!"


    "But Joseph now ..."


    "Okay!" Vincent didn''t have the patience to listen to them arguing and said bluntly, "Let Anna live in the Smith family for a while. During this time, we can watch her closely, and then we can make a conclusion!"


    Vincent was the head of the family. Even though Cassie had a different opinion, she did dare to challenge her father''s plan.


    Gina sneered before she left, "Anna is more pleasing, and after all, she won Joseph''s heart before."


    After Gina slammed the door, Jenny walked over and sighed, "Why did Joseph divorce Kate? They were such a lovely couple. It is a real pity!"


    "I''ll never let the bitch into my home, nor let her be my daughter-in-law!" Being so angry and sad, Cassie said confidently.


    Jenny didn''t know the details of the relationship between Joseph, Kate, and Anna. She only knew that Joseph loved Anna, and if they want to be together, no one could stop them. She couldn''t give an opinion, but she did feel bad for Kate.


    **


    It was very late when Joseph arrived home. Amy was sitting on the sofa, waiting for him. When he walked in, she said, "Lord Joseph, welcome home."


    Joseph frowned and didn''t answer her.


    Amy rushed to his side in a panic, "Lord, Miss Anna is in your bedroom!"


    Joseph stopped and shouted at Amy angrily, "Who allowed her to come?"


    "It''s was not me ..." Amy lowered her head in fear, whispering, "But she said ... she said that she was already yours, and will be your wife in the future¡­"

 Chapter 99 Humiliate Kate

    Joseph looked furious and stormed toward his room.


    "Joseph, you''re home," Anna exclaimed as she crawled off the bed, wiping her tears away.


    Joseph threw his coat down on the sofa and walked toward her.


    "Joseph..." Anna hugged herself in horror and cried, "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have said that and embarrassed you, but I... I''m petrified that you don''t want me!"


    "Do you think you can threaten me with your words, and then I will marry you?" Joseph sneered, "You really deserve to find someone just like you!"


    No one could threaten Joseph unless he allowed them. He knew Anna''s lies and tricks.


    "Joseph, I know we have been separated for two years, and your feelings have faded. But as long as you give me a chance, I''ll make you love me again. Okay?" Anna looked at Joseph, crying and begging.


    Joseph didn''t respond; his eyes were cold as usual.


    "Do you know how much I hate you now? Do you know how much I owe Kate? If you want to experience what Kate went through for the last two years, I have no problems showing you!" Joseph said and walked out of his bedroom. He found Ricky and asked him to throw Anna out of the house.


    Anna was frightened when she heard his order, "Joseph, don''t do this. I was wrong. I''ll never make you angry again¡­"


    **


    Kate could sleep well once she began to worry. It was a problem that started when she married into the Smith family. She laid in bed, tossing and turning, replaying what happened in Vincent''s backyard.


    The confusion overwhelmed Kate; she knew Joseph wanted a divorce the moment Anna showed up alive. But, Kate refused and made Joseph angry to the point that he threatened her grandma''s life. Yet, when she divorced him, he seemed to have changed his mind. She had no idea what was going on.


    Finally, after hours of staring at the ceiling, Kate fell asleep. She probably would have slept until the next day if Lisa hadn''t called.


    "Hey, Kate! Have you seen the headlines?" Lisa inquired, "I guess it isn''t only the headlines. The stories are blaming you, and people are blaming you¡­"


    "Why blame me?" Kate immediately sat up in bed.


    "How can you be so calm?" Lisa worried a lot about Kate.


    "You''d better find a public relations agency to clarify your side or better yet get the entire story deleted from the internet. Otherwise, it will continue to get worse!"


    "I''m nobody important; I am sure it is nothing. Just let it go!" Kate didn''t want to overthink the headlines. She just assumed it was something to do with Joseph; he was always in the news. He was a prominent figure in Aubi City, so she dealt with it regularly when they were married.


    "Headlines!!! The hidden information behind President Smith and Kate White''s divorce, a love quadrangle?"


    Love quadrangle? Interesting. The media was doing anything to catch readers'' eyes. Kate thought as she read the story.


    There were several pictures; one was only of her and Samuel. But, what people couldn''t tell was that the photo was taken on an ambiguous angle to make it look as if she was kissing Samuel. Most of them were all in high definition, so it was obvious that they were taken on purpose.


    Thinking about who would release the pictures, made Kate''s skin crawl. Samuel''s reputation would be affected by them as well, so Kate didn''t think he would purposely create problems for himself. She didn''t want to deal with it, but she believed that Samuel might be involved, so Kate knew she had to speak to the allegations.


    After rushing to get dress, Kate went downstairs to go to the White Group.


    "Kate, are you awake?" Daisy frowned, looking worried.


    "Don''t worry; everything can be fixed. I am on my way to work," Kate said and patted Daisy''s shoulder.


    "But you haven''t eaten yet."


    "I''m not hungry."


    The moment she arrived at White Group, she saw a large group of reporters waiting at the entrance. When they saw Kate getting out of the car, they swarmed her.


    "Miss Kate, did you divorce Joseph because of Samuel?"


    "It''s said on the internet that you and Mr. Smith were forced to get married and it was a loveless marriage. Is this correct?"


    "Is the rumor about you and Samuel Smith true?"


    Kate took a deep breath and said, "I am able to answer all of your questions one by one, but please let me into the office first?"


    A silent response would not solve the problem, and since the reporters were waiting, they would not leave until they had answers.


    Ten minutes later, in the meeting room of White Group. The staff prepared seats for the reporters, and Kate sat at the front like a press conference. She was going to answer the reporter''s questions one by one.


    "I''ll clarify two points before we start with the questions. Firstly, Mr. Joseph Smith and I have peacefully reached an agreement on our divorce, and there is no third party involved. Secondly, Mr. Samuel Smith and I are just friends. Obviously, the photos online were made to look as if there was more happening, but someone is setting us up."


    "Miss Kate, I think your answer is too far-fetched. After all, the photos are evidence. We recall that two years ago, Samuel Smith asked you to marry him, yet you married Joseph Smith not long after that. The relationship between you is confusing and could be easily misunderstood. As far as I know, Mr. Joseph Smith is in love with Anna White, your sister. When Anna supposedly died in an accident, you married Joseph, but even when she came home, you refused to get a divorce. That is until your relationship with Samuel was discovered. Can you please explain?"


    "Ma''am, would you please tell us where you are from?" Kate wondered who took those photos, and if she could find out where the reporter was from, it might help. Her question had twisted Kate''s answer and tried to make it look as if she was having an affair.


    "I am ..." The woman who asked the question blushed but didn''t answer Kate.


    Other reporters looked at her, "You are a reporter? Why can''t you answer her?"


    Kate looked at her, waiting for her to continue with her fake story.


    "It''s not important to know where I work. What is important is that you''re having a relationship with another man!" The woman was obviously annoyed.


    Funny, how such an impatient woman thinks she can hurt me! Kate thought and continued to interrogate her.


    "Since you''re so confident about your story, have you been living under my bed? And you mentioned that there is no love between Joseph and me, that he only loves Anna and Samuel proposed to me. Please tell me how you know this? Who told you?"

 Chapter100 Josephs Promise

    "Who told me is not important, I just know that you had an affair!" The woman took out photos and pointed to the one where Samuel and Kate were together. "This is the evidence!"


    Kate got up and walked toward her with a huge grin.


    "Do you admit that it was you who put those pictures on the internet?"


    "I..." The woman was shocked by Kate''s powerful aura.


    "You are saying I had an affair with minimal evidence and involved innocent people. You are definitely great at making up stories!" Kate grabbed the picture and snarled, "Do you know the consequences you will face for this?"


    "I''m sorry, I ..." The reporter slumped down in her chair, trembling she whispered, "It has nothing to do with me. Other people gave me orders¡­"


    Kate smiled; it was just as she predicted, "Everyone in the room has heard that there is someone behind this event and deliberately creating trouble. I hope that everyone will report truthfully and not report fake news just to sell stories!"


    "Sorry Miss Kate, we were also misled by the photos, and we will clarify the facts for you and Mr. Joseph Smith when we get back to our office."


    Kate Smith smiled faintly, saying nothing.


    All of the reporters left except the woman. When she saw that it was only her and Kate left in the room, she felt even more frightened.


    "Miss Kate, I have told you everything I know. Since it''s a misunderstanding, can you let me go?"


    "You told me everything, did you?" Kate sneered, "I don''t know who instructed you yet, and this is intentional slander. I am not sure how it is only a misunderstanding. You are na?ve!"


    "I..." The reporter looked down at the floor. She was debating on what to tell Kate when someone suddenly started pounding on the door.


    "Come in!" Kate yelled.


    "Miss Kate, Joseph Smith, the president of Smith Group, would like to see you."


    There was a subtle change in Kate''s expression when she heard Joseph''s name, but she sternly said, "Tell him to wait, I am busy right now!"


    "Okay," The assistant nodded.


    Kate never thought there would be a day when she would be telling Joseph to wait. It seemed somewhat ironic.


    "Have you remember out who instructed you to do this? Or shall I take your posts to ..."


    "I''ll tell you! I''ll tell you!" The woman was scared, and she quickly explained, "I actually don''t know who sent the photos to me, because the messages were anonymous. It said that if I posted the photos and contents on the internet with a public forum about the four of you, I would get a generous reward. However, since I did not complete my task, I won''t get any money¡­"


    "I received $20,000 as a deposit, and they said that I would get the balance when I was done the task. I don''t know who the other party is, though."


    "Forward me the anonymous message; there should be records of transfers. Tell me everything you know; otherwise, you will suffer to the fullest extent possible by law."


    Kate didn''t feel any sympathy for people who do immoral things for money.


    The woman was terrified, "Miss Kate, I have told you everything? Will you please return my ID to me?"


    Kate looked at her ID, she was 18 years old, about the same age as Noelle. She looked sweet and well behaved, so Kate could not understand why she would spread such a horrible rumor.


    Kate still didn''t show any sympathy, "I''ll ask someone to return your ID after making copies."


    "Okay... that''s alright..." The woman cried.


    Kate returned to her office and saw Joseph standing in front of the large window, looking out at the city. The familiarity of his back caught her off guard; she hadn''t realized how much he had his back to her for the two years they were married.


    Maybe he doesn''t want to face me? Why would he, he always had his back to me and treated me with no affection? But I always have liked looking at his back. Kate smirked.


    Kate knocked on the door deliberately to let Joseph know that she was there. He quickly spun around and looked at her.


    Kate was wearing a skirt and blouse, very different from the casual, artistic way she dressed before.


    Joseph was surprised at how she had changed in such a short time, but she was still beautiful. He thought she was like a flower, even if she were ignored and isolated, she would quietly bloom into a stunning flower. Joseph had a hard time looking away; she seemed to be more attractive each time he saw her.


    "What is so important that you are here, Mr. Smith?" Kate asked bluntly.


    "I spoke with my public relations department early this morning about the news. Someone intended to create hype around this story, just so that it would be all over the internet," Joseph explained cautiously, but Kate thought he was accusing her.


    "So, Mr. Smith, you came here to hold me accountable?"


    Joseph frowned. He said softly, "No, I think someone did this deliberately."


    "Who do you think that would be?" She had some idea but did not want to point her finger at anyone without proof.


    "According to the story, there are four victims. However, the more I think about it, the one to benefit the most would be Samuel," Joseph''s tone had changed, "Because he likes you!"


    Kate was stunned, she shook her head in denial, "No, he would not ruin his own reputation. Plus, the photos were secretly taken. We could also suspect Anna because she is in love with you!"


    "I came here to eliminate any confusion, not to quarrel with you," Joseph tried to stay as calm as possible.


    "I don''t mean to quarrel with you; I just want to make my analysis clear. You doubt people for no reason, but I am not allowed?" She glanced at him; she handed to him the evidence she received from the reporter.


    "I will investigate it!" Joseph started walking toward the door.


    "Wait a minute!" Kate squinted at him, looking at the evidence she handed to him.


    "You won''t destroy the evidence to cover the guilt for someone you care about?"


    "Am I not trustworthy?" Joseph asked.


    "I don''t know. But when you are around Anna, you seem to lose your mind," Kate said as if she was jealous.


    "I don''t care for your attitude. Whoever the person is, I will get even with them for doing this! And it has always been you who was nice to her!" Joseph said and walked out.


    "You!" Kate shouted with anger and frustration. She couldn''t believe that Joseph was blaming her for being merciful to Anna.

 Chapter 101 Do You Have Faith on Me?

    It only took Joseph a few hours to track down the anonymous person who sent the reporter the message and transferred the money.


    **


    Later that evening, in a nightclub, one of Joseph''s bodyguards held a man up by his shirt''s collar.


    "Lord Smith, this is the man. He was high in a casino when I found him!" The guard said and kicked the man in the leg so that he fell to his knees.


    Joseph looked at the man on the ground. He was tall with dark skin, and seemed to be rather strong, "Andrew?"


    Kneeling on the ground and struggling, the man asked, "Who the hell are you guys? Why am I here?"


    "It seems you have a short memory," Joseph took out the photos and asked sternly, "Tell me the truth, or you''ll never have another chance to gamble! This will be the end of you!"


    Andrew thought for a moment, then looked at Joseph. His eyes moved around nervously, but he didn''t speak for a long time.


    "Nothing to say?" Joseph ordered the men on either side of him, "Get him out of here! Call his creditors and let them collect the debts before taking his life ..."


    "Don''t!" Andrew panicked.


    Joseph knew he would change his mind quickly. With a cold expression, Joseph continued, "I need to know every detail about these pictures!"


    "Here''s the thing ..."


    Half an hour later, Joseph knew the entire story.


    "Boss, I''m just cashing a paycheck! I didn''t mean to hurt anyone. Please... please let me go!" Andrew begged for mercy.


    "Let you go?" Joseph sneered, "Do you think I''ll show mercy to a guy who bullied me?"


    Joseph winked at his men, "Take him away, I''ll deal with him when everything has been settled!"


    **


    The next morning, Joseph got a call from Kate. A huge smile appeared on his face, and he felt more energetic when he saw her name.


    "Joseph, have you found anything? If you can figure it out, just me the evidence back, and I will do it myself!" Kate was upset and hadn''t slept well.


    "You''re worried that it''s going to be Samuel, aren''t you?" Joseph snapped, he felt exceedingly jealous.


    Kate immediately sat up in bed and replied in a huff, "Are you crazy? Maybe you will stop connecting me to him if I actually start to date him!"


    "You better not do that!" Joseph said with sadness.


    Kate was reluctant to argue with him and continued to ask, "What''s going on now? By the way, yesterday, I clarified our relationship with reporters and the affair rumors. So, Joseph, congratulations, you have an excellent ex-wife!"


    Joseph thought Kate''s words were harsh, so he sarcastically said, "Yes, thank you for leaving our relationship so spotless!"


    Over their marriage, Joseph always spoke to Kate with a cold tone, so she didn''t notice that he was upset.


    She laughed, "Don''t mention it. As Lisa said, I''m just doing a good deed!"


    Kate needed to change the topic, so she said, "I need to know, are you sure? If not¡­"


    "Do you have faith in me?" Joseph interrupted.


    "Huh?" Kate opened her mouth but could not form words; she didn''t expect him to ask her that.


    Her hesitation made Joseph a little angry, "Am I that lame in your eyes?"


    He found himself caring about her answer; he had never been so serious.


    "No, you''re good, except for being a little short-tempered and overbearing toward me," Kate spoke honestly.


    "That''s quite a nice answer!" He exclaimed but thought about all he had done to her.


    "Look, if you don''t want to hear the truth, then don''t ask!" Kate pouted and put Joseph on speakerphone so that she could get dressed.


    "Don''t worry; I''ll handle it! Just take care of your company!" Joseph barked and hung up.


    "Joseph, don''t brush me off!" She yelled, only to find he had already hung up.


    She gripped the phone and complained angrily, "It must be Anna, you''re just trying to protect her!"


    Joseph looked at the time of the call, and a satisfied smile crossed his lips.


    **


    At lunchtime, Joseph contacted Anna to meet him at his private restaurant. Anna should have been overjoyed, but she was nervous that he found out the truth. She was told that Joseph had captured Andrew.


    Andrew didn''t always answer his phone, and Anna didn''t dare take the initiative to contact him without knowing where he was.


    Although Anna felt guilty, she couldn''t give up the opportunity to have dinner with Joseph.


    "Joseph, sorry, I''m late. Hope you weren''t waiting long," Anna said in a sweet voice.


    Joseph was uncaring, "Oh, have a seat."


    Her uneasy eyes lingered on his face, "You''re...not mad at me anymore?"


    Joseph laughed and shook his head, "How could I be? I was the one with the bad attitude before, please don''t be mad at me."


    Anna stared in shock, "Joseph, what...what did you just say?"


    "I''m not mad at you," Joseph Smith said with a gentle smile.


    "Are you kidding me?" Anna thought her cover had been blown. She never thought that Joseph would be kind to her.


    "Why would I tease you?" Joseph said thoughtfully, "I''ve been cold recently because I said you made mistakes. But then I realized that I married Kate and she was pregnant with my child. Please, forgive me."


    "Really?" Anna was so flattered that she burst into tears, "Joseph, I don''t blame you. I am thrilled!"


    "Well ... Why don''t you move in with me?"

 Chapter 102 Destroyed by You

    "You can say no if you don''t want to. I would understand," Joseph frowned.


    "I want to very much!" Only a fool would refuse, Anna told herself.


    "But I have one request," Joseph spoke bluntly, "Before we get married, we should have separate rooms. If you violate this rule, I will have to reconsider our relationship."


    "I promise you!" As long as she could move into the Smith home, being Lady Smith was in her future. She would not ruin her long-time goals for a brief moment.


    "That''s all then. I''m done, take your time," Joseph then got up and left the table.


    "Are you leaving now?" Anna watched Joseph''s back with disappointment, but she smiled when she thought about moving in with him.


    She said to herself, "Kate Smith, you have lost to me now!"


    Anna certainly wanted to share such great news with her rival.


    **


    When Anna was settled in at the Smith home, she sent Kate a text, "Kate, you must recognize this place in the photo, right? Joseph formally invited me to move in. He said he only snubbed me before to protect me since he was possibly the father of your baby. He had to pretend to be "sad"!


    Kate was startled when her phone went off, and after she read the message, she knew she had been right all along. Joseph was acting the entire time. Kate was furious; Anna caused her baby''s miscarriage, and the baby''s father let her into his home.


    "That bitch will not get away with this!" Kate swore out loud.


    When Kate arrived, it looked as if all the lights in the Smith mansion were on. She hadn''t been there since her divorce from Joseph, and she never planned to set foot in there again, but the anger was more potent than her willpower.


    "Lady Smith, you ..." Ricky felt conflicted and hesitated to let her in.


    Amy happened to pass by at this time. She said with a smile, "A visitor is a guest. And Miss Kate used to be our boss, how can we turn her away?"


    Kate had never been friendly to Amy and certainly didn''t believe she had good intentions. However, she was there to settle the score with Anna, not Amy.


    Anna was excitedly moving items around when Amy announced, "Miss Anna, Lady Smith¡­ no, Miss Kate is here."


    "What are you doing here?" Anna snarled as she turned around to glare at Kate.


    Kate stepped forward with a cold face and snorted, "You need to apologize to my child!"


    Anna was stunned and suddenly laughed, "Kate, are you crazy? Your baby is gone. I didn''t do anything to provoke it. What happened has been cleared up, it is not a good idea to bring it up again! It isn''t funny!"


    "It was Joseph''s baby! He wasn''t a possible father! It was his baby!" Kate shouted; she couldn''t allow Anna to insult the child she lost.


    "No apology? Alright!" Kate took a step closer as the fury in her eyes grew.


    "What ... what do you want?!" Anna had retreated into the corner, and there was no room to back up.


    A loud slap landed on Anna''s face. She was about to hit Kate back, but was stopped by a loud, sharp voice, "Stop it!"


    Anna''s raised hand hung in the air, and said in an injured tone, "Joseph, thank goodness you are here! Kate hit me ..."


    Afterward, pointing to her beaten face, she cried bitterly, "It hurts so much ..."


    Kate snorted, "Wow, such a shameless bitch! Can''t even handle a little pain!"


    "Joseph, listen! She''s obviously come here to cause trouble for me!" Since learning that Joseph was rude to protect her, Anna had all of her confidence back.


    Kate was even angrier at the thought of Joseph deceiving her, "Joseph, I don''t expect justice from a man as biased as you who could ignore his own children, but this woman you love said your child was a bastard. I couldn''t bear to hear it!"


    Joseph''s fist clenched, and his eyes filled with anger as he listened to Kate.


    Anna was so nervous that she tried to explain, "Joseph, that''s not what I said, it''s ..."


    "Oh, I see," Joseph looked at Kate, his lips in a sneer, "The past is the past. Don''t mention it again!"


    Kate glared furiously at the unsympathetic man in front of her and said, "I wish that baby were a bastard so that you wouldn''t destroy its memory!"


    The was a flash of rage in Joseph''s eyes, his lips moved, but he said nothing.


    "Finally!" Anna smiled with satisfaction when Kate walked out. She then turned to Joseph and cried, "Honey, she really hurt my face."


    Joseph mumbled, "Amy, get some ice packs for Miss Anna."


    "Yes, Lord Joseph¡­" Amy was momentarily paralyzed by what happened; then, she could feel her jealousy toward Anna growing.


    Joseph asked Henry to make sure Kate got home safely, then went to his bedroom. He sat on his bed, feeling guilty and upset about how he had hurt Kate, but it was all part of the bigger plan.


    Kate was waiting outside for a taxi when Henry pulled in front of her, "Lady Smith, please get in!"


    She was annoyed and growled, "I''m not your Lady anymore! Shut up!"


    Henry immediately changed his words, "Miss Kate, get in the car. Lord Joseph asked me to take you home."


    "You don''t have to!" Kate snapped. She was getting angrier by the minute when she thought of how Joseph and Anna just attacked her but then said for Henry to take her home.


    "Miss Kate, I have to take you home, or Lord Joseph will blame me," Henry begged.

 Chapter 103 Mom, Save Me

    "That''s your problem, not mine," With that, Kate walked faster toward the intersection near the house.


    Henry had no choice but to follow in silence. It wasn''t until Kate got into the taxi that he sped up to follow her home.


    Kate knew that Henry was in the car behind, but when she arrived at the White''s mansion safely, he turned and left. Kate sighed as she opened the massive front door; she really couldn''t understand what Joseph was doing.


    "Where have you been, Kate? Have you eaten yet?" Daisy was about to eat, "I just heated up some leftover crawfish, I have extra cause I had a feeling you would be home soon. Would you like to join me?"


    She had been so upset that she didn''t think about food, but suddenly Kate''s stomach began to rumble. She sat down at the table and said, "Let''s enjoy our meal first, and then we will talk!"


    Daisy looked over at Kate from time to time, then asked anxiously, "Kate, are you alright?"


    Kate broke down and told Daisy what happened at the Smith mansion. She even tried to comfort her, "Don''t worry, I have no plan to harm Joseph. I was just there because of Anna''s text. I know she did it on purpose just to piss me off, but it still hurt!"


    "Well done!" Daisy said, "She deserves it! Kate, don''t make it sound like you are the bad one in the situation. People like Anna don''t deserve any respect!"


    "I just feel that I''m the only one who cares about our baby," Kate whispered. She knew that Joseph didn''t love her or their child, so he didn''t see how harsh Anna''s comments were.


    "Maybe he has his reasons?" Daisy''s voice was weak, for fear that Kate thought she was helping Joseph.


    "Reasons?" Kate thought it was funny, "He''s too happy now with the love of his life in his arms. I don''t think there is any other explanation."


    "Well, I wish I could say something to cheer you up, Kate," Daisy didn''t know how to help, but she could see that Kate was hurting.


    "I am good, but do we have any beer? I want a beer," Kate asked and walked over to the fridge. She pulled out a can and then asked Daisy, "Would you like a drink?"


    "Kate, you''d better not drink ..."


    "I''m fine, and crawfish only taste good with beer! Just one can, okay?" She didn''t like to drink; she just wanted to have a drink and forget how disastrous her life seemed.


    "Alright then¡­" Daisy saw that she was unhappy and took a beer from her.


    **


    Kate woke up the next morning with a terrible stomach ache from the can of beer. She could hardly walk down the stairs and needed to run to the washroom.


    Daisy was worried about her and called the doctor.


    After examining Kate, the doctor prescribed medicine and told her to rest.


    "Regardless of how much beer you had, you need to stay home and rest today," Daisy demanded.


    Kate couldn''t stop laughing at her, "Daisy, you sound just like my mom."


    "If my beautiful godmother were here, she would be heartbroken. So, you just stay in bed, and I will go make you some porridge."


    Thinking of Flora, Kate suddenly stopped smiling; she suddenly thought of a time when she was sick.


    "Mom, I want crawfish, and I want spicy soup, and I want beef ..."


    "Are you testing me, sweetheart? The doctor just told you not to eat spicy or cold food. Be good, and then Mommy will cook everything you like when you get better, okay?"


    "But, I want to eat now ..."


    "Alright, alright! Mommy will sneak you some, but it must be our secret!"


    "Don''t tell Daddy; it''s our little secret!"


    Mom, I miss you so much!


    Kate rolled over and buried her head in her pillow as the tears ran down her face.


    "She had one beer last night; she should be okay. I thought Kate would feel better after she got some rest, but her fever keeps going up..." Daisy told Joseph as she led him to Kate''s room.


    Joseph frowned when he saw Kate. He picked her up and drove her to the hospital.


    Daisy couldn''t help but smile when she saw Joseph taking care of Kate.


    Kate had been in a half-awake state with a high fever. She was dreaming that she was in the deep ocean and calling for help, but there was no one to rescue her. She was screaming, "Mom, save me¡­ save me¡­"


    Joseph was sitting at her bedside, when he heard her cries, he gently touched her hand, "Don''t be afraid, I am here."


    Kate gripped his hand back, trembling uncontrollably.


    He bent down, took her in his arms, and said in an extremely gentle voice, "It''s all right, it''s all right ..."


    The warmth of the embrace muffled Kate''s cries for help and steadied her rapid breathing. As time went by, Joseph gradually loosened his arms around her, and just as he was about to tuck her in again, she grabbed his arm tightly and mumbled, "Joseph¡­"


    Joseph''s heart suddenly quivered. He excitedly took her hand and whispered, "I am here."


    Kate seemed to hear his reply, and her face began to relax again.


    Joseph looked at her pale face and felt guilty. He thought if he hadn''t been so unresponsive when she was at his house, then she might not have had a beer and wouldn''t be sick. He had to get his plans completed as soon as possible so that Kate did not continue to suffer.


    When Kate''s fever finally subsided, Joseph decided to leave the hospital.


    Back at the Smith mansion, Anna rushed up to him and asked, "Joseph, I haven''t seen you all day! Where have you been?"


    Having Anna in his arms, a wave of disgust surged in Joseph''s stomach. However, he had to hold back his displeasure, so he gently pushed her away, "I still have things to deal with. I will talk to you later."


    "Joseph, I haven''t seen you all day. I miss you so much!" Anna tightly hugged Joseph from behind. "Stay with me, okay?"


    Joseph frowned, "I still have a ton of work to do. Do you want me to stay up all night working?"

 Chapter 104 Fake Pregnancy

    Joseph didn''t respond and went upstairs without looking back.


    Amy stood in the doorway and watch the interaction between the two. Once Joseph shut his office door, she scoffed at Anna, "Don''t you know that Lord Joseph doesn''t like clingy women?"


    Anna was irritated and snapped, "You think you know Joseph so well? Amy, I have not got even with you for betraying me before. You better keep a low profile or you will suffer once I become Mrs. Smith."


    "Even if I do keep a low profile, will you actually let me be?" Amy snarled. She understood that if Anna did marry Joseph, she would be fired immediately. So, rather than act weak in front of Anna, Amy was going to continue to talk back.


    "You are right. I indeed hate you. After I became Mrs. Smith, I will make sure you are out of this house. You will have no chance against me!" Anna smiled.


    "Wow! I''m so honored to be your first target," Amy said sarcastically not scared of Anna in the least.


    "You..."


    "I encourage you to watch your mouth and behavior from now on. This is Lord Joseph''s home and you remember how Lady Kate''s miscarriage was revealed?" Amy threatened.


    Anna calmed herself down and said, "Amy, I know you love Joseph. But do you think you are qualified to be his wife?"


    Amy couldn''t believe that Anna knew about her feeling for Joseph, "Miss Anna, Lord Joseph is my boss. I am only his servant, so I do worry and care for him. There is nothing more so do not make accusations that are untrue."


    "I''m happy that you know you are a servant, so you need to behave yourself. Otherwise, I will have Joseph fire you!" Anna smiled again and walked away.


    Amy watched her leaving, she clenched her fists and shouted, "It is you who should be out of here!"


    **


    During the first month Anna lived at the Smith mansion, she tried everything to get close to Joseph. However, each time she was reminded she had to keep a certain distance before their marriage. Anna hinted that she wanted to marry Joseph as soon as possible but he refused to set a date. Though she complained about it, she dared not to continue asking and had to find another way to push the topic.


    Knowing that Anna was living with Joseph, Kate immersed herself in her work. She had to stop thinking about Joseph and move on with her life.


    **


    "You mean to lie about being pregnant?" Anna whispered, she thought Dora had given up on the idea but to her surprise, her mother was calling it the final plan.


    "Have you ever thought about why Joseph does not want to touch you? If he really loves you, why does he refuse to have sex with you?" Dora asked anxiously. She thought since Anna could not get Joseph into bed, she would lose the battle with Cassie.


    After being degraded by her own mother, Anna was upset. She bitterly snarled, "Joseph respects me and wants to wait until we are married¡­"


    "I don''t care what he thinks. You give Joseph a report about your pregnancy. I will talk with him tomorrow and force him to marry you," Dora told Anna, she wanted to ensure her daughter had a status marriage.


    "Okay¡­" Anna was frightened by Dora and dared not speak against her plan.


    **


    The next afternoon, Joseph was at Smith Group working when Anna knocked on the door with a report in her hand.


    She shyly put it down in front of him and said, "Joseph, we did not use any protection and I am not on a contraceptive pill, so I¡­ I am pregnant."


    Joseph looked at the report, and then asked, "What is your plan?"


    "I...I want to have a baby. It is our baby, hopefully, a baby boy. I hope this will please you, your mom, and your grandpa."


    "Okay, now that I know, we can talk about this later tonight. You go home and get some rest," Joseph replied calmly.


    "Okay¡­" Anna nodded. She noticed Joseph''s expression did not change, she cautiously asked, "Joseph, why¡­ why are you unhappy?"


    "Am I? Maybe it is just too sudden," Joseph smiled reluctantly and added, "Go home and take a nap. Tell Amy to make you anything that you want to eat. I will be home early tonight."


    Hearing his comforting words, Anna felt more assured. She smiled and said, "You get your work done. I will be waiting for you to get home."


    After she stepped out of Joseph''s office, Anna''s heart skipped a beat. It seemed that Joseph believed her, and now she only had to find a way to get pregnant as soon as possible. If she didn''t, Joseph would eventually find out and never speak to her again. Anna didn''t want to have someone else''s baby so she had to do her best to seduce Joseph.


    Walking out of Smith Group, Anna dialed Samuel''s number. As soon as he answered, she said, "Help me create an opportunity!"


    Joseph read over the report again, then threw it to the side. He felt disgusted even imagining what Anna had done.


    **


    Kate left work on time so that Daisy wouldn''t have to wait for supper but as she stepped out of the building, she saw Samuel. He was leaving against his car and waved to her.


    Not wanting to look impolite, Kate smiled and walked over. She asked, "Why are you here?"


    "Kate, I haven''t had the chance to thank you for helping me," Samuel smiled and asked, "Would you please join me for dinner? I have already made reservations."


    "Sorry, Samuel, I told Daisy that I would be home for dinner tonight. Plus, I think it is best that we keep our distance from each other. The past always seems to come back to haunt both you and me."


    "Are you really acting like this, Kate? I know who did everything!" Samuel angrily said, "But the bastard escaped. If I catch him, I will not let him get away again!"


    "You figured it out?" Kate had tried to forget what had happened because Joseph''s attitude disappointed her. Even if Joseph found out who did it, she wondered if he would have punished them. Kate believed that Joseph did not care about her or the rumors, since she was the only one who seemed to suffer.

 Chapter 105 Agree to Date

    "Joseph must know then! So, instead of revealing the truth, he chose to cover for Anna?" Kate sneered.


    Seeing her disappointment, Samuel added, "Kate, I have also been investigating your grandma''s death. Like I said before, I suspected Joseph was involved, but I think I was wrong. After all, he is not that careless. However, I suspect someone else now¡­"


    "Joseph¡­" Kate''s heart was conflicted. She could not believe that Joseph would hurt her grandma, but she could also not forget the threats he made against her. She did see that he was a man who was willing to defend Anna at all costs.


    "Let''s have dinner together to talk about it. You must be confused as to why they would do this to us. There is a lot to explain, so we should talk over dinner."


    Kate did not reply.


    "I promise I will respect you. Please give me a chance to turn over a new leaf," Samuel begged.


    Kate also wanted to know who spread the rumors, so she agreed, "Only for dinner, though. I need to be home early."


    While Samuel was enticing Kate, Anna was asking Joseph for dinner. She thought it would take a lot of convincing, but he agreed immediately. Anna was shocked and assumed it was due to her fake pregnancy. At the thought of how much she could get out of pregnancy, she became excited and prayed her plan would work.


    I must have sex with Joseph tonight. I need to get pregnant, and then if he finds out I did lie, I will at least have a baby to comfort me. Anna told herself.


    At a romantic, candle-lit restaurant, Joseph and Anna sat across from each other. Anna raised her glass of wine and smiled, "Joseph, this restaurant is perfect for a date. Do you like it?"


    Joseph looked at the glass in her hand and asked coldly, "Pregnant?"


    "Mm¡­Sorry, I forgot," Anna embarrassedly smiled and changed a glass of water.


    "Let''s toast!" Anna advised pointing to Joseph''s wine glass, "It is our first date since I got my memory back!"


    Joseph held the glass, clinked it with hers, and drank it all. Everything was going according to plan; Anna wanted him to drink the wine that she had drugged. She was afraid that he might refuse to drink if she wasn''t.


    A few minutes late, Joseph excused himself to go to the washroom.


    Anna agreed immediately, saying, "Okay, the dishes have not been served yet."


    To ensure the plan would definitely work, Anna sent a text to the staff while Joseph was away from the table. She wrote, "Be on high alert! We need to succeed! We cannot fail!"


    "Yes," a woman softly whispered, barely loud enough for Joseph to hear.


    "Then you must order this dish. It is the best here!"


    "Thank you!" The woman said a bit louder.


    Joseph immediately recognized Kate''s voice. He was irritated when he heard the conversation between Samuel and Kate; he clenched his fists and wanted to storm into the room. However, he had other things to deal with and returned to the table where Anna was waiting.


    After he sat down, Anna pointed to the food on the table and said, "I ordered these dishes. I don''t know if you will like them or¡­"


    "It does not matter," Joseph interrupted. He was distracted and picked up his phone to send a text.


    Anna noticed the strange expression on his face. She looked towards the private room and assumed he found out that Kate and Samuel were at the same restaurant. But, she didn''t care because Joseph thought she was pregnant with his child, and Kate was on a date with Samuel. Joseph would see what a shameless woman Kate was.


    While Anna was lost in thought, Joseph had sent his text messages and put his phone away. He picked up his fork and began to eat.


    "Joseph, I know you have been exhausted recently. Please enjoy your dinner," Anna smiled.


    To ensure the drugs took effect, she increased the amount in his food. She watched carefully waiting for him to show signs that it was working.


    "What''s wrong?" Joseph asked.


    Anna looked away and shook her head, "Nothing, I just like watching you. We are still together after so many difficulties. It has not been easy."


    "The wine¡­" Joseph looked at the glass, stopping mid-sentence.


    He was frightening Anna, she immediately said, "There is nothing wrong with it!"


    "I was going to say the wine tastes good. We should get some for home," Joseph smiled and drank another glass.


    "Good¡­Good! I like it!" Anna stammered. She tried to control her anxiety so that she did not give herself away, but suddenly, Joseph''s glass fell to the floor.


    Anna jumped up and ran to Joseph''s side, "What is wrong? Are you okay?"


    Joseph frowned and replied in a low voice, "I feel a little dizzy."


    "I am sure there are vacant rooms in the hotel upstairs. You should rest there before we try to go home," Anna said and called a waiter over to help Joseph stand.


    A few minutes later, the waiter left Anna and Joseph in a VIP suite on the second floor.


    Anna locked the door and laughed, "The last time you were drunk and unconscious; I took the initiative to give myself to you. Yet, you didn''t respond at all. This time the drugs will help me, I don''t think you will be able to control yourself and resist my seduction."


    Walking toward the wardrobe, Anna took out a sexy nightie and put it on before crawly on top of Joseph.


    "Joseph..." Anna whispered his name, affectionately, "Are you uncomfortable? Let me help you."


    Then she started undoing Joseph''s shirt.

 Chapter 106 An Unusual Nigh

    "Let me help you!" Anna reached out to help him. Joseph did not stop her; instead, he closed his eyes and laid still.


    I am so thankful that I can finally be his woman! Please bless me to get pregnant with Joseph''s baby tonight! Anna prayed.


    "Joseph..." Anna called his name gently and leaned down to kiss him.


    In an instant, Joseph opened his eyes and asked, "What are you doing?"


    Anna was scared at first but then smiled, "Joseph, you want me? I can give you¡­"


    Joseph gently pushed her off of him, then reminded her, "You are pregnant. You know that we should do that!"


    Anna stroked his face and smiled, "Don''t hesitate, Joseph, you will like it..."


    Joseph grabbed her hand and said, "If you were not pregnant, I probably wouldn''t hesitate, but you are pregnant. If I force you to have sex with me, it would just be wrong!"


    It was a surprise to Anna that Joseph was still so calm with the drugs in his system. She was excited and could not control herself; she was eager to fulfill her sexual desire.


    Without thinking, Anna moaned, "Joseph¡­ In fact, I am not pregnant. I lied to you¡­"


    "Not pregnant?" Joseph squinted his eyes, "You told me you were pregnant from the last time we were together."


    "Sorry, Joseph, to make you care more about me, I...I lied to you..." Anna tried to kiss him, but Joseph turned his head.


    He questioned further, "Then what happened last time when I was drunk? You tell me. If you tell me the truth, I will not be angry; but if not, I may not forgive you as easily as last time."


    Anna hesitated for a short while. She believed that Joseph would be kind to her since they were in such an intimate position, and he was drugged. She considered it to be the perfect time to confess what really happened since, with the drugs, he could do nothing but obey her.


    "Last time...Last time, nothing happened between us. I lied to you because I wanted us to be back together as soon as possible¡­"


    "So, you lied to me the entire time? And will you continue to lie to me?" Joseph said with a hint of anger.


    Anna bent over his chest and said with sadness, "Forgive me, Joseph. I lied to you because I''m afraid to lose you. If I know you did it all to protect me, I would not have lied to you¡­"


    "What else did you lie to me about?" Joseph asked harshly.


    "No..." Anna did not notice that Joseph''s expression had changed. She only focused on seducing him, "Joseph, I am willing to make up for all of my mistakes. Let''s continue what we are doing now!"


    "Make up?" Joseph got up and pushed her away harder this time, "Can you make up for the harm you caused Kate and me with your lies?"


    "Joseph, you..." Anna was stunned to see that Joseph was coherent.


    "No...No..." Anna was very nervous. She did not know how to calm him down, so she quickly changed her story again, "I¡­ I did not lie to you. It is true; I am pregnant¡­"


    "Shut up! I will not put up with your scheming anymore! It is too late!" Joseph pulled out a recorder and said, "Whatever you said has been recorded, including everything you said in my home!"


    Anna felt totally defeated when she realized Joseph only invited her into his house to gather information. He intended to catch her lying and acting as the careless person she was. Anna was proud and arrogant, saying anything she wanted because she believed she had the man she loved.


    "Are you disappointed that you created such an elaborate plan, but I actually fooled you?" Joseph said, putting the recorder back in his pocket. He got up and fixed his clothes, "Confess everything to Kate in person!"


    "Confess to her all?" Anna continued to pretend to be ignorant.


    "You still want to put up a fight?" Joseph took out his phone and showed Anna a photo, "You know this man, right? I have to say; you chose the wrong person because he told me everything. He is not loyal to you, I offered him a small sum of money, and he gave up all of your secrets!"


    Anna was speechless. Her face turned pale, and she fell to her knees, crying, "Joseph, you took advantage of my love and lied to me. You are cruel!"


    "You have nobody to blame but yourself. You are a horrible actress, and your actions betray you," Joseph pulled the fake pregnancy report out of his pocket and threw it at Anna, "The physician who issued this fake report will tell the truth, and even if he doesn''t, it won''t matter. After all, your stomach will tell the public everything!"


    "So, what? You have divorced Kate, and it is very difficult for you to be happy again. Plus, she is with Samuel now!" Anna struggled to speak.


    "It is none of your business," Joseph stared at her, coldly, "Was it you who lead to the death of Kate''s grandma?"


    Joseph hadn''t suspected her before, but if she conspired with a physician to create a fake pregnancy, she could have harmed an elderly woman.


    "No!" Anna denied excitedly, "Joseph, although I lied and schemed many times because I love you, I would never kill someone. I am not that cruel!"


    "You can lie to me and still say you love me?" Joseph shouted, "I have given you a chance to correct your mistakes, but you did not and still continue to lie. If you are not punished, I am afraid that you will never realize how horrible the things you are doing actually are!"

 Chapter 107 On Purpose

    When Joseph thought of how he degraded Kate, harassing her and calling her names because he trusted in Anna, he was mortified. He realized how stupid he had been when all along it was Anna who was lying to him and caused him to turn against Kate.


    The anger overwhelmed him, and he kicked Anna off of his leg, "If an apology is all it takes, can I punish you and then apologize?"


    Anna understood exactly what he meant; she quickly looked toward the wardrobe and rushed toward it. She purposely hit her head on the corner of it and fell to the floor bleeding.


    By the time Joseph could react, Anna had already passed out on the floor. He needed to get her to the hospital.


    At the moment, Joseph was carrying Anna out the front of the hotel, Kate and Samuel were leaving the restaurant.


    "What happened, Joseph?" Samuel was worried when he saw Anna''s face full of blood.


    Kate was surprised but controlled her curiosity and stood back.


    Joseph ignored Samuel and put Anna in his car then sped off.


    "Joseph and Anna are were also here?" Samuel questioned. He glimpsed at Kate and then asked the waiter, "Do you know what happened?"


    "Perhaps they got into a fight in their hotel room; then man carried her out of here. I am assuming he hit her¡­" The waiter said with uncertainty.


    "I forgot there is a hotel upstairs¡­" Samuel said, playing dumb.


    After hearing the waiter''s comments, Kate tried to remain calm. She looked at Samuel, "Thank you for what you told me tonight! I do need to get home, though."


    "I can send you home, Kate!" Samuel took out his car keys and ran to catch up to her. But Kate stepped back, "Thank you, but I can get a taxi on my own!"


    Samuel needed to find out what happened with Joseph and Anna, so he didn''t argue with Kate. He just smiled and replied, "Okay, take care of yourself, and please let me know when you are home safely."


    The entire taxi ride home, Kate wondered how Anna got hurt. She knew Joseph loved her, so she didn''t believe he would have the heart to injure her.


    "What''s wrong with you, Kate?" Daisy asked her when she walked in the door.


    Kate shook head smilingly and replied, "Nothing."


    "You cannot lie to me. I can tell by the look on your face that something is going on," Daisy handed her a glass of water and asked again, "Are you stressed out at work?"


    Kate took a deep breath and then proceeded to tell Daisy what had happened at the restaurant.


    "What? Full of blood?" Daisy was shocked at first but then said, "She does not deserve our sympathy. And I don''t even care if she is disfigured because of the injury!"


    Daisy thought of what Joseph asked her. She knew he would figure out the situation, so she said, "Keep calm. Let''s wait for answers."


    "Wait?" Kate was puzzled by Daisy''s comment, "What do you mean by wait?"


    "I mean, you are too emotional now and are likely to jump to conclusions. Keep calm, and don''t be misled by people."


    "Although Joseph''s words are not credible, according to my understanding, it''s not surprising at all that Anna does such things. After all, Samuel and I are the victims, and she is the winner."


    Daisy nodded to show her agreement but still persuaded her to calm down.


    Kate thought it a little strange, so she asked, "Why are your words also so vague?"


    "Huh?"


    "Mm¡­Nothing," Kate had questioned Daisy because she sounded like Joseph. He often talked very vaguely, and she often needed to guess what he meant.


    "Don''t overthink and stress any more than you already are! I don''t want you to be bothered by Anna and Dora!"


    Kate smiled brightly and said, "I will not. Don''t worry."


    **


    The next morning, Leo told Kate how Anna was injured.


    Leo sighed, "Anna is just like her mother. She will do anything, regardless of the consequences."


    "Why did she hit her head?" Kate questioned, even though she tried to convince herself that she didn''t care.


    "Joseph did not say. He only told me that everything would be clear after Anna woke up."


    Kate was even more curious, but she decided it was best to go to work and pretend it was a typical day.


    As soon as Kate sat down, her phone rang, "Hi Kate! It is Cassie; I am just at the gate. Can you please come to see me? I have something important to tell you."


    Kate did not say anything; she hung up and rushed to the gate.


    "Hi, my daughter! Can you come to the hospital with me?" Cassie asked as soon as Kate got in the car.


    Kate was confused as to why she needed to go to the hospital. However, she didn''t want to upset Cassie, so she nodded.


    "Don''t be nervous. I just think that you should be present so that my stupid son can explain everything," Cassie grinned.


    What on earth happened? Why do I need to be present? Is she taking me to the hospital to see Anna? A million questions ran through Kate''s mind.


    Joseph and Dora were sitting next to Anna''s bed when Cassie and Kate walked in.


    The moment Kate appeared, Dora got up and pointed at Kate''s face. She shouted, "Who permitted you to be here? Get out!"


    Cassie tightly grasped Kate''s hand, "I brought her here!"


    Though Dora feared Cassie, she did not back down, "My daughter is still unconscious. All of you have caused this. If anything were to happen to her, I will make you pay!"


    Dora did not know what had happened; she only knew that Anna was in the hospital.

 Chapter 108 Annas Memory

    "Participate in what?" Dora denied in a hurry and argued back, "My daughter got injured when she was with your son. You are trying to blame me so that I don''t blame him. You¡­"


    "Shut up!" Joseph interrupted Dora, "Even if you don''t know what your daughter did this time, you know everything she has done in the past. She killed Alan and framed Kate; then, she led to Kate''s miscarriage. She needs to pay for what she has done!"


    See how angry Joseph was, Dora began to tremble, "Anna has been punished. We were kicked out of our home. Kate was determined to use it as an excuse to banish us!"


    "White Group was founded by Flora. Though Leo contributed to it, without Flora''s father''s money, he would not have had a career? You have been with him for over twenty years now; you know how capable he is! Without Flora''s support, the company would have fallen into bankruptcy. And, if it weren''t for Joseph''s help now, it would be closed down!" Cassie reminded everyone. She was proud to mention Flora''s accomplishments.


    Dora could not refute back. She shifted her focus to her daughter on bed and said, "My daughter is laying her unconscious. If I find out someone caused this injury, I will not let him get away with it!"


    "Like mother, like daughter!" Cassie did not want to argue further, so she turned to Kate, "You must be curious as to why I brought you here."


    Joseph quickly looked over at Kate; she nodded her head at Cassie.


    "Joseph, I know you, and if you don''t want to explain, I can do it for you," Cassie said.


    Joseph did not know that his mother was going to bring Kate to the hospital. He was confused about what she was going to explain.


    "Kate," Cassie held Kate''s hands and said, smiled, "Noelle told me that Joseph asked her to take you out to the garden. As long as she can make you happy, she can propose any idea to him."


    Noelle betrayed me! Joseph immediately thought.


    Joseph felt embarrassed, and he was too shy to look at Kate. He interrupted his mother, "This is the hospital. Don''t tell her here."


    "Yes, this is a hospital, not your home. Please leave Anna''s room if you care to talk," Dora seized the chance to stop their conversation.


    Cassie stood up, marched over to Dora, and said proudly, "I am here to let you know who my son actually loves!"


    "Of course, my daughter!" Dora shouted.


    "Painful¡­" Anna woke up suddenly.


    Dora bent down to stroke her daughter''s face in a hurry and said, "Anna, thank goodness you are awake!"


    Anna looked around and asked, "Who are you? Where am I?"


    "Anna, what¡­what''s wrong with you? Don''t scare me. I''m your mother. Don''t


    Joseph pressed the button for the nurse, and the doctor rushed in to examine Anna.


    "The patient''s head was seriously injured. She will need to be hospitalized for some time, so monitor any congestion in the brain¡­"


    "Does my daughter have amnesia?" Dora was shocked and whispered, "She just recovered from amnesia. Why is it happening again?"


    Dora was not sure if Anna really lost her memory or was just acting to escape punishment, and she didn''t have an opportunity to question her. Regardless, if it worked, Dora would play along.


    "It was you! You must have done something to excite her, and so she relapsed!"


    Joseph was also surprised by Anna''s memory loss. He spoke to the doctor and mentioned her head injury numerous times. The doctor repeated his diagnosis, "If she suffered a head injury and amnesia in the past, it could happen again. As I said, she must stay in the hospital to be observed for a few days before we can have a definite conclusion."


    Cassie knew how good Dora and Anna were at scheming, so she warned, "Don''t think that you can escape punishment just because you are pretending to suffer from amnesia."


    Anna was still looking at everyone. She was confused, and when she heard Cassie''s warning, she grasped the sheet tightly and cried, "Who are you? Go away! I am scared!"


    "Don''t you hear my daughter? She is petrified of you! Get out!" Dora roared.


    "Dora, you are the one who is ruining your daughter''s life!" Cassie shouted back.


    "Cassie Smith, your son, does not want to shoulder responsibility for what he has done. He invited her to live with him but still does not want to marry her. What the hell does he want to do?"


    "Do you want to know?" Joseph looked at Anna and sneered, "She thought she was clever enough to trick me, but it didn''t work. She did not know that her actions had been betraying her from the beginning. Anna was selfish, and when I assured her it would be okay, she told me everything. Do you want to hear her confession?"


    Joseph took out the recorder and played everything, including their conversation in the hotel room. As the recording played, Joseph looked at Kate from time to time. He worried about if she would still be angry with him.


    Everyone in the room was startled when they heard the recording. Dora could not believe that Anna was so stupid.


    Kate was confused as to why Joseph would set a trap for Anna. It was her who released the news, so Joseph did not love her anymore.

 Chapter 109 Begin to Care

    What Anna had done was beyond dispute, so there was nothing Dora could say. She wailed, "Why do you all bully me? It is so unfair. Why won''t anyone take my side?"


    Cassie could not listen to Dora and her complaints, so she told Joseph, "I will take Kate home. You deal with things here. Remember, do not go easy on them anymore!"


    Kate walked out of the room with Cassie. She hadn''t said a word; she did not know how to deal with Dora and Anna.


    She could relate to her mother even more. When Flora found out the Leo was having an affair, she didn''t argue; she ignored it. Everyone could see that Flora had a successful career, but only those closest to her knew of her failing marriage. However, when she became depressed, the public''s opinion of her changed, and she eventually became so sad that she gave up the will to live. Kate wondered if she would have the same fate as her mother.


    "Kate, you''ve heard the recording. Will you be able to forgive Joseph and remarry him?" Cassie smiled at Kate, "Joseph does not like telling anyone his ideas and feelings. I can see that he does clearly love you, though!"


    Kate smiled back and declined politely, "I thank you for everything you have done. You may not be my mother-in-law anymore, but I still think of you as my mother. I will see you when I can."


    Cassie felt disappointed when she heard Kate''s response. She softly said, "Kate, I promised your mother I would take good care of you. I know I cannot force you, but I sincerely hope you can work things out with Joseph."


    "You know why he married me before. There is no mutual love between us; I just want to give up on trying!" She told Cassie, as she had in the past.


    "My son is a very good man. He just could not see Anna''s true personality. I am just thankful that he has this time and will not be with her again," Cassie sighed.


    "Mom¡­ Cassie, I need to go home," Kate corrected herself, which embarrassed Cassie.


    As Kate was getting into a taxi, Cassie yelled to her and then handed her a box.


    "What''s this?" Kate questioned.


    "My silly son asked Noelle to give it to you as if it was from her. He didn''t want to tell you. I really don''t understand why I guess he doesn''t want you to know his intentions?" Cassie explained and quickly walked away so that Kate couldn''t reject the box.


    Kate looked down at the box and got in the taxi.


    When she arrived home, she told Daisy about the recording and about Anna.


    "She has amnesia?" Daisy was shocked. After a while, she said, "Why is she does she always go missing or get amnesia? She is a big liar. Can we believe anything?"


    Kate shrugged her shoulders.


    "Cassie said that Joseph asked Noelle to give it to me¡­" Kate said, hesitant to open it.


    "Lord Joseph?" Daisy exclaimed, "You should open it. Perhaps it is a token of his love!"


    Kate rolled her eyes, "If it is, he would have sent it to Anna, not to me¡­"


    "Why don''t you understand?"


    "Understand what?"


    "Lord Joseph realized Anna deceived him, so he set a trap for her. He needed to find out the truth, and now he knows what kind of person Anna really is!"


    "What are you trying to say? Just tell me!"


    "Lord Joseph is worried about you."


    To make her argument convincing enough, Daisy sighed, "When you were sick, it was Lord Joseph who took you to the hospital¡­"


    "What?" Kate could not believe it, "Not you?"


    "No, it wasn''t me. You had a high fever and were talking nonsense. I wanted to take you to the hospital, but I was too weak to do it on my own, so I called Joseph," Daisy confessed. She wanted to tell Kate, but Joseph begged her not to.


    Kate''s eyelid twitched, and she suddenly felt lost. She was ready to cut Joseph out of her life, but now she wasn''t sure.


    But so, what? I can''t forget about all the suffering he caused me! If I continue to be around him, I will only suffer more. Forget about it! Kate reminded herself.


    "Kate, although Lord Joseph did not have feelings for you before, his attitude has greatly changed since he found out the truth. Can you please try to forgive him? He deserves another chance."


    "Daisy, I know you wish me happiness, but everything he has done cannot be fixed with a few words. And I think he is nice to me only out of guilt. He felt sorry for me once he realized the truth," Kate was not only telling Daisy but also telling herself so that she would not make a wrong decision.


    "But Lord Joseph sent messages to me many times to¡­"


    "I have to go to the flower shop and then to my grandma''s grave. Please call me if anything happens," Kate interrupted Daisy. She understood what Daisy was doing, but she didn''t want to hear it.


    "Okay, just please don''t be gone too long. I worry about you!" Daisy smiled.


    After she was done at the flower shop, Lisa called Kate. They had not seen each other for a few days, so Kate agreed to meet for dinner before going to the cemetery.


    **


    When Kate and Cassie left the hospital room, Dora jumped up. She glared at Joseph, then held Anna in her arms. Dora wept, "Don''t worry, Anna. I am here and will protect you. For two years we thought you were dead, you suffered so much. I won''t let it happen again!"

 Chapter 110 Leave Town

    "I am going to give you two choices. The first is to leave Aubi City and disappear forever; the second is to be punished for your crimes in a court of law."


    "Joseph, don''t be so cruel!" Dora was frightened and begged, "Joseph, please let us go for Anna''s sake. She loves you. I promise we will not fight with Kate."


    "Do you think I believe you? No, I will not be deceived by you this time," Joseph warned her, "Make your decision now, or I will make it for you!"


    Since Joseph was not going to give in, Dora stood up and glared at him, "Though you did not sleep with my daughter, you have already ruined her reputation. If you don''t take responsibility for her¡­"


    "So, you''ve made your choice?" Joseph took out his phone to make a call.


    Dora kneeled again, "No, please! I will leave town and never show my face in front of Kate¡­"


    It was a horrible blow to Dora to leave town. Since she had been kicked out of the White home, she was physically and mentally devastated. She had been plotting to get back into Leo''s arms, but Joseph ruined that, and all that she was able to do was protect herself from being arrested.


    Joseph put his phone away and told two guards to stand at the door so that Dora and Anna could not cause more trouble. When Anna fully recovered, they would immediately leave town.


    **


    Kate and Lisa ate dinner together, while Kate told her everything about Anna.


    Lisa couldn''t stop herself from saying, "Anna and Dora are the most senseless and vicious women I have ever met!"


    "But Joseph was actually rather reckless as well. It took him years to see who Anna truly was. Everyone around him could clearly see it, but he was blinded by love. He looked at her like she was an angel," Lisa added.


    Kate was choked on her water when she heard Lisa''s comments.


    "Are you okay?" Lisa passed her a napkin, "Why are you still so bothered when you hear his name? You told me you gave up on him!"


    Kate did not know how to respond to her.


    Lisa gently said, "I know it is not easy. After all, you have loved him for so many years."


    Kate did not want to admit it, but Lisa was right. She replied, "I have no relationship with him anymore, so why even talk about him?"


    "Okay, we won''t mention him again," Lisa agreed. Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, "So, you do remember Rowen, right?"


    Kate froze, she anxiously looked at Lisa, "Yes, what is wrong with him?"


    "He is going to be back in town!" Lisa exclaimed.


    "Back? When?" Kate was shocked.


    "One of the benefits of having a tea shop is I find out great information," Lisa told Kate, "A group of young students came in and said that Rowen would be giving a lecture at their school."


    "Why are you blushing?" Lisa laughed.


    Kate was embarrassed, "I was so dumb when he taught me. Even if he still remembers me, I am sure he will say I am not intelligent enough to speak to him."


    "I don''t think he would say that. I am sure you are very special to him. If you did not love Joseph back then, you two would be together," Lisa encouraged.


    "I am warning you for the last time. Do not mention Joseph''s name. If you do, I will¡­"


    "Okay, okay! I will not mention his name. I will say that man instead, is that okay?" Lisa chuckled.


    After dinner, Lisa suggested they go to the movies. They were walking toward the cinema when Kate''s phone rang.


    "Hi, Daisy!" She answered.


    "Kate, help! I¡­Ouch!" Daisy shouted.


    Kate was suddenly worried and asked, "What happened, Daisy?"


    No one responded, though, so Kate quickly rushed to the road to get a taxi.


    "Daisy may be in trouble!" Kate yelled, and Lisa quickly followed behind her.


    When Kate arrived home, she saw Daisy had bruises all over her face, and the newly hired housekeeper and servant were hiding in the corner.


    "What happened?" Kate demanded.


    Before anyone could answer, Leo, rolled into the room. He snarled, "Someone really thinks of this as her own home. She will not listen to me!"


    Kate knew he was referring to Daisy, so she shouted at her father, "Dad, does Daisy irritate you that much? Even if she does, how can you beat her?"


    "How dare you yell at me? I am your father," Leo stared at Kate, "Will you give up torturing Dora and Anna when I leave here?"


    "I see. You are angry with me, but you are taking it out on Daisy. You just want to stick up for Dora and Anna," Kate snapped.


    Leo looked away, "I just don''t think that you need to be so ruthless! You have already kicked them out of the house; they are no longer a threat to you. But, now they need to leave Aubi City."


    "What do you mean? Out of Aubi City?"


    "Don''t pretend you don''t know. Dora said if they don''t leave town, you will report their crimes to the police. You won''t let them be!" Leo threw his teacup across the room.


    It seemed that Joseph made this decision.

 Chapter 111 Leo Begged for Dora and Anna

    "What do you mean? Are you going to push them so far that they die?" Leo was full of rage.


    "If I can, I will," Kate told Leo, "After Anna found that I might be having a miscarriage, she didn''t take me to the hospital immediately; instead, she hit me again. I forgave her, but she did not give up, she just spread rumors about me. And as for her fake pregnancy, that is none of my business."


    Kate never spoke to her father with frustration, but she could not hold it in any longer. She added, "She has never treated me like a sister. Why should I forgive her again?"


    Leo felt both angry and embarrassed after hearing how Kate felt. He knew that she and Anna had gotten along well before Joseph came around. Their relationship worsened and that being sisters was not enough to keep them close. Leo had wanted to talk to Kate about her relationship with Anna, but Dora threatened him each time he mentioned it.


    Lisa watched the situation unfold. She had been worried that Kate would be bullied, but after Kate stood up to her father, Lisa realized there was no need to be worried. She helped Daisy over to the sofa and, in a whisper, asked where the first aid kit was.


    Leo did not say anything more, but as Kate was tending to Daisy''s wounds, he fell from his wheelchair and started crawling toward Kate.


    Kate immediately went to help him. She squatted down, but Leo grabbed her arm, "Kate, I have never asked anything of you. Please, forgive them this time. Don''t force them to leave. I can promise you they will not come near this house or White Group."


    "What are you doing? Get up!" When she was young, she thought her father a powerful man and would never beg for anything. But, he was on his knees, begging for her to be kind to Dora and Anna.


    "You care about Anna because she is your daughter. But I''m also your daughter. Do you know how much I have suffered over the years?"


    "Kate, you have always been a good daughter to me. I know I did not care enough about you in the last few years. You are my daughter, and you should know how dearly I love my daughter, even if she made a terrible mistake or committed a crime. You know, I feel guilty whenever I see you because I can''t help but think of your mother¡­"


    When speaking of Flora, Kate recalled many unhappy memories and how her father destroyed her mother. She pulled her arm away and coldly said, "If you really care about them so much, you can leave with them. I think it would be a great comfort to them."


    Leo flew into a rage, he reached out to grab Kate''s arm again, but she moved. He shouted, "You really want to force me out too?"


    Kate was thankful that she did not have a close relationship with her father, or else she might have let Dora and Anna get away with their crimes for his sake. Joseph, not she decided to have them leave Aubi City, and she was not going to ask him to change his mind.


    Leo felt ashamed. He continued to beg, "Kate, it''s my fault. As long as you can forgive Anna, I can make up for the mistakes and be a better father."


    "Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Most men want to be a good father, there is no premise behind it, but you said you would be a better father if I forgive Anna. I don''t think I need you to be a good father. I don''t need your charitable love and care!" Kate sighed, "Dad, I respect you because you lost your legs because of me. Otherwise, I would not¡­"


    Kate choked back her tears. Her father''s words hurt her, and she did not want to be kind to him. They were family, but he had always talked to her as if it was a business transaction. Leo didn''t understand that even if he begged her, she would not let Dora and Anna stay.


    "Since you are so determined, then just forget my begging today," He said and climbed back into his wheelchair to leave.


    "Wait!" Kate called him.


    Leo thought things would be different, so he said in a joyful tone, "Did you change your mind?"


    Lisa thought Kate was soft-hearted and was about to stop her. But she heard, "You beat Daisy. You must apologize to her!"


    Leo contested immediately, "She disobeyed me first. I have the right to teach her a lesson as her adopted father."


    "Disobey?" Kate did not believe him and demanded, "Apologies to her now!"


    "Impossible. I''m her boss!" Leo insisted.


    Daisy interrupted, "Kate, it wasn''t your father''s fault. I spoke too bluntly and irritated him."


    Then Daisy apologized to Leo, "Sorry, my words hurt you. I did not mean it. Please don''t believe what I said."


    Daisy thought Leo would calm down a little, but he became angrier, "Don''t act innocent. I know exactly what you meant!"


    "I know you are unhappy with me. However, I am not the person you think; I appreciate you adopting me, and I regard you as my father. I respect you as much as my own father and Kate as my sister. I hope you won''t twist my words!" Daisy replied.


    Seeing that Daisy was near tears because of Leo, Kate jumped in to defend her, "I know you are feeling upset right now and think that everyone here is your enemy. But, I want you to understand that I won''t let Dora and Anna have the chance to hurt me or those I care about again!"


    Leo kept silent for a while, staring at Kate the entire time before he rolled his wheelchair out of the room.


    Kate realized that her words were harsh, but she had no other choice. If she didn''t stand up to her father, he would continue to beg, and she did not want that.

 Chapter 112 Leos Trick

    Kate felt heartache when she saw all of the bruises on Daisy''s face. She asked, "Do you have any other wounds?"


    "I''m fine," Daisy tried to smile at her.


    "We should get a doctor to examine you. Otherwise, I will be worried about you," Kate could see by the purple marks how angry Leo was.


    "No, you know I don''t like taking medications or getting injections. And I can deal with the pain. Don''t worry; I will be fine," Daisy said as she knelt down to pick up pieces of Leo''s teacup.


    Lisa shook her head and sighed, "Kate, maybe Daisy is sincere. Others take advantage of you or bully you. Don''t be upset if other''s make decisions on your behalf. Just follow your heart and trust those who care about you."


    Kate smiled at Lisa and said, "I understand."


    **


    The next day when Kate when to work at White Group, she convinced Daisy to join her. Kate was afraid that Leo might cause trouble for Daisy when she wasn''t there. Daisy was frightened of Leo, so she immediately agreed to go to work with Kate.


    Not long after Kate and Daisy left, Leo went to Smith Group. If he was unable to convince Kate to change her mind, he had to beg Joseph to let Dora and Anna stay.


    Leo had to try his best to protect his wife and daughter because he knew what type of person Dora was. If he did not save her, he would suffer a lot in the future; she would use everything she could to create arguments and lawsuits.


    Joseph looked at the man across from his desk. Before Leo could even speak, he warned, "If you are here to about White Group, I can waste some time to talk with you; but if you are here about Dora and Anna, I advise you not to waste my time."


    "I..." Joseph''s warning left Leo speechless. He had been there for Dora and Anna, but he did not want to mention them to Joseph. Leo thought that Kate was hurtful, but the look in Joseph''s eyes was much colder.


    Leo asked with a reluctant smile on his face, "Joseph, I know you loved Anna before. Even if you don''t love her now, can''t you be tolerant of her given your past?"


    "Sorry, I have heard this too many times. This will not work at all," Joseph said assertively.


    Leo looked distressed when he realized there was no hope, so he sighed, "Okay, forget I was here then."


    As Leo turned to leave, Joseph asked, "You are familiar with the name Miles Green, correct?"


    Leo suddenly turned pale with fright. He tried to calm himself down, asking, "Who is that?"


    "You forget him or pretend not to know him? Okay, that''s fine, I can help you recall."


    "On the morning that Kate''s grandma died, you contacted Miles and asked him to do something. Do you remember?"


    "Legs?" Joseph stared at the wheelchair and smiled, "As far as I know, you have never had an examination after the accident. There is very little about your legs in your medical records. Do you think that it is reasonable for a man who has been disabled for two years?"


    Leo never thought that Joseph would check his medical records. He was angry about that, and Miles betraying him, but he did his best to keep calm. Leo nodded, "Yes, you are right. There is nothing that can be done to fix my legs, so there are not many notes. It is normal that there is little mentioned in my medical record."


    Joseph then continued to ask, "Then why did you have Miles add sleeping pills to Grandma''s medication? Are you worried that a patient that had been in a coma would have insomnia?"


    What the f**k? Miles told him every detail! Leo panicked.


    He rushed to explain, "He is obviously lying. I did not ask him to do anything. I caught him, so he is talking nonsense."


    "Caught him what? I did not say anything about that," Joseph questioned.


    Leo trembled and regretted what he had said. He planned to defend himself, but he realized that Joseph must have had evidence and that he would only make himself look worse.


    When Leo did not say anything, Joseph pulled out the fake pregnancy report and said, "Anna faked a pregnancy. She thought I would only see the positive test and not look at the details. However, I was already on high alert after all of the lies."


    This was the point! Kate''s grandma had been dead for quite a while, so there was no reason to mention it. It was all about Anna. And Miles that immoral and unethical doctor. I gave him a lot of money to keep his mouth shut, but he still betrayed me. Leo swore to himself.


    "Yes, you are right. You have already convicted me, so whatever I say will be pointless," Leo knew that he could not escape from Joseph.


    "I am not punishing you. You did this to yourself; what you did convict you," Joseph corrected him and asked, "Do you want me to take you to confess to Kate or would you like to go on your own? I think you might try to escape, though. After all, you have never regarded her as your daughter; she was just a tool to develop White Group!"


    "I..." Leo hesitated and disagreed, "She has always been my daughter. She was just angry and alienated me. I haven''t had a chance to care for her."


    "If you really saw her as your daughter, you would not have schemed with Dora and Anna so that she would suffer."


    Joseph was glad that Leo had come to see him. He had planned to see him anyway to get the truth. Miles admitted to issuing the fake pregnancy report but did not admit to helping Leo fake his medical record. It was Joseph''s authoritative demeanor that caused Leo to confess everything.

 Chapter 113 Leos Legs

    Leo was so scared that his jaw was quivering. He incoherently mumbled, "I didn''t lie to her. They were all Dora''s ideas, I was forced to do it. Besides, Kate has always been very fond of you, so she was lucky to fulfill her dreams of marrying you. Anna was the one who has suffered the most; she was living in the darkness for two years¡­"


    "Dora''s idea?" Joseph exclaimed, he was surprised that Leo would give so much information that quickly. He asked, "How are you involved? And where


    did Anna live for the two years she was gone?"


    Joseph finally understood why Leo said he cremated Anna so soon after she supposedly died. Even as Anna''s boyfriend, he didn''t have any information until after the funeral. It also made sense as to why just before Anna returned, Dora told him that Anna''s body was never found and that Leo had lied to comfort her. At the time Joseph hadn''t thought much of it, but looking back it was to make Anna''s return from the dead more believable. If he had been thinking logically at the time he would have seen their deception.


    The more he thought the more Joseph wondered if anything in his relationship with Anna was real, considering that Anna even stole Kate''s love letter to him.


    "Didn''t she tell you everything?" Leo began to dodge responsibility.


    "I never listen to only one person''s side. More importantly, when she did confess, she blamed you, so if you agree with what she said¡­"


    "She blamed me?!?" Leo couldn''t believe it, he snapped, "That woman is so greedy! She hooked up with me just to get my money! And now she is trying to do it again!"


    "It''s a bit late to be angry or regret your past," Joseph smiled coldly, and then stood up for Kate, "You need to explain and apologize to Kate!"


    Then, Joseph turned to John and said, "Take President White to White Group."


    "Okay," John immediately nodded for two men to push Leo.


    As Leo was being pushed out of his office, Joseph glare at Leo''s legs and began to consider many other possible lies.


    **


    Less than thirty minutes after he spoke to Joseph, Leo was at White Group.


    Kate was busy with work but when she saw two strange men walking in with her father she immediately stopped. The two men were standing directly behind Leo as if they were bodyguards.


    She couldn''t understand what was happening and after her father''s request, Kate assumed that he was there to beg her to save Dora and Anna. Kate snarled, "Dad, if this isn''t important please leave me be; I have a lot of work to do."


    Max appeared at the door to Kate''s office, "Miss White, President Smith would like to see you right now."


    While Kate was lost in her thoughts, a tall handsome man walked in. Joseph was very attractive but when he was wearing a business suit, he became the center of attention. Kate was staring at him, then remembered that they were divorced so she couldn''t be obsessing over him. She shook her head and calmly said, "Mr. Smith, how can I be of assistance?"


    Seeing that Kate was not happy, Joseph said in a gentle tone, "There are things you should know."


    "What do you mean?" Even though she was defensive, she planned to listen to him.


    Joseph didn''t answer Kate''s question immediately. He asked the two guards to leave, which led Kate to believe that the two were there to plead for Dora and Anna. She was just about to speak up, when Joseph said, "Leo, do you want to confess or should I speak for you?"


    Confess? Kate''s head spun around to glare at Leo.


    "Kate, I''m sorry," Leo looked up at his daughter with apologetic eyes.


    "Sorry?" Kate was puzzled, "What are you talking about? Did you finally realize that you shouldn''t have beat Daisy and are apologizing for that?"


    Kate suddenly felt rage building when she mentioned Daisy''s beating.


    Leo began to feel guiltier and he hesitated a long while before slowly saying, "I came to tell you the truth about what happened two years ago¡­"


    "Two years ago?" Kate looked even more confused.


    "In fact,¡­" Leo knew that if he didn''t tell Kate, Joseph would. He didn''t plan to hide anything.


    Kate was shaking and her face was pale after hearing the real truth.


    Joseph worried that she could not stand the shock, and walked over to support her.


    "So... so you destroyed your legs, just so that Anna could get the property?" Kate was always aware that her father preferred Anna over her, but she never thought it was to that extent.


    Leo opened his mouth but didn''t say anything.


    Joseph''s sharp gaze fell on Leo''s legs and he suddenly stepped forward and patted Leo''s leg. As a reflex, Leo''s leg jumped and he shouted, "You¡­ what are you doing?"


    Leo realized that even more was about to be exposed, and hurriedly protected his legs from Joseph.


    Nonchalantly, Joseph asked, "It must have been pretty hard to pretend for two years, hasn''t it?"


    When Kate heard Joseph''s accusations, she looked at Leo''s legs, "What is wrong? Your legs don''t work, do they?"


    "I..." Leo frowned, he was nervous and embarrassed. He lowered his head, unable to look at his daughter.


    "Does your silence mean you are admitting¡­" Kate could barely speak. She looked at him mournfully and said, "You are such a disappointment. Leo White, you really are a wonderful actor!"


    After the car accident, Kate blamed herself and prayed for his legs to heal. Because of all of her guilt, Kate chose not to stand up to Dora even when she maliciously abused her. Anna and Leo didn''t go to pick her up out of kindness, they did it so that Kate would feel responsible.

 Chapter 114 Why Did You Kill Grandma?

    "Don''t makeup excuses to cover your mistakes. You are my father, but you purposely hurt me. What are your problems? Don''t expect me to forgive you no matter what you say!"


    Kate felt as if she was going to explode at any moment. She could not comprehend that everything that happened was just a conspiracy to take her down.


    When Anna came back from the dead, Kate thought it was a little strange. However, Anna had caused so much trouble from the moment she came back into their lives, that Kate hadn''t had time to really investigate the whole situation.


    "Do you know that no matter how vicious that mother and daughter are, I can accept that? They have always regarded me as their enemy but you are my father. Why would you hurt me like that? I had a beautiful childhood before Dora came into my life. After that, though I could never get your attention or love. I suffered so much because of them!" Kate sobbed, she tried her best to hold back her tears but they fell uncontrollably when she thought of her childhood.


    Kate could not understand how her father cheated, forced his wife into a divorce and caused a car accident to frame his own daughter.


    Seeing her so upset, Joseph handed Kate a tissue. She hesitated but then quickly took it to wipe away the tears. She didn''t want her father to see the pain he caused and she quickly calmed down.


    Leo continued to say, in a hoarse voice, "I know you won''t forgive me for doing these things. I just hope that you won''t be affected any longer. White Group belongs to you now, and the house. In reality, you haven''t really lost anything."


    He thought he might comfort Kate, but he had no idea how much she had been through.


    Kate''s heart hurt so much that she couldn''t breathe. Besides Joseph, Leo was the closest man to her, she smiled coldly, "You have never known me, let alone know what I really want."


    To Leo, his interests were the top priority. Since Kate had everything that belonged to the White family, he didn''t need to feel guilty, he thought. He believed that he could conceal his sins, continue to be harsh to Kate and plead for her to forgive Dora and Anna, "I know you are devoted and empathetic. It is Dora and Anna who you should feel angry at¡­"


    "Dora and Anna?" Kate sneered, "They forced you to bully me, and it is their fault. Yet, you still want me to be a little tortoise and hide in my shell so that I don''t see your mistakes? I think the bravest thing you ever did was force my mother to divorce you. You were so determined to marry Dora, you weren''t a weak man at all!"


    Leo was upset, Dora called him a kept man, he didn''t want to accept that his daughter thought the same, "Kate, I know I did something wrong, but I am still your father."


    "Father? I also want to respect and love you, but how you chose to live your life makes me sick. There is no way that I will endure your repeated deception and harm! I won''t forgive you!" Kate said bluntly.


    Leo opened his mouth but didn''t know what to say.


    Seeing that Leo wasn''t going to say anything more, Joseph spoke up, "Apart from what happened two years ago, Leo you also need to tell Kate about what happened to her grandma."


    "Grandma?" Kate murmured and looked at Joseph, "What do you mean, is grandma''s death related to him?"


    Leo sneered, "Joseph, do you think that you are actually helping Kate? You are adding insult to injury, let the past be buried with the old woman, please."


    "You could hide what you did to conceal the truth, but I won''t. Besides, I am not giving you any chance to escape from what you have done," Joseph smirked.


    With no other option, Leo smiled helplessly and looked at Kate, "Yes, your grandma''s death was caused by me."


    "You¡­¡­" Kate''s face turned pale and she fell to the floor.


    "Kate!" Joseph rushed to her side.


    Kate sat on the floor for a few moments, taking deep breaths and then got up to walk slowly toward Leo.


    "Why did you hurt an old woman? She was your mother-in-law. Don''t you remember how much she helped you? Why are you so cruel?" Kate cried. She felt as if her world had collapsed around her. She could no longer look at the man in front of her as her father, it was as if she had never known him; he schemed against his own daughter and killed his mother-in-law.


    As many people as she had suspected in her grandma''s death, Leo was never one of them. Her eyes were filled with rage and she kicked his wheelchair. Leo was unprepared and stumbled to the ground, his wheelchair overturned and landed on its side.


    Joseph was taken aback but also very proud of Kate; he had never seen her so angry before but she was standing up for herself. What Leo had done was revolting so he would support her no matter what she did.


    Leo, who fell to the ground and embarrassedly stood up.


    Kate furiously looked at him, it was so ironic that she had been wishing his legs worked. She told her father, "I really admire you for being able to pretend for two years. You deceived us and it is not because we were stupid, it was because we trusted you so much that we didn''t see your scam!"


    "This... this was Dora''s idea! She forced me and I had no choice, so¡­"


    "You want to argue about this!" Kate interrupted, "Why did you kill my grandma? Why?"

 Chapter 115 Go to Hell

    "It was Dora, that wicked woman forced me to do it!" Leo looked annoyed.


    His reason and his expression made Kate angrier.


    He still feels innocent? Kate became enraged.


    "Go to Hell! Are you Dora''s dog? Did she ask you to kill me, too? Why didn''t you do that?" Kate growled and she was shaking with anger.


    Joseph pulled her close to his chest, "Kate, calm down."


    Kate pushed him away and shouted, "He killed my grandma, how am I supposed to calm down? You are all monsters!"


    When Kate yelled at him, Joseph didn''t say a word. He could not forgive himself for his brutality toward her during their marriage. If it made her feel better to yell and hit him, he would graciously accept it.


    "And Dora and Anna, those bitches, I will show them no mercy. You killed my grandma; you need to pay for what you have done!"


    Suddenly, Kate went limp and fell to the floor again. Joseph picked her up in his arms and rushed to get her to the hospital. On the way out of her office, he ordered his guards to watch over Leo so that he could not cause more trouble.


    **


    At the hospital, the doctor explained to Joseph, "From what you said, Kate was emotional. I believe that she became overwhelmed and fainted."


    Joseph felt guilty when he heard the doctor''s diagnosis. He knew that she would be upset to find out the truth but never thought it would affect her so deeply. There was no way for him to keep the truth from her.


    It was dark outside when Kate woke up. Joseph was sitting beside her holding her hand and just as she was about to pull away, he woke up.


    When he saw her looking at him, there was an obvious flash of excitement in his eyes, "You are awake?"


    Kate looked at him, remembering what had happened before she fainted. She turned her head so that she didn''t have to make eye contact. Though it had nothing to do with Joseph, he became as despicable as Leo to her when she thought of what he had done to her.


    Grandma... Thinking that such a kind old grandma could not have a decent end, Kate burst into tears.


    Joseph wished to comfort her but knew that no matter what he said, it would only make things worse. He took the tissue and wiped away her tears.


    Kate turned away and looked out the window, her heart felt as dark as the sky outside. She had a crushing sense of powerlessness. All she could think of was how cruel it was had been for Leo to deceive her and kill her grandma. She hated her father.


    It was a long quiet night in her room. Kate was filled with sadness and plotted what she was going to do next, her grandma''s murderer had to be punished.


    "You can go," Kate finally said to Joseph at one o''clock in the morning.


    "Thank you, but I don''t think I will need anything," Kate declined.


    "Kate, I know you''re angry with me, but you''re so weak right now. I want to stay here to be with you," Joseph insisted.


    Kate appeared ungrateful, "Ridiculous! Have you forgotten how you threatened me? Don''t pretend you care. You make me feel sick!"


    Joseph was speechless. He knew he caused many painful memories, but she didn''t appreciate that he was being sincere. He wanted to make up for the past and do his best to protect her.


    "Then I''ll leave," Joseph was afraid that staying would only upset Kate more. He left and sat in the chair outside of her room, thinking he would go back in and sit with her once she was asleep.


    Once Joseph left, Kate couldn''t stop crying but she wanted to be strong around everyone. She finally cried herself to sleep and dreamed of her grandma.


    In the dream, her kind grandma was in the doorway of a house, waving and smiling at her. The closer Kate got to her, the further away she seemed to be. Kate began to run and call after her, but her grandma didn''t answer. Kate began to yell, "Grandma, I need you! Don''t leave me!"


    Joseph was sitting beside Kate''s bed and gently took her hand in his.


    Kate hugged him without hesitating. She put her head on his strong shoulder and cried, "Grandma¡­"


    Joseph felt mortified at the fact he threatened to hurt her grandma just to hurt Kate. He whispered in her ear, "I am so sorry, Kate."


    Kate suddenly stopped crying and immediately pushed Joseph away. She glared at him and snapped, "Why are you still here?"


    "You better get some more rest. I will leave."


    "Don''t try to seek my forgiveness this way, even if you revealed that my father killed my grandma, it doesn''t change the fact that you threatened me with her life. If they hadn''t killed her, you might have, right? You hated me and didn''t care if you hurt the most important person in my life!"


    "Kate..." Joseph knew he had been evil to her, but he was not malicious enough to kill someone. However, he knew there was nothing he could say, and no amount of explaining could make up for the pain he caused her in the past. He tried to hold back his tears as he said, "You should get some rest. Bye, Kate."

 Chapter 116 Her Memory

    It seems that hate was much easier than love... Kate thought as she drifted back to sleep.


    The next morning, when the nurse came to change her IV, Kate insisted on leaving the hospital.


    The nurse tried to persuade her to stay and when Kate refused, she called Joseph into the room, which infuriated Kate even further.


    "He is nobody to me and it will not make any difference. He is not authorized to make any decisions for me!"


    The nurse felt compassion for Joseph, and added, "If Mr. Smith didn''t care about you, why did he stay in the chair outside of your room all night? And even when I came in to check on you, he reminded me not to wake you up¡­"


    "Enough! Just do your job!" Joseph interrupted.


    The nurse shivered with fright, and hurriedly agreed, "Alright."


    Kate quickly sneered, "He is my enemy, he is only doing this to save the love of his life. Unfortunately, it won''t work because I am not the same fool who loved him carelessly in the past!" She


    "But I did see Mr. Smith kiss ..."


    "Can you leave us alone?" Joseph interrupted the nurse.


    "Uh... Of course."


    As soon as the nurse left, Kate said to him, "I need to be discharged!"


    She wanted to go see Anna and Dora, Joseph could read her mind, "I know exactly what you are thinking about right now. You need to promise me that you will get better¡­"


    "Why should I promise you?" Kate didn''t want him to try and negotiate with her. She snarled, "If you want to beg and plead for Anna, just save it! I am not going to listen!"


    "You still don''t understand what is in my heart?" He could suffer anything else but Kate not knowing how he felt hurt him, "If I wanted to plead for her, I would not expose her conspiracy and bring your father to confess."


    "Great! I guess I should thank you for telling me the truth! So, what do you want? Are you going to keep threatening me?" Kate admitted that her heart was cold and she was trying to hurt Joseph.


    Joseph understood that she was angry and did not continue to explain.


    Seeing that he was not saying anything, Kate got out of bed and called Lisa, "Are you free? Can you come to the hospital and pick me up?"


    "Hospital?" Lisa panicked, "What happened?"


    "I''m fine, I ..."


    "You don''t have to come; I''ll take her home," Joseph grabbed Kate''s phone and told Lisa.


    "Are you crazy?" When Kate got her phone back, Joseph had already hung up.


    Joseph said with a grim face, "You are not in good health. It''s not suitable for you to ride on a motorcycle. And, do you really think you can solve this on your own? Your father, Dora and Anna, none of them are very nice. I am afraid that you may not be able to handle them!"


    "For now, you should put aside the anger you for me, the most important thing is that we settle everything else. After that, you can get back at me," Joseph picked up Kate''s shoes and then her.


    Kate instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, and their faces moved closer. Kate lifted her eyes and looked into his, her heart was pounding.


    Once they got to the car, Joseph bent down to put Kate''s shoes on her. Kate tried to pull her foot back but Joseph said in a low voice, "Don''t move!"


    It was as if he was ordering her, but she obeyed and stared at him dumbfounded. No woman who loved such a handsome man could refuse such gentleness. She still lit up with excitement even with so many bad memories about him.


    Why is he so gentle to me? I must be delusional; he has to have an ulterior motive. Kate shook her head to calm herself down.


    "What''s the matter?" He looked up to see that she was looking at him. He couldn''t but laugh, "It is the first time I have tied someone else''s shoes, it feels¡­ not all that bad."


    He closed the door and returned to the driver''s seat with a faint smile on his lips.


    The first time...for me? Kate was moved but again forced herself to calm down.


    "So what, should I thank you?" She said coldly, she was determined to show her dissatisfaction with him.


    Joseph was not annoyed, "Actually, the little hedgehog is quite cute."


    Little hedgehog? Is he talking about me? Kate thought but she was not in the mood to argue with him. She turned and looked out the window, hoping he would not talk to her.


    Along the way, Joseph glanced at her from time to time. He didn''t want her to notice out of fear that she would get angry again.


    Within half an hour, they arrived at Smith House. What Kate didn''t know though was when she insisted on leaving the hospital, Joseph ordered his men to have Dora, Anna and Leo waiting at the house when they arrived.


    Daisy wasn''t aware of what happened, she was astonished to see Leo walking. As soon as Kate stepped in the door, she ran to tell her, "Kate, Leo has recovered! He can walk!"


    Leo bowed his head in shame and didn''t dare to look at Kate.


    "His legs were never broken so they didn''t need to recover!" Kate snorted coldly.


    "Never broken?" Daisy didn''t understand what Kate was saying.


    "Bring them in!" Joseph ordered.


    Kate looked at the door and saw both Dora and Anna being escorted in by two large men.


    Anna curiously looked around and mumbled, "Where are we? Why did you bring me here?"


    Did she really have amnesia? Kate wondered.

 Chapter 117 What Else Do You Want?

    "Take Miss Anna upstairs. After all, she does not remember what happened and may not be able to handle what I am about to say," Kate ordered.


    Joseph nodded to his men and they quickly took Anna out of the room.


    Daisy rushed out after them and said, "I will show you the way."


    Dora wanted to halt the situation, but knew it was useless to struggle. Kate knew the truth and if Anna could dodge a bullet by acting, all the better. Also, she knew that she and Leo were behind it all, so she didn''t want to pull her daughter into it even further.


    The expression on Dora''s face appeared to be calm but Leo was furious when he saw Dora. He hated her for betraying him but he didn''t know that Dora had only confessed to being behind the accident, she never mentioned that they were involved in Flora''s mother''s death; that was all plotted by Joseph.


    "I will tell everyone the whole truth, I was the one who did it all two years ago; Leo and Anna had nothing to do with it!" Dora stood up and confessed.


    Kate was shocked to see that Dora was taking responsibility, she assumed that Dora would blame Leo.


    "Dora, it''s too late!" Leo snapped. He pointed in her face, "If you hadn''t told me to kill that old woman, I never would have done such a stupid thing. Now, you can''t get any money from me, so you decided to betray me. Ahem¡­" Leo was out of breath and started coughing.


    "Nonsense!" Dora was frightening and her face turned pale, "Don''t be silly! If Kate thinks you are serious, she will convict us!"


    "Oh, come on, Dora! Don''t pretend that you didn''t tell Joseph that I killed Kate''s grandma!" Leo believed Dora was nothing more than a selfish woman who didn''t love him. He had felt no love toward her for a long time but accommodated her because she had control over him.


    "No, I didn''t!" Dora flew into a rage and asked, "What good would it be for me to betray you?"


    Dora''s plan was to take all of the blame so that Leo and Anna could be safe.


    "You didn''t say that?" Leo looked at her suspiciously.


    "You are the one who acted like an idiot and confessed everything!" Dora exclaimed.


    Leo turned to Joseph, "You played me?!"


    Facing Leo''s anger, Joseph smiled and sarcastically said, "You shouldn''t blame yourself for being a fool."


    Leo was speechless but Dora shouted, "Come one, try to threaten me!"


    "Threat?" Joseph sneered, "Do you still think I''m just threatening?"


    He knew that Dora was sneaky, and if he didn''t have any evidence, she would never admit her guilt.


    Dora stammered in defense, "That''s because ..."


    "Don''t try to twist the truth; more dishonesty will not do you any good!" Joseph snapped back at her.


    Kate suppressed her anger until Joseph was done speaking. She walked over to Dora and coldly said, "You forced my mother to her death, taking the only man she loved and then stepping into our family like it was your own. What more do you want?"


    "Do you really want me to be honest? It is all your mother''s fault. If that bitch hadn''t left all of the White family''s property to you, do you think I would have done all of these things?" Dora declared arrogantly.


    Kate clenched her hand into a fist and continued to ask, "Even so, what about my grandma? What did she ever do to offend you?"


    "That old lady gave me a hard time! I never liked her. She deserved it!" Dora smiled.


    "You!" Kate was furious, she shoved Dora.


    Seeing that Kate was upset, Dora added, "If it were for you torturing with Joseph, she wouldn''t have died. All of this is because you were controlling my daughter''s man!"


    Kate looked Dora in the eyes and slapped her, but before Kate could step away, Dora pushed her to the ground.


    Joseph was too far away to stop Dora, but was able to shield Kate and pushed Dora to the ground.


    "Ah... It hurts!" Dora screamed, "Are you trying to kill me? If you do kill me, you will pay the consequences!"


    "Are you alright?" Joseph turned to Kate but she pushed him away and took out her phone to call the police.


    Since Dora had confessed to the murder, it was pointless to continue arguing. The police would need to investigate and arrest her.


    Dora heard her call the police, and laughed, "No matter what you do, your grandma and your mother won''t back. I still won!"


    Before the police arrived, Dora pointed to Leo, "Don''t bother trying to escape, I won''t let you get away!"


    Leo seemed unfazed, "Pretending to be hurt for the last two years, I am going to go crazy. I am free and it feels great but it was at the cost of my freedom."


    Dora asked Kate with a bitter smile, "Have you ever wondered why he does everything I say? Do you really think he is a controlled, kept man?

 Chapter 118 No One Will Dare

    Kate thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest.


    Dora smiled at Leo, "You need to ask your dad! After all, he was the one who did everything!"


    So, my mother''s death was not caused by illness? There must be more to it than that. Kate thought to herself.


    Kate turned to Leo and snarled, "The reason why you are so obedient is that she had something on you?"


    Leo lowered his head and whispered, "Your mother was such a good wife, I''m sorry I failed her ..."


    "Don''t¡­ You don''t deserve her forgiveness!" Kate''s eyes filled with tears. She squeezed her hands tight to refrain from crying. Flora always told her to face everything bravely and not to let the heartless person see her pain.


    "I know ... I was overwhelmed by guilt after your mother died, but no matter what I did, I couldn''t get her back ..."


    "So, you just decided to also kill my grandma?" Kate asked furiously, "What''s next? Am I your next target, my dear father?"


    Kate never imagined that her spineless dad should be so vicious and terrible.


    "I''m sorry, Kate. I don''t deserve or expect your forgiveness, I just hope you can take charge of White Group¡­" Leo stated.


    "My mother founded White Group, and I will change the name to Flora Group when I take over. It is none of your business. You don''t deserve anything!" Kate shouted over the sirens outside.


    The sound of the sirens caused Dora to panic. She fell to the ground and cried, "Don''t arrest me! Don''t arrest me!"


    Leo remained calm and waited for the police.


    Once both Leo and Dora were arrested and taken out of the house in handcuffs, Kate fell to the floor.


    Joseph followed the police to the station so that he could give a statement and provide evidence.


    Daisy ran downstairs when the commotion quieted. She hugged Kate and assured her, "Don''t be afraid. I am here with you and no one will dare to bully you again!"


    **


    For a week, Joseph took the time to deal with things for Kate. Leo confessed to his crimes and in the beginning, Dora defended herself but then plead guilty when she was faced with the evidence.


    Kate was relieved but also felt uncomfortable because she was still related to Leo, even though she could not look at him as her father. She thought all of the grudges she had, needed to be left in the past.


    When everything had calmed down, Kate took Flora''s favorite flower, Lily of the Valley to her grave. She knew that her mother wouldn''t want to see her crying, so she choked back her tears. After she shared her feelings with her mother, Kate always felt better because she knew that no matter what, Flora was with her.


    "I don''t know if can make White Group better, but I will try my best. And, I plan on changing the name to Flora Group. I know I might just be fooling myself to think a name change will make a difference but at least I will not be disgusted each time I mention the name. I know you will say that your family name is White so I wondering if I should change my name."


    Tears began to fill Kate''s eyes, "As a child, when I introduced myself I proudly said my name is Kate Flora White, after my mother and my father. When I got older my classmates admired that I had two loving parents¡­"


    Kate couldn''t hold back the tears, she quickly wiped them away and smiled, "Mom, I didn''t cry. I won''t tell you unhappy things anymore; only exciting and joyful ones."


    Standing up, Kate looked at her grandma''s headstone. She didn''t have the strength to talk with her so she quickly apologized and walked away sobbing.


    Kate was crying hysterically when a car honked at her. She moved further to the side of the road, not looking back but the car stopped and the man grabbed her arm. Kate struggled to get away until she saw who it was.


    "It''s going to rain. I''ll take you home." Joseph said, holding her hand.


    Kate replied coldly, "I''ll take a taxi!"


    She had been polite to him when he was helping her to deal with the police. It didn''t seem right that she would be so cold with but Kate couldn''t pretend to be nice after dealing with everything.


    "That''s perfect! I am your driver, just don''t forget to pay me!" Joseph smiled.


    Kate was about to argue with him when it began to rain. Joseph pulled her close and covered her head with his coat. He knew she was probably going to refuse, so he just held her tighter. Kate did try to struggle away but failed and Joseph ended up almost dragging her to the car.

 Chapter 119 We Are Neighbors

    Joseph didn''t know what to say but when they were almost to the White mansion, he asked, "What are you planning to do about Anna?"


    Kate turned around and looked at him, "Are you sure that you will stay away from her matters?"


    Joseph frowned, staring at her eyes, "Kate, all those things were Anna''s scheming."


    Kate realized that he shouldn''t have asked him, she smiled, "Anyway, it is none of my business. I just would like to remind you, don''t drag me into your things anymore. From now on, let''s just stay on our own sides, okay?"


    Then Kate opened the door and leaned in to say, "Thank you for all of your help this week!"


    Joseph watched her walk away, feeling miserable.


    The rain was slowing down when Kate walked into the house. Daisy was just about to go pick Kate up from the cemetery because she knew Kate didn''t have an umbrella. She was shocked to see Kate walked through the door, "You were picked up?"


    Kate was still caught up in her emotions and didn''t respond.


    "Kate, are you alright?" Daisy frowned worriedly. "You have to tell me, okay?"


    "It is nothing, I just feel a little tired," Kate said and shook her head.


    "Well, go lay down and get some rest. I will prepare some food for you!"


    So that Daisy didn''t get upset, Kate chose to calm down and not say anything. However, before Kate could get into her room, Anna walked out with a toy rabbit in her arms, and fearfully asked, "Do you live next to me?"


    Willing herself not to react, Kate turned to look at Anna standing in her pajamas and nodded.


    "Then from now on, we are neighbors!" Anna gave her a sweet smile.


    Kate looked at her, and her memory suddenly went back to the scene where she and Anna met for the first time.


    "Sister Kate, this is a gift for you. We are a family now. I hope you will not hate me."


    At that time, Flora had just passed away. Kate was still immersed in the grief of losing her mother. She ignored Anna''s enthusiasm and hated Dora. Later, she slowly opened her heart to accept and trust Anna with all of her secrets. It was precise because of that, there became a love triangle among herself, Joseph and Anna.


    No matter if Anna lost her memory or not, Kate did not want to be close to her again. Kate thought being tough to Anna was the best way to protect herself.


    "What about the other girl? Does she live here, too?" Anna asked curiously.


    "Daisy is my sister."


    "Sister ..." Anna, pouted and asked, "What about me?"


    Kate couldn''t answer the simple question.


    After watching Anna, Kate thought if she was faking amnesia, then she couldn''t behave so naturally. After all, her eyes would not be so innocent looking and Anna was a very impatient person.


    A few days earlier, when Kate asked Joseph how it was so easy to find out the truth. He told her that there was no longer a connection between Leo and Dora, each of them had their own plan so if someone stirred up suspicion the truth would easily be exposed.


    "As long as you don''t cause trouble, she will not hurt you!" Kate handed the rabbit back to Anna.


    "Alright, I''ll be good ..." Anna hugged her rabbit tightly and smiled at Kate.


    Kate went back to her room and closed the door. She thought she would feel better if those responsible were punished, but it didn''t make her feel as good as she expected. She chose to sleep so that she didn''t have to deal with her sadness.


    **


    Lisa had been worried about her and decided to visit after work.


    "Kate, why don''t we go to Emely University tonight?" Lisa asked.


    Kate cheered up and asked with a smile, "Why do you want to go there?"


    "Rowen is back, he is working as a graduate tutor so we can hear his lecture tonight, remember?" Lisa was afraid Kate might not be interested so she continued, "You should get out more and meet new people. I am sure Rowen will provide us with some new knowledge, especially¡­"


    "Alright, I''ll go!" Kate thought that if she said no, Lisa wouldn''t give up until she said yes.


    "Really?" Lisa didn''t expect that Kate would agree that easily.


    "But, don''t talk about the old things between him and me," Kate warned her.


    Lisa raised her hand and promised, "Don''t worry honey! Never!"


    "By the way, how are you and Joseph?" Lisa thought that since she and Joseph were spending time together, their relationship would have improved.


    "What else can we be besides being strangers?" Kate said emotionless.


    "Strangers?" Lisa raised her eyebrows in astonishment, "He has been helping you deal with so much the last week. I thought you would have reconciled with him."


    "Reconciled?" Kate ironically smiled, "Should I forget all the suffering he caused me just because he helped me the last few days?"

 Chapter 120 Oh, Wow!

    Kate felt that it was a sensitive topic, "I am sorry Lisa, I didn''t mean to be angry with you. I just don''t want the past to repeat itself. If I knew that my love for Joseph would cause so much trouble, I wouldn''t¡­ Never mind, who knows? Besides, it is pointless to regret what has already happened."


    Lisa looked at her with heartache in her eyes and tried to change the subject, "It has been getting a lot colder out. Would you like to go shopping for some new clothes?"


    "That''s a great idea!" Kate exclaimed. Aside from going to the Smith mansion a few times, she hadn''t gone anywhere so maybe getting out would temporarily allow her to forget her problems.


    It was just past five o''clock when they finished shopping. Lisa suggested that they get dinner and then take her motorcycle to Emely University.


    "Wow, it is like nothing has changed, except for the students. Kate, look! That''s our old dormitory, and then Fifth cafeteria where we used to go¡­" Lisa was so excited to recall the past as soon as they walked on to the campus. However, Kate''s deepest memory was her two-year crush on Joseph.


    When they were in university, Kate would always secretly ask around to find out what classroom he was in, what day he had a basketball game and she even went to Fifth cafeteria because Joseph went there. The stranger who occupied all of her thoughts she ended up marrying but, in the end, he was still a stranger.


    Seeing that Kate was off in her own world, Lisa pulled her toward the auditorium, "Come on! Let''s get a seat in the front row!"


    Many students were already seated when they got to the auditorium but Lisa found two seats in the front and smiled, "Let''s sit there!"


    "Okay," Kate sighed and looked around before whispering to Lisa, "I think this lecture is for students. Maybe, it isn''t a good idea to sit here with them."


    "Relax, I have tickets!"


    "Tickets?" Kate asked, "Where did you get them?"


    "Don''t worry! After all, we graduated from this university. Even if we didn''t have tickets, it would be fine for us to sit here," Lisa was fearful that Kate might interrogate her further so she tried to brush off the subject.


    Five minutes before the lecture began the auditorium was filled with students.


    "Kate, look! Rowen seems to be so popular among students," Lisa whispered.


    Kate nodded approvingly but her eyes never left the platform. She was looking forward to seeing Rowen and wondered what he would look like seven years later.


    After thunderous applause, a man wearing a tailored suit appeared on stage.


    "Oh, wow! He is so handsome!" Someone shouted, and the whole auditorium was lit up by the charming man.


    Kate glared at her and smirked without saying a word.


    Lisa realized that she had said something wrong. She quickly closed her mouth and focused on the stage.


    When the group of students finally calmed down, Rowen greeted everyone. He explained that he was going to speak mainly about his studies abroad and would answer any questions that students had at the end.


    "Gosh, his voice is so gentle! I want to marry him!" The girl sitting on the side of Kate talked feverishly.


    "Maybe he is not available!" The other girl advised very calmly.


    "No, no, I have to take a picture with him!" The girl said enthusiastically.


    "Go ahead. You''re the cutest girl in school, who would dare to stop you?" The other girl encouraged.


    Kate listened to the two girls gossiping next to her and tried not to laugh. The lecture seemed to go by quickly and when it was done, Lisa quickly pulled her away. Most people were walking up to the podium to speak to Rowen but they were heading toward the exit.


    Lisa looked at the group around Rowen and couldn''t help laughing, "Rowen is just like a celebrity to these students!"


    Kate smiled, "We were just as energetic at the time!"


    "Yeah, Joseph was the most popular boy in school then. If he wasn''t so cold, he would..."


    Before Lisa finished speaking, she saw Rowen approaching here, and she waved her hand vigorously, "Here!"


    Kate was slow to respond because Lisa had mentioned Joseph, so she was thinking of him. When she looked up, Rowen was only a few feet from her, and behind him was a large group of female students shouting, "Professor, don''t leave!"


    Lisa and Kate were obviously a little alarmed by the situation and took a few steps back.


    Rowen apologized, "Lisa, Kate, help me!"


    Then he grabbed Kate''s hand and rushed toward the door. Kate didn''t know what was happening but she ran with him and the crown behind them continued to yell.


    "Kate, Lisa, don''t stop! Otherwise, I will be here all night!" Rowen pleaded.


    Suddenly, Kate picked up her pace and asked, "Do you ride a motorcycle?"


    "Ah? Yes ..."


    "Lisa give him your key!" Kate shouted.


    "Okay¡­" Lisa replied.


    "This way!" Rowen pulled her away into a run, but now Kate was dragging him. He was puzzled yet intrigued.


    "You ride away first, Lisa and I ..."


    "Professor Rowen is there, come on!"


    Before Kate could finish her thought, the group of girls who were chasing them had already caught up.


    "These students should run a marathon!" Lisa was too tired to run. She said to Kate and Rowen, "You leave, I''ll handle this!"

 Chapter 121 Fall Together

    Kate didn''t want to leave, and said to Rowen, "You go first, I''ll stay with Lisa."


    "Kate, you''re no match for these students. Leave with Rowen!" Lisa saw the girls getting closer and she pushed Kate away in a panic.


    Rowen said to Kate, "Come on, I''m the one they want. Lisa will be fine here. We''ll get in touch with her outside the school."


    Kate jumped on to the motorcycle, and Rowen said, "Kate, hold on to me!"


    However, Kate grasped on to the back of his motorcycle instead.


    Rowen sensed she was hesitant and didn''t push her. He gently said, "Just hold on, I will drive slow."


    "It''s okay, Lisa often drives me, and I ... ah!"


    Suddenly, they fell to the ground and the motorcycle landed on them.


    As he lifted the motorcycle, he asked, "Kate, are you okay?"


    "I''m fine ..." She reached out and touched her legs, it hurt a little. Then asked back, "How about you? Are you hurt?"


    Kate saw that Rowen was supporting the motorcycle and she would have been seriously hurt if it hadn''t been for his help.


    "I''m fine," Rowen pushed through the pain in his leg and lifted Kate up from the ground.


    Kate took out her phone and sent Lisa their location. Within a few minutes, Lisa arrived by taxi and was shocked, "What is going on? And what happened to my motorcycle?"


    Rowen apologized, "I''m sorry Lisa, it was my fault. I was in a rush and then we fell. I was the one who broke your motorcycle."


    "Ah? My poor bike ..." Lisa touched the motorcycle and asked in shock, "Did Kate get hurt?"


    She looked up at Kate and yelled, "Did you get hurt?!?"


    Kate shook her head and pointed to Rowen''s leg, "He was injured."


    After so many years, Kate was no longer close to Rowen, she didn''t even want to say his name.


    "Then let''s go to the hospital," Lisa had a concerned look.


    Rowen wanted to refuse but thought that Kate''s legs had also been crushed and immediately agreed.


    Just as they were waiting for a taxi, a luxurious car stopped in front of them.


    "Is that for you?" Lisa turned to Rowen and asked curiously.


    Rowen took a close look, and then shook his head, "No!"


    Kate was also wondering when the car window rolled down, and a familiar face appeared.


    "Joseph!" Lisa exclaimed.


    Suddenly, Kate began to panic. Rowen was confused and he glanced at Kate while Joseph stared at her.


    "Get in!" Joseph said.


    Lisa hesitated and whispered to Kate, "What should we do?"


    "I think we will be able to get a taxi in such a big city!" Kate took a step back, obviously refusing the ride.


    Joseph said calmly, "It''s a one-way street."


    "Right! We have to go to the other street, but Rowen''s leg is injured. Will he be able to walk there?" Lisa murmured to Kate, hoping she would change her mind.


    "I am not sure¡­" Rowen knew that she did not want to accept a ride from Joseph.


    Joseph heard how gently Kate spoke to Rowen and he became even more annoyed. He gripped the steering wheel and snarled, "Get in!"


    Lisa saw the hurt in Joseph''s eyes, she pulled Kate toward her and whispered, "He is very sincere, why don''t you give him a chance? Besides, Rowen''s leg is injured. I am not sure how long he can wait to have it looked at."


    Kate didn''t want to say yes but finally agreed considering Rowen was injured.


    Lisa opened the car door, "Come on Rowen! It will be much faster and easier."


    Rowen glanced at Joseph, then nodded, "Okay."


    Lisa helped Rowen get into the car first. Kate tried to get in the other back door but it was locked. Kate frowned and took a step back.


    Lisa didn''t notice the door was locked and just assumed Kate was in a mood, so she persuaded, "Kate, it''s not the time to¡­"


    Joseph opened the front door and turned to Kate, "Aren''t you going to the hospital?"


    So, he just wants her to sit next to him... Kate was not surprised at all and felt slightly awkward but she told herself¡­All right, just regard it as taking a ride from a Good Samaritan.


    Lisa was glad to see Joseph''s effort to reconcile with Kate after she understood his intentions.


    Nobody in the car spoke a word but Lisa suddenly said, "Mr. Smith, you are going home awfully late."


    "Yes!" Joseph replied.


    He couldn''t say that he was there because pictures of Kate and Rowen on the motorcycle were already circulating on the internet.


    "You need to get more rest," Lisa wanted to say thank you but didn''t know how to talk to Joseph with Kate and Rowen there.


    "Maybe."


    "Uh ..."


    He really is not a good talker! Lisa thought.


    "Your motorcycle has been taken to the repair shop," Joseph said.


    "Oh, I can''t believe that I just left my poor bike on the roadside ..." Lisa lowered her head with guilt.


    Rowen felt really sorry. "I''m sorry Lisa, it''s all my fault. I will buy you a new one tomorrow, and I will make sure it looks the exact same!"


    "No, it''s not your fault."


    "The same one?" Joseph sneered. "You can buy a new motorcycle for Miss Green, but can you pay for her emotions?"


    Why did that sentence sound so familiar?

 Chapter 122 Hospital Examination

    Joseph smiled back and said, "I remember that you said Lisa does not like to be away from her car or motorcycle."


    She could not believe that Joseph paid attention to what she had said. Kate opened her mouth slightly while she stared at Joseph''s handsome profile.


    I know he hated me when I told him about that. I assumed anything I said; he ignored or mocked me. How does he remember? Kate thought to herself.


    "Sorry, Lisa. I¡­" Rowen stammered.


    "It is okay, it was nothing serious. Both you and Kate are safe, that is the most important thing," Lisa said.


    Joseph continued, "Don''t take passengers with you if you are not a good driver. I don''t care if you fall, but if Kate¡­"


    Suddenly, Joseph felt as if he was nagging, and he was worried that Kate might get annoyed, so he stopped midsentence. But it was evident as to what he meant, even though he didn''t say it, everyone understood.


    Kate put her head down, she pretended not to hear Joseph''s comment and looked straight ahead. However, Lisa didn''t want to end the conversation, "Lord Joseph, that is not your style. Since when do you stop saying what you think?"


    "I just wanted to remind him not to hurt innocent people!" Joseph commented.


    Rowen replied, "Thanks for reminding me. I will be more careful next time!"


    Then it became quiet again in the car, but there was a lot of tension. Lisa could sense that Joseph was annoyed by Rowen.


    When they arrived at the hospital, Kate quickly got out of the car. She frowned as she put pressure on her leg, the pain was worse than she had thought, but she opened the door for Rowen and reminded him to take his time.


    "Okay!" Rowen smiled at her.


    As Joseph watched them, the anger inside him grew, particularly when he saw Rowen smiling at Kate. She had mentioned Rowen to him before, but he never really cared. However, when he saw the way Rowen looked at Kate, he could tell he cared for her. Rowen looked at Kate differently than he looked at Lisa, which left Joseph extremely jealous.


    Lisa saw the fierce expression on Joseph''s face; she rushed over to thank him, "Joseph, thank you for bringing us to the hospital. I will take you out for a meal sometime soon to repay you."


    Joseph looked away from Kate and Rowen, then replied in a low tone, "You are welcome."


    "We should go inside to get you examined," Lisa went to support Rowen.


    "Lisa, I''m okay. You don''t need to¡­" Rowen tried to step away from Lisa, but suddenly his ankle gave out.


    Kate put her arms out to help him and gently asked, "Are you okay?"


    "I¡­I''m fine."


    Kate and Lisa were both startled to see Joseph carrying Rowen. Lisa turned to look at Kate and laughed, "Jealousy is a great tool to arouse one''s love!"


    "He is just helping. Don''t misinterpret his actions!" Kate snapped back.


    "Yes, maybe you are right," Lisa said sarcastically, she knew Kate was confused.


    The doctor was already examining Rowen when Kate and Lisa walked in.


    "Is it so serious?" Lisa exclaimed when she saw his legs bleeding and covered in bruises. "We should have hidden in men''s room; then, those female students wouldn''t have chased after you."


    Rowen could not help laughing, "You are still a tomboy, just like in college years."


    "Yes, recognized by the public. But Kate is still the little girl who needs your protection¡­" Lisa blurted out before she thought about Joseph standing in the room. She knew it probably wasn''t appropriate, but Joseph and Kate were divorced, so it shouldn''t matter. Plus, Joseph was the one who betrayed her friend, he may not want to hear it, but he deserved to suffer. As she expected, Joseph looked hurt.


    Kate glared at Lisa as if she was trying to tell her to stop. Rowen didn''t seem to think there was anything wrong with what Lisa had said. He had only wanted to protect her when they were in college. If he thought he had a chance to win her heart, he would have confessed his feelings, but he knew it already belonged to someone else. Rowen and his family also moved out of the country around the same time, so he chose not to act on his love for her. He assumed that over the years, the distance would cause his love to fade, but after returning home, his feelings only seemed to be stronger.


    "I don''t talk nonsense, Rowen¡­"


    "Lisa, please ask Kate to sit down and let the doctor examine her," Rowen tried to rescue Kate from further embarrassment when he saw her blushing, "She also was hurt."


    "Yes, Kate, sit down to have the doctor examine you," Lisa said gently.


    Joseph was worried about Kate. He walked to her side and bent down to look at her legs. All three of them were observing her see if she was severely injured.


    Kate felt a little self-conscious. She said, "I''m okay! Don''t be too worried about me¡­"


    "Doctor, don''t listen to her. Disinfect her wounds, apply the ointment and remind her that the bandages need to be changed regularly," Joseph ordered.


    "Yes, Lord Joseph!" The doctor quickly began to clean Kate''s scraps. He told her patiently, "No swimming or bathing to avoid infection; no cold or spicy food; and remember to clean the wounds three times per day. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me."


    Kate frowned and whispered, "Yes."


    Lisa thought Joseph''s actions were funny and cute. Though he may seem dominant, most females would be touched by the attention, including Kate.


    Rowen''s eyes shifted between Joseph and Kate, and confusion set in. He was more seriously hurt than Kate, so the doctor suggested he stay overnight for observation. However, Rowen declined and said he could take care of himself.

 Chapter 123 To Smith Mansion

    "What are you doing?" Rowen questioned, not knowing what was happening.


    Joseph replied coldly, "How do you expect two women to carry you?"


    Rowen understood and stopped resisting.


    "Wow! Joseph is such a caring man!" Lisa commented. Joseph''s behavior after the accident showed Lisa a different side to him.


    Kate was also surprised by his actions, though she continued to act uninterested in covering up her true feelings.


    The moment everyone stepped out of the elevator, Joseph lifted Kate into his arms with a swift natural movement. Kate was too shocked to react, and before she knew it, she was in the passenger''s seat of his car. She tried to open the door, but it was locked.


    Joseph said something with Lisa through the car window; then, she waved goodbye to Kate.


    Rowen wanted to stop them from leaving, but he was taken to another car by the two men.


    Lisa got in the car and said, "Don''t worry, Joseph will take care of her."


    Rowen asked, frowning, "Didn''t they get a divorce?"


    "Yes, but Joseph has been acting differently. I don''t know what to say, but I am sure that Kate can''t just forget the man she loved for so many years. Someone created obstacles for them, and so there was such confusion. However, now that everything has been rectified, they may get back together. Part of me hopes that they will get another chance," Lisa said. She was conflicted though; she was upset when she saw Kate hurt; but on the other hand, she hated to see her suffering and to give up on the man she loved.


    After hearing what Lisa said, Rowen felt discouraged. He was happy to see Kate after such a long time apart, but then finding out Kate still had feelings for Joseph worried him.


    Joseph started the engine and drove off into the darkness with Kate next to him even though Kate was yelling, "Joseph, stop! I want to get out of the car!"


    She yelled even louder when she saw that he wasn''t going toward her house.


    Joseph looked ahead and replied to her in a low voice, "The Smith mansion is also your home."


    "No! It''s not my home. We got a divorce!" Kate snarled. She thought of jumping out of the car, but the door was locked, and Joseph was driving too fast.


    "Have you looked at the items in the box I sent to you?" Joseph changed the topic.


    Kate hadn''t thought about it until Joseph mentioned it. She said, "I took the box only because of Mom¡­ Cassie gave it to me. I respect her, so I didn''t want to look rude. Otherwise, I would not have accepted it."


    Joseph wasn''t angry about Kate''s reply; he knew he treated her horribly in the past. He calmly said, "I know whatever I say now will only seem insincere to you, but I¡­"


    Kate''s phone rang, interrupting Joseph. She quickly answered, "Hi, Lisa!"


    "I was kidnapped. Call the police!" Kate said as she looked over at Joseph.


    Joseph frowned, but he did not intend to stop the car.


    "Kidnapped? Are you kidding?" Lisa asked anxiously, thinking that Joseph had kicked her out of the car, and someone picked her up.


    Though Kate was angry, she did not want Lisa to worry, "You overestimated a certain someone. He isn''t taking me home; he is taking me to his house."


    "Mm¡­That means you are safe now," Lisa understood Joseph''s intention immediately.


    Kate was angry with how calm Lisa was; she was about to argue with her when Lisa hung up. Kate stared at her phone and debating on calling back to tell Lisa exactly what she thought.


    Joseph smiled slyly and said, "Lisa is so clever!"


    "Don''t think you can trap me! I will do whatever I need to so that I can escape from your home!"


    Joseph was afraid that she might try to escape, so when he pulled up to the gate, he ordered the security guard to reset the passcode.


    Kate stared at Joseph and cursed him, "You are so mean!"


    He wants to trap me here. I need to figure out a way to escape. Kate thought to herself.


    While she was plotting, Joseph opened the car door and picked her up from the passenger seat.


    "Joseph put me down!" Kate yelled.


    "Don''t move!" Joseph warned her.


    Perhaps it was due to him bullying her before, but when she saw the fierceness in his eyes, she was frightened. She became quiet and stared at him.


    Amy ran out excitedly after hearing the car pull in the driveway. However, when she saw Kate in Joseph''s arms, the joy on her face disappeared.


    "Lord Joseph, why did you bring her here?"


    When hearing Amy''s voice, Kate, who was still struggling in Joseph''s chest, instantly stopped moving. She turned around and looked at Amy with a smile, "Lord Joseph forcibly brought me home. I could not escape!"


    Amy turned pale and did not speak, which gave Kate a sense of relief. She knew that when she lived there, Amy helped Anna frame her and was also to blame for her miscarriage. Even though Amy spoke up about Anna''s crimes, Kate could still not forgive her.


    Joseph carried her upstairs to the bedroom; Amy''s heart broke as she watched.


    It took a lot to drive her out of here. Why is she back here again? Amy thought and clenched her fist, staring at the bedroom door.

 Chapter 124 Cherished Collectables

    Kate advised crossly, "We are not in a relationship! Watch your behavior!"


    Seeing her in fear, Joseph started laughing, "Am I some kind of hooligan in your eyes?"


    "Of course," She glared at him, "You are even eviler than a hooligan!"


    Joseph thought that her anger was cute, "Thank you for the compliment. I like it!"


    Kate rolled her eyes and looked away.


    Joseph said gently, "Your legs are injured. Please, just lie down and rest. If you are bored, you can watch TV or listen to music¡­"


    "Joseph Smith, are you deaf or senseless? I want to go home to my own home!" Kate yelled.


    "You can do anything you like, except go home!" Joseph''s words crushed Kate''s hope.


    Kate clenched her teeth in hatred, "You bastard!"


    She continued to curse at him, but Joseph ignored her and turned on slow, soothing music. Kate sat on the bed, feeling discouraged. After a few minutes of crying and mumbling to herself, Kate remembered what Joseph had told her, "You can do anything you like, except go home¡­"


    Kate immediately thought of Joseph''s collectibles. After all, he said she could do whatever she wanted, she thought. Kate limped toward the room where Joseph kept his cherished items; the door was unlocked.


    "I guess he doesn''t need to be on alert since I moved out," Kate swore. She recalled that when she moved in, Joseph had a list of rules that included not touching his stuff. Anything associated with him, she was banned from ever touching, and if Kate did, she would suffer the consequences. However, they were no longer married, and she was not afraid; she pushed her conscience aside and threw one of his favorite model cars on the floor.


    Amy was sneaking around to find out what was happening with Joseph and Kate when she heard the loud smash. She ran toward the noise and was shocked to see Kate stomping on Joseph''s car.


    "What are you doing?" Amy screamed and pointed at the broken pieces on the floor, "You¡­ do you know that Lord Joseph cherishes these, most of them were bought overseas. There was a limited number of kits, and they can''t be replaced. You have created a huge mess!" Amy was angry but also a little happy. She assumed that Joseph would lose his temper on Kate and punish her. She quickly ran through the hallway, calling to Joseph, and at the door, she pointed, "Lady Kate¡­ Lady Kate¡­"


    Seeing Amy so anxious, Joseph thought Kate tried to escape; he asked, "What is wrong with her?"


    "She¡­She smashed your model cars on purpose. I could not stop her," Amy hoped that Joseph would jump up and kick Kate out of the house. However, he got up and just looked out the window.


    "As long as it makes her happy," Joseph replied and sat back down. He prayed that Kate would be happier once she vented her anger.


    "You¡­Collecting the model cars in your hobby, but Lady Kate is destroying them. You cannot replace them."


    "Yes, they are important to me, but when comparing them to Kate, they aren''t worth nearly as much."


    Amy was startled when she clued into what Joseph was saying; he loved Kate, and nothing was more important than her.


    "Did you clean her room?" Joseph asked.


    Amy snapped back to reality and replied in a hurry, "I am going to do it now!"


    As she was about to leave, Amy turned back to nervously ask, "Lord Joseph, which room do you want to be made up for Lady Kate?"


    "The master bedroom," he said with a smile.


    "The master bedroom? You¡­You made up with her?"


    "Do as I order! Don''t ask questions!" Joseph was disgusted with her intruding in his personal life.


    Amy sensed his annoyance and nodded, "Understood, Lord Joseph. I will never ask what I don''t need to know."


    Jealousy filled Amy as she walked out of Joseph''s study. She could not understand why he suddenly loved Kate.


    Kate was waiting for Joseph with his broken collectibles at her feet. She assumed that he would punish her after Amy told him, but only Amy appeared.


    "Where is your Lord Joseph?" Kate snarled.


    Amy looked at her coldly and asked her in a low voice, "Kate, what the hell do you want to do?"


    "Is it of your business? Or do you want to be the one to punish me?"


    "Listen, don''t think that you can do whatever you want. Lord Joseph is polite to you because he feels guilty for your miscarriage, not because he loves you!"


    Amy chuckled.


    "Did Joseph tell you that? If not, then don''t try to fool me. Your precious Lord Joseph begged me to come here. If I tell him that someone is telling me what to do¡­"


    Amy''s expression changed suddenly.


    Kate continued to warn her, "Don''t think that everyone is a fool. We all know what you have done. If you don''t change your behavior, you will need to pay for your actions."


    Amy trembled with fear, but her eyes were full of anger.  She apologized, "Lady Kate, I¡­I am just upset about the model cars. I didn''t mean to take my frustration out on you. Please, don''t be angry with me."


    Kate had seen Amy''s deceitfulness many times; she was not going to fall for it. She walked out of the room and when directly to Joseph''s study.

 Chapter 125 Was Rowen Your Puppy Love?

    Joseph heard footsteps and looked up to see who it was. When he saw Kate, he put the files down and smiled at her, "Anything you want to tell me?"


    "I want to go home!" She shouted like a child having a temper tantrum.


    Joseph was trying not to laugh at her, but she looked cute, "I still have another room with all of my favorite model cars. You can go on losing your temper and smashing them if you like?"


    Kate clenched her fists tightly and shouted crazily, "Do you think I am smashing them just because I am losing my temper? I want you to know how much I hate being here."


    Joseph''s heart ached, and he suddenly felt very depressed. He realized that Kate hated him. He got up and asked calmly, "Is it because he is back?"


    "He?" Kate questioned.


    "Rowen, your puppy love." He smiled reluctantly.


    Rowen, my puppy love? Where did he get that from? Kate wondered.


    "Don''t label Rowen," Kate snapped at him. He had implied she had an affair with Samuel, and now he was saying Rowen was her puppy love.


    Does he know that he is my first and only love? How can he frame other innocent people and me? Kate swore to herself.


    Kate was furious and wanted to go home; she didn''t care to deal with Joseph and his accusations.


    "Label? What''s your relationship with him?" Joseph was curious and wanted to know her answer.


    "There is no reason for me to tell you!" Kate replied.


    "What''s your relationship with him? I really don''t care, but you have to stay here tonight!" Joseph ordered.


    "What if I refuse?" She resisted against him with all her courage.


    Joseph persuaded again in a low voice, "It is late and windy outside. Go home tomorrow."


    The begging tone in his voice soothed Kate but also surprised her. She thought he was just looking for an excuse to keep her there, "Ask your driver to take me home. No matter how bad the weather is, it does not matter!"


    "You must go home?" Joseph asked.


    "Of course!" She answered directly.


    "Okay, I will take you home," Joseph surrendered with disappointment.


    Kate was shocked that he agreed to take her home. As they passed the room with his collectibles, she felt overwhelmed with guilt.


    The entire drive home, Kate was on alert, she thought Joseph might try to take her somewhere else. However, she was wrong; he took her directly to the White mansion.


    As she got out of the car, a strong gust of wind blew, which made Kate shiver. Joseph quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, "Let''s go inside!"


    Kate took his coat off and passed it back, "Thank you for bringing me home. I don''t need your coat, though."


    Joseph refused to take his coat back, "Go inside. Don''t catch a cold!"


    Did he not understand my words? Kate thought to herself. She looked at the handsome man, wearing only a white t-shirt and jeans.


    "Why are you still here?" She asked when he didn''t turn around to leave.


    "I''ll leave after you go inside," Joseph nodded toward the house and smiled.


    Kate looked at the gate and then turned to look at him, "No. I''ll walk in after you leave. Otherwise, I''m afraid you will follow me inside."


    Hearing her concern, Joseph felt horrible when he realized that Kate thought of him as some hooligan she needed to be fearful around.


    He smiled bitterly, "Okay, I will leave first."


    Watching Joseph drive away, Kate felt uneasy. She could tell her words upset him, and she didn''t really believe he was as bad as she made it sound.


    "Kate, you come home," Daisy ran outside to usher her. When she saw the male coat in Kate''s hand, she asked, "Whose coat is it? Let me guess. You went to Rowen''s lecture tonight. Is it...?"


    "No, it''s Joseph''s."


    "Lord Joseph''s?" Daisy was surprised and followed Kate, "Why were you with Joseph tonight? You told me that you were going to Rowen''s lecture. Did Joseph cause trouble?"


    Suddenly Daisy realized what she said, "Lord Joseph has been so helpful recently. And since you are no longer a couple, he shouldn''t make your life difficult."


    "It''s a long story," Kate thought what happened was like a movie.


    "Okay, let''s go up to your room, and you can tell me all about it," Daisy wanted all the details and to know if Kate and Joseph were getting back together.


    When they got to Kate''s bedroom door, Anna''s door opened. She happily said, "You are back, my neighbor!"


    Anna greeted Kate trustingly, but as soon as she saw Daisy, she lowered her head in fear.


    Kate saw Anna''s fear of Daisy, so she comforted, "Don''t be afraid. Daisy just speaks loudly."


    "Don''t be fooled by her! You know she is a big liar. We need to figure out whether or not she has actually lost her memory. Either way, we should be cautious," Daisy reminded Kate.


    "I...I don''t..." Anna covered her ears and fell to the floor, crying.


    "Get up! Don''t pretend to play innocent!" Daisy yelled, assuming that Anna was just acting.


    Kate frowned and hesitantly reached out to help Anna, "Get up!"


    "Kate, don''t be fooled by her. Don''t forget how she scammed you before," Daisy pulled back Kate''s hand to stop her from approaching Anna.


    "That''s okay. Anna can only lie to me now, she will never hurt me like before," Kate smiled at Daisy, "I have no trust in her and only look at her as a patient."

 Chapter 126 Dobbys Betrayal

    Daisy thought Kate had made a valid point, "Okay, you may be right. She cannot do anything evil without her mother''s help."


    Anna gasped Kate''s hands suddenly. She stood up and hugged her, crying, "You are so kind. Can I call you sister?"


    Kate hesitated, she was indeed Anna''s half-sister, but it made her feel uncomfortable.


    During Kate''s hesitation, Anna cried, "I will listen to you. I will stay at home and not go anywhere."


    Anna then turned to Daisy and said, "I will not make you worry about me, either. You said that I was horrible before. I promise I won''t be again."


    "Okay, don''t bother Kate. Go back to your room!" Daisy did not have any patience to deal with Anna and her drama.


    Anna nodded, "Okay, I''ll go back to my room now."


    "You seem so obedient now. Why were you so evil before?" Daisy cursed, "Even though you appear to be honest and respectful now, you are still a villain in my eyes."


    "Sorry," Anna bowed and walked back to her bedroom, which startled Kate.


    Anna used to be arrogant in front of Daisy, but even when Daisy yelled at her, she didn''t respond. Kate had doubts about Anna''s amnesia, except now Anna was not acting as she had in the past. In Kate''s opinion, if a person was pretending to have amnesia, there would be some flaws, but since she was acting so natural, even Kate began to believe her.


    "Kate, whether she pretends to have amnesia or it is really amnesia, you have to be highly vigilant to her. Even if this vicious woman has amnesia, she may still have the thoughts of hurting you," Daisy reminded Kate repeatedly.


    Kate nodded.


    "Oh yes, why were you with Lord Joseph just now?" Daisy wasn''t about to let Kate get away with not telling her.


    Hearing Joseph''s name, Kate frowned and told Daisy what happened.


    "So, Lord Joseph has the intention to redeem himself," Daisy cautiously looked at Kate to see her response, but Kate looked angry. Daisy encouraged, "Kate, you might want to think about how Lord Joseph was a victim as well. If it weren''t for being deceived by Anna from the beginning, you might be a happily married couple."


    "If he likes me now because there are no more misunderstandings, then he doesn''t sincerely like me," Kate tried not to get upset when she thought of how bad things were between them in the past. She didn''t want to talk about it anymore, "It is late, and I need to rest. I have to go to the Wilson Group tomorrow."


    **


    At a fancy restaurant, Kate waited for Dobby to arrive.


    "Hello, Lady Kate!" Thirty-year-old Dobby greeted her awkwardly.


    Kate stood up and shook his hand, "Hello, Mr. Wilson! Please have a seat."


    During the meal, Kate expressed her sincere thanks and advised she wanted to work with them again in the future.


    Dobby nodded, saying, "Our collaboration yielded huge benefits, and of course, we would be glad to continue the relationship."


    At the end of the meal, Dobby could help but ask, "Aren''t you curious about why we choose to work with your company?"


    "Of course! I''ve always been curious about it. As everyone knows, I refused Smith Group''s help, so most people assumed that we were working against each other. You should have chosen Smith Group to maximize your benefits. So, yes, I do wonder," Kate replied.


    Dobby smiled in embarrassment, "Okay, I can tell you the truth."


    "Was it Joseph who asked you to work with my company?" Kate was startled and did not want to believe that the companies'' win-win collaboration was arranged by someone else.


    Seeing Kate''s expression, Dobby quickly said, "Joseph asked me not to tell you. However, I know you were married before, and so I think you should understand what he has done for you."


    Kate didn''t know what to say. To other people, it seemed as if Joseph''s silent contribution was a kind gesture, and she was lucky to have his help, but to Kate, it felt like a slap in the face.


    After saying goodbye to Dobby, Kate drove directly to her office. She had sat thinking for a long time when Max knocked on her door, "Are you not feeling well? You look pale. If you need to go home and rest, please do so. Our work with Wilson Group is near completion, so I can handle the rest of the work."


    Kate took a deep breath and stood up and said, "Okay, please call me if anything happens. I am going to the Smith Group."


    "Okay¡­" Max replied and was curious as to why Kate was going to Smith Group.


    **


    After Dobby walked out of the hotel, he called Samuel, "I told Kate about the collaboration as you requested."


    "Well done! You will get a reward!" Samuel said with a big smile on his face. He was proud of himself for ruining Joseph''s plan.


    "But after Joseph finds out, I will definitely be crushed. I have to think of a way to save myself," Dobby said fearfully.


    Samuel chuckled, "You don''t need to be afraid of him. He won''t be president of Smith Group for much longer."


    "Really?" Dobby said swiftly, "Without Smith Group, he is nothing."


    "Let''s wait and see, but I am sure Smith Group will soon have a new boss," Samuel said confidently.


    Dobby felt a bit of assurance, "Okay, then I will wait for the good news!"


    **


    Kate was voluntarily looking for Joseph, which made him happy. He was glad to have her in the same office; it felt like everything was the same as before, except for their relationship.


    "Please sit," Joseph stood up to usher her politely and had John make them coffee.


    "Don''t be so polite!" Kate refused to sit, and bluntly asked, "Do you know Dobby?"


    Joseph signaled to John to leave the office. He questioned, "Why are you suddenly asking about him?"


    "Are you pretending not to know? You arranged for Wilson Group to work with the White Group. You do not remember making such a big contribution to my company."


    "Dobby told you?" Joseph asked, honestly.

 Chapter 127 My Mothers Intention

    "Is it important?" Kate refuted immediately, "Are you sympathizing with White Group, or do you not believe that I can handle my own company? Even if I didn''t have the ability, I don''t need your help!"


    Joseph knew that Kate would not understand his intentions. She was angry, and he needed to find an excuse, "It was my mother''s idea!" Joseph figured he could explain everything to his mother later; he just didn''t want Kate to feel like he was looking down on her and her abilities.


    "What?" Kate exclaimed. Her anger eased some as she said, "Your mother asked you to help me?"


    "Yes, she said that although you are not her daughter-in-law anymore, she always thought of you as her daughter. Besides, she and your mother were the best of friends. You mother created White Group, she had to do something for you and her," Joseph told Kate, he found that if a matter related to her, he would be willing to spare no effort, even if it meant telling some white lies.


    Kate''s anger seemed to be gone, so Joseph knew what he explained worked. He smiled and said, "Don''t think that I promote your collaboration with Wilson Group out of sympathy. I just gave you a chance; you chose to take advantage of the opportunity. The benefits and developments were all your doing, and so I didn''t do all that much."


    Joseph wanted to eliminate any doubt in Kate''s heart. After all, he knew that she would insist he was involved if he hadn''t explained in detail. He thought of the letters she wrote to him; she would rather swallow her complaints than clarify the situation for herself. After the divorce, Kate refused Joseph''s help, which only showed her stubbornness and healthy self-esteem. However, Joseph still wanted to protect her.


    Kate was feeling mixed emotions. She appreciated Cassie''s help and didn''t want to be angry with her. She knew Joseph was right; Smith Group provided resources, but the project results depended on her capabilities. Kate felt better, but she still felt as if she couldn''t live up to Cassie''s expectations.


    "Anything else you want to talk about?" Joseph wanted her to stay longer; he was afraid she might discover that it was him behind the collaboration and not his mother.


    "No," Kate replied, then turned to leave, "Please let your mother know I am thankful. I will work hard and not disappoint her."


    Joseph nodded and said, "I will."


    A few minutes after Kate left, Joseph immediately called Cassie. She was at the spa and very surprised to see that Joseph was calling her, "What is wrong? My son voluntarily called me?"


    Joseph was embarrassed by Cassie''s comment, but he smiled and said, "Mom, can we have dinner together tonight? There is something I want to discuss with you."


    "I won''t!"


    Cassie couldn''t hold back her joy, and laughed, "Then what do you want to eat? I can have the chef make something for us."


    "No trouble. I will pick you up at five o''clock."


    "We are going out?" It was the first time Joseph took the initiative in taking her out for dinner. She exclaimed, "That is perfect!"


    After hanging up with his mother, Joseph called Dobby. His happy and smiling expression instantly turned to anger.


    Dobby trembled as he answered the phone, "Hi, Joseph..."


    "You should know that there are consequences for violating our agreement," Joseph barked.


    Dobby frowned, he was prepared for Joseph''s reaction but did not expect it to happen so quickly, "Mr. Smith, I told Lady Kate for your sake. I think that you still love her and are doing all of this because of that. Instead of contributing silently, she should know what is in your heart. She will be moved and want to rekindle your relationship¡­"


    "My relationship is none of your business! You should not be worried about that!" Joseph hung up on him.


    Dobby stared at the phone, thinking that everything would be okay as long as Joseph did not suspect that he was working with Samuel. He did not care about the compensation for violating the contract.


    **


    At five o''clock, Joseph arrived at the Smith mansion to pick up Cassie. She was waiting at the gate and happily waved at him.


    "Mom, get in the car," Joseph got out and opened the door for her.


    Cassie nearly jumped into the car with excitement. While they drove, she looked at Joseph from time to time and wanted to say something but stopped each time.


    Joseph knew he needed to explain, "It seems that I am not a very good son."


    "Not a good son? Why would you think that? I am just curious as to why you are suddenly treating me to dinner. This is the first time, so I am assuming you have something you want to discuss with me, correct?"


    "We will talk when we get to the restaurant," Joseph knew it wasn''t overly crucial since Cassie would not be speaking to Kate in the next few hours.


    "So, you do have something to talk to me about?"


    Joseph stopped his car in front of a famous restaurant in Aubi City. Cassie looked up and saw that it was her favorite restaurant. Although everyone thought Joseph was self-centered, he always cared and paid attention to details involving those he cared about.


    After sitting down next to a large window, Cassie smiled at her son, "It must be something vital you need to talk over since we are at a fancy restaurant."


    Joseph passed the menu to her and said, "Order whatever you like. Don''t worry about the cost."


    Cassie frowned, she was happy but also nervous, "You flatter me, but what if I can''t help you? I will feel bad!"


    Joseph wasn''t worried, "You can order absolutely anything, and I firmly believe you can help me!"


    "Okay, I will not joke around. What are you going to get?"


    "Don''t worry about me! Choose whatever you like!" Joseph said and looked at the menu. He immediately saw one of Kate''s favorite dishes; without hesitation, he said, "I am going to get the spicy fish!"


    "Spicy?" Cassie was surprised and looked at her son astoundingly, "You never liked spicy food. When did you start eating it?"

 Chapter 128 Talk with Mom

    "If I remember correctly, Kate also likes spicy food," Cassie smiled slyly.


    Joseph almost choked on his water; it was as if his mother read his mind.


    Cassie could see through his odd behavior. She looked at the menu and continued, "I know she likes spicy food because whenever Flora and I had dinner, she would joke that after Kate was married, she would have nothing but pepper in her house. Kate would always smile brightly and nod in agreement. However, after she married you, I reminded her not to eat spicy food if you two were going to try to have a baby. She obviously listened to me; I noticed when she come for dinner at the family reunion."


    What Cassie didn''t know is that Joseph had banned Kate from eating spicy food and not because they were trying to have a baby; it was to torture her. Joseph felt guilty, and apart from being distressed over his father''s sudden death, the thing he regretted most was his attitude toward Kate when they were married.


    While Joseph was thinking, Cassie ordered their meals and waved her hand in front of his face, "What are you thing about? You seem so absent-minded."


    Joseph couldn''t wait any longer; he begged his mother, "Mom, I need your help. Kate is in charge of the White Group, and I want to help her."


    "Do you really want to genuinely help Kate?"


    "During the two years that we were together, she was unhappy. Though we are no longer together, I hope I can do something to compensate for my mistakes. If I can, I will feel better."


    Cassie didn''t believe what she was hearing; it was the first time Joseph had shared a secret with her. She looked at him and asked, "Do you love Kate, or do you just feel guilty?"


    He smiled bitterly, "There is no use in saying anything now. I only hope that Kate can live happily ever after and forget all of the unhappy memories. After all, most of her distress and sadness was caused by me."


    "My dear, stupid son, if you love her, you need to fight for her. You should do whatever you can to let her know how you feel. If you are cold all of the time, she won''t know you love her," Cassie encouraged. She prayed that they would get back together, but she also knew her son''s personality and that he would not follow her advice. Cassie knew Kate was extremely disappointed in Joseph, so it would be a bit to convince her to try again. All she could do was pray that Flora would bless them, and fate would bring them together.


    "Mom, I rarely ask you to help me. I hope you will conceal this for me. I hope you can care for her as if you are me," Joseph begged.


    "Of course, I will. I''m your mother, If I don''t help you, who would?" Cassie assured her son, "Don''t worry; I will invite Kate out for lunch and to go shopping. If you want to see her, I will let you know, and you can meet us."


    **


    The next day, Joseph claimed the compensation from Dobby that was stipulated in their agreement. He was sure that Dobby would have an excuse to delay the payment or try to beg Joseph''s forgiveness, but he agreed and paid without hesitation.


    What made Joseph wonder the most was why he told Kate the truth even when he knew he would need to pay a large sum for violating the contract. If it were that Dobby didn''t care about the money, he wouldn''t have pleaded with Joseph to work with Wilson Group. The reparation he had to pay was twice the amount Joseph paid him, and Joseph knew that the new project was profitable, but they did not make that much.


    When Joseph was back in his office, John delivered some documents and saw Joseph frowning, "What are you worrying about?"


    Joseph looked up and asked, "Do you know Dobby Wilson?"


    As Joseph''s assistant, John knew that Dobby had broken a contract between the two companies and had to pay a hefty penalty.


    "I don''t know him very well. But I heard that he went to school with Lord Samuel," John replied. He didn''t think much of it and never thought to inform Joseph.


    A light flashed in Joseph''s eyes as he exclaimed, "Now, I understand why he did it!"


    A faint light flashed in Joseph''s eyes. He said, "Then I understand why he did this."


    John thought for a moment, "You think that Dobby is working for Lord Samuel?"


    Joseph smiled scornfully, "I definitely believe he is putting on a show!"


    **


    At White Group, Max placed a stack of documents on Kate''s desk. He was cautiously asked, "Ma''am, I thought our company and Wilson Group were working well together. Why has the collaboration ended?"


    Kate understood that Max would be curious. She smiled at him and shook her head, "We did work well together, but¡­ Well, I hope we can work with them again in the future. Don''t worry; we will not fail if we don''t collaborate with them."


    "I believe that! After all, many companies have been wanting to work with us. And, since this is a newly developing tourist area, I have analyzed some¡­"


    Kate''s phone rang and interrupted Max''s idea. He quickly said, "Go on and answer the phone. I will get a plan together, and then we can talk!"


    With a smile and nod of her head, Kate picked up her phone, and Max shut the door behind him.


    "Kate, do I disturb you?" Cassie asked.


    "No, no, no, not at all. Is everything okay?"


    Cassie paused for a moment, wondering how best to ask, "Are you available this evening? I would love to have dinner together. Noelle is still here, and she misses you so much."


    "I¡­¡­"


    Before Kate could answer, Noelle grabbed the phone from her mother, "Dear sister-in-law, I miss you!"


    Although Noelle knew that Kate and Joseph were divorced, she still thought of Kate as a family.


    "Noelle, I..." Kate wanted to refuse the dinner invitation, but they were the two people who were always kind to her.


    "You are like my sister and like a daughter to my mother! We will always be family! You need to come to dinner, please," Noelle begged as Cassie gave the thumbs up to continue, Noelle added, "So, don''t distance yourself from us! We really want you to join us for dinner tonight!"

 Chapter 129 Dinner Together

    "You are going to have dinner with us at the house? Really?" Noelle confirmed with her again and again out of excitement.


    "Of course!" Kate said. She knew if she were honest with herself, she would have to admit she missed them too.


    "Great! We will see you tonight!" Noelle jumped with joy and hung up the phone.


    When Kate put her phone down, she shook her head, trying to rid herself of the troubling thoughts she had. She kept repeating over and over that she was going there to see Cassie and Noelle, and that it had nothing to do with Joseph.


    **


    That evening, Kate arrived at Smith mansion. Cassie was waiting for her at the front door. It warmed her heart to know that her mother''s best friend was treating her just like a daughter. Kate could always feel her mother''s love through Cassie.


    Kate rushed over and said, "It is windy outside. You should be out here; you might catch a cold."


    Cassie ran her fingers through her hair and replied, "I am so happy that you are here! And I will be fine. Don''t worry about me! Let''s go inside."


    Joseph pulled up just as Kate and Cassie were walking in the house, Noelle was in the car with him. She turned to say, "Mother has told me that if you make Kate unhappy, you are to leave. She does not want you to dampen our spirits!"


    Though Noelle warned him and everyone around him to take Kate''s side, Joseph was thankful. After all, they were defending the woman he loved.


    Then Noelle jumped out of the car and yelled, "Wait for me!"


    Kate and Cassie both turned around to see Noelle running up the dark pathway.


    Cassie said kindly, "Oh my dear, dinner will still be awhile. Why are you running? Besides, if you weren''t home, we would have waited to have dinner with you!"


    "I know you would have waited for me, but I don''t want to look rude. You shouldn''t have to wait!"


    Cassie and Kate all laughed. Noelle was always outgoing and the source of joy in the Smith family. Kate remembered when her mother was alive that she was as innocent and carefree as Noelle.


    "You are so sweet. No wonder everyone likes you," Cassie chuckled.


    Noelle blushed, "I don''t know if everyone does, but I am sure that Kate and Joseph really do."


    "Go inside to chat. Not here."


    "Okay," Noelle whispered to Kate, "Don''t worry, Grandpa went to visit a friend, and my uncle will not be here. It will be a very relaxing meal."


    Kate let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Noelle. She was great at observing; she knew exactly what to say to Kate to put her at ease. Since Noelle knew that Kate viewed family dinners as a chore, she hoped that Kate would be more at ease.


    Kate laughed, and Cassie pulled out her phone to take pictures of her two daughters have a great time. She immediately sent them to Joseph, who was still waiting outside.


    When dinner was ready, Cassie escorted Kate and Noelle to the dining room. Kate had been there often, but it was the first time she was treated as a guest. She felt much more relaxed and was looking forward to a great meal.


    "Sit here, Kate," Cassie smiled.


    "Okay!"


    After Kate sat down, Noelle sat beside her. She pointed at the dishes on the table and said, "Mother, prepared all of the dishes. Some are your favorites, some are my favorites, and some are Joseph''s favorites!"


    Cassie suddenly began coughing to remind Noelle, not to mention Joseph.


    Noelle blinked and laughed, "Joseph and I like the same dishes."


    They were thankful that Kate didn''t pay much attention to Noelle''s slip up and continued to smile.


    "Kate, enjoy yourself. You don''t need to be stressed. I know you have been working hard, and it looks like you lost some weight. I am afraid you are going to get too skinny, and the wind will blow you away. You should¡­"


    Before Cassie could say anything more, Joseph walked in.


    She asked in surprise, "Joseph, why are you here?"


    Cassie acted so naturally as if Joseph really was an unexpected guest. Noelle decided to join in with her mother''s act, "Joseph, you arrived just in time. We are about to have dinner; how did you know? Do you want to join us?"


    Kate''s body immediately tensed up when Joseph appeared, and Cassie noticed that her smile disappeared.


    "Your grandfather has gone out for the evening. I don''t even expect him home tonight. Come back tomorrow if you are looking for him. Please, don''t disturb our meal."


    Joseph did not speak; he just stared at Kate''s back.


    Kate was shocked by how Cassie spoke to her son and did not understand why she was so cold. It was apparent that Cassie loved Joseph and that he rarely visited, so Cassie was usually ecstatic when he did.

 Chapter 130 Cut Her Steak

    "Sorry, Joseph, I just don''t want to see Kate uncomfortable and not want to eat because of you, so¡­"


    Neither Noelle, Joseph, or Cassie knew how Kate would react, but they wanted to try. Joseph thought it would be a miracle if Kate spoke to him; he did not hold on to any hope.


    Kate was conflicted, she was a guest, but it seemed to be up to her if Joseph could stay or not. If she did not say anything, it would be the end of a relaxing evening because nobody would be comfortable. Kate thought for a long time, he was a member of the Smith family, but Cassie was asking him to leave so that she would not be upset. However, they might feel bad if Joseph left.


    "I have work to do. You go on enjoying your meal. I will not disturb you any longer," Joseph said to ease everyone''s embarrassment.


    Cassie looked at Joseph and then shifted her eyes to Kate, waiting for her to say something.


    In a low voice, Kate said, "No matter how busy you are, you should make time to eat. You are seldom here, and I am sure that your mother would be happy to have you eat dinner with her."


    Oh no! Why did I say so much? I should only have said, "Stay here for your mother''s sake." Kate cursed to herself.


    Noelle waved a hand toward Joseph and said joyfully, "Do you hear that? My sweet sister-in-law said for you to stay and have dinner with us. Please, come sit here because we are all hungry."


    Joseph was pleased that Kate acknowledged him, but his smile was really covering up how nervous he actually felt.


    Kate stood up as if she didn''t want Joseph sitting beside her. However, Noelle ignored her actions and sat down next to her mother.


    The moment Joseph sat down, Kate''s heart began to race. She hated to be so anxious when Joseph was around. She tried to remind herself that there was no reason to be worried and that it was just a meal.


    Joseph knew which food Kate liked best, so he took her plate and filled it for her.


    Cassie was thrilled to see how charming her son was acting and gave him a thumbs up for doing so.


    Kate froze for a moment but quickly came back to her sense as if nothing happened. She was unsure of how to react.


    "Joseph, I am sure Kate likes steak. You should cut it for her!" Noelle reminded Joseph as he handed Kate her plate.


    "No, thank you!" Kate refused immediately.


    Despite Kate declining Noelle''s suggestion, Joseph took the plate back and began cutting up the steak.


    "There you go," Joseph smiled and handed Kate back her plate.


    Kate waved her hand politely and said, "You can give it to your mother!"


    Cassie refused the plate and said, "No, thank you! I don''t eat spicy food,"


    "Then you give it to Noelle," Kate commented. There was no way she wanted to accept anything from Joseph.


    brother cut. I will only eat it if I do it myself¡­"


    Joseph felt a little embarrassed, so when Noelle saw the hurt in his eyes, she said, "I never expected that such a generous offer would be declined so many times. I don''t think anyone would ever believe it!"


    The teasing didn''t affect Joseph; he just sat still holding the plate in front of Kate.


    In the past, when Kate went to have steak with Lisa, they both would admire girls whose boyfriend cut steak for them and fed them. They thought they would be the happiest girl in the world if someone cut steak for them. However, there was someone to cut her steak, and it did not feel nearly as good as she had imagined.


    "Thank you!" She still accepted the steak to oblige Joseph. However, instead of putting her plate down, Joseph picked up her fork and asked for her to open her mouth.


    Kate hesitated and thought that Joseph was the type of man who would fight for a yard after taking an inch.


    Cassie tried to help, "Kate, I think that Joseph was worried that you might get your hands dirty. So, he just wanted to help feed you.


    "Yes, if you are embarrassed, you can just look at him as if he is a waiter except he is serving you for free," Noelle giggled.


    Kate was happy to have Cassie and Noelle''s support; it was something she never felt like she had before. Then Kate opened her mouth just wide enough for Joseph to fit the bite of steak.


    Cassie felt relief when she saw Kate eating the food that Joseph was feeding her.


    "Okay, that is enough. I can do this myself!" Kate said shyly. She thought that Joseph would eat his own food, but he continued to feed her.


    Noelle and Cassie exchanged glances, and both laughed inside.


    It was the first time that Cassie saw her son treated Kate so considerately. She was happy to see it and believed that he was sincere to Kate.


    "I''m full. Thank you," Kate felt very satisfied after eating her meal.


    "You need to eat something yourself," Kate looked at Joseph and smiled. She was moved by Joseph''s actions but tried to remain calm.


    "Are you really full?" Joseph said gently and looked at her, "Do you want some soup?"

 Chapter 131 Just Friends

    "Okay," Joseph slowly handed Kate a bowl of soup.


    It had always been difficult for Kate to refuse others, and when they were so enthusiastic, it made it even harder. She took the bowl from Joseph and ate it without saying a word.


    After everyone finished eating, the atmosphere did not feel as tense, but Cassie noticed there was still awkwardness between Joseph and Kate.


    So, when she and Noelle were in the kitchen getting coffee, she asked, "Please, come up with an excuse so that Kate does not leave too early."


    Noelle understood what her mother wanted and whispered to her, "No worries, I will make sure my brother and his love make up!"


    "You are such a wonderful daughter. I will be forever grateful for your help!"


    "There is no need to continue asking for my help. I will do whatever I can because I have my own agenda. Kate is a very good person, and it is hard to find someone who is so good-natured. I want her to marry my brother, again; nobody else."


    Cassie totally agreed, "I still consider her my daughter, but if they were married, there would be no chance of someone else taking Joseph away."


    Kate was extremely full and paced the living room rather than sitting. She planned to say goodbye to Cassie and Noelle as soon as they walked in.


    Joseph was sitting in the living room waiting as well; he looked at Kate and asked, "Are you planning on leaving?"


    "How can you ask such a silly question!" Noelle suddenly answered as she ran over to Kate. She leaned on her shoulder and said, "Kate, we have such little time to spend together. Don''t leave; I need to tell you about the troubles I have been having lately."


    Kate patted Noelle''s hand and smiled, "You still so young. What kind of troubles can you have?"


    "Too many," Noelle pointed to the sofa and said, "You just sit on the sofa and


    I will tell you all about them, one by one."


    Joseph knew that Kate had a habit of pacing or standing for about thirty minutes after eating, so he suggested, "Let''s go outside for a walk, all together!"


    "Great!" Noelle was delighted that Joseph made the recommendation and that she didn''t need to work on finding excuses to keep Kate at the mansion longer.


    "I..." Kate hesitated. She looked at the doorway, wondering why Cassie hadn''t come back yet.


    Joseph seemed to have read her mind and said, "She will be back shortly, but let''s take a walk, it will help with digesting that delicious meal."


    Kate felt a little embarrassed that she had eaten so much, but it was a delicious meal. She turned her head and did not dare to look at Joseph, even though the atmosphere was much more relaxed than before.


    Kate was a little confused, "Noelle, what are you talking about?"


    "Nothing. I just think that since my brother has done something from the bottom of his heart, there should be someone to see and appreciate it. Otherwise, all of his hard work would have been pointless," Noelle smiled.


    Hesitantly, Kate walked out to the backyard with Joseph and Noelle. The fragrance of flowers overwhelmed her, and she wondered how the flowers from Grandpa''s birthday hadn''t withered. However, she saw the flowers were different when she walked past the gazebo; there were bright red flowers planted.


    "Aren''t they beautiful?" Noelle pointed at the flowers, "Since you were here last time and enjoyed the flowers, Joseph arranged for these to be planted. And if you look carefully, you will see another surprise!"


    Kate was driven by her own curiosity and deep down, hoping it was a romantic surprise, but she was anxious about getting her hopes up. She looked all around and didn''t see anything except the delicate flowers.


    Joseph was standing behind her and quietly whispered, "The shape!


    Suddenly Kate saw the shape and blushed as Noelle exclaimed, "Do you understand? It is the shape of love!"


    Kate just turned away and looked the other way; she was trying to avoid the subject.


    "Something is upset you. What is it? Tell me, and I will try to help," Noelle gently said and then looked at Joseph, "This is a private conversation between us girls. I won''t say anything more tonight, so let''s talk about something else."


    "I think I should probably leave," Kate sighed. She figured Cassie would be in the living room waiting, and she could say goodbye, then rush out the door.


    Noelle gently grasped Kate''s arm, "My dear sister-in-law, I know you are angry with my brother. However, after he learned about Anna''s deception, you should know that he has been feeling very guilty. He is full of regret and is very sorry. He just wants to reconcile with you, but you know that he is not good at expressing his emotions, even if he knows he is wrong. He is doing this to prove himself to you. So, please give him another chance; both my mother and I would love to see you happily in love."


    Even if Noelle hadn''t spoken to Kate, she sensed that it was planned that both she and Joseph would be there. There were many coincidences; first of all, Joseph rarely visited his mother but happened to be there when Kate was; second, he patiently cut her steak; and third, he had flowers prepared in the shape of a heart, just in case she was ever there. All of his actions moved Kate, but making up with him was not something she was thinking.


    Kate smiled faintly, "Thank you, Joseph. I appreciate everything you have done. I think the bad feelings between us should end here; from now on, we will be friends."


    She stretched her hand out to him, but such a friendly action was a sign that she wanted to be nothing more than friends.


    Noelle understood what Kate meant and became anxious. She stared at Joseph, hoping that he would be brave enough to confess his feelings to Kate, and there would still be a chance for them, but he didn''t say anything.


    Joseph shook Kate''s hand and said, "From now on, we will be friends."


    The meaning behind the sentence was incredibly profound.


    Kate was surprised at Joseph''s response and then smiled kindly,


    "Okay, then!"


    It was better to be friends than for Kate to act cold toward him all of the time.


    Noelle could not do anything but to keep Kate any longer, but she mentioned, "It is so late. It''s not convenient for you to take a taxi. Joseph will be leaving soon because he won''t spend the night unless you are here. Why don''t you let him take you home?"

 Chapter 132 Return the Gif

    Joseph knew exactly what she thought, so he laughed, "I will take you to your house and not back to mine."


    Kate looked relieved but was still a bit nervous.


    Noelle didn''t understand what they were talking about, and she glared at Joseph, "You don''t want to take her to your house? Have you asked her if she wants to go to your house?"


    "Noelle, you misunderstood..." Kate was embarrassed and didn''t know how to explain.


    "Let''s go!" Joseph said.


    If Joseph hadn''t been driving Kate home, Cassie would have argued for Kate to stay the night. She walked her to the door and sincerely told her, "You can come over whenever you want. I will make you anything you want to eat!"


    Kate felt very warm, "Thank you, Cassie."


    Cassie smiled at her, then glared at her son and ordered, "Drive slowly and make sure Kate gets home safely!"


    Ever since Joseph and Kate got their divorce, Cassie warned or complained to her son at every opportunity. She was really angry with him.


    However, Joseph was willing to deal with it and nodded obediently, "Don''t worry!"


    Noelle and Cassie stood in the driveway, hand in hand until they could no longer see the tail lights of Joseph''s car. Cassie sighed, "Kate is a very stubborn girl, and even if she still loves Joseph, she is unwilling to make up with him. I can understand, though, she was deeply hurt before."


    "You are right, Mom. Joseph was so blind before being cheated by that bitch, Anna!" Noelle complained, "But don''t worry, as long as they still love each other, they will find their way."


    "That is also true! Maybe Kate has the right idea, punish him, and let him have a taste of feeling mistreated. I believe that after Joseph deals with the punishment, he will cherish Kate even more," Cassie replied. She loved her son, but she was also sensible and informed when it came to him and his actions.


    On the drive home, Kate kept her hands clasped on her lap and looked out the window.


    "I know I often broke my promises in the past, but I will not do that now," Joseph suddenly said.


    Kate looked at him, "What do you mean?"


    "Aren''t you worried that I will break my promise and take you to my house?" He already saw her nervousness.


    Kate remained silent because she did not know how to respond.


    "There is no need for you to alienate my mother and Noelle because of your hatred toward me. They have and always will treat you like family," Joseph continued.


    Kate immediately denied, "I do not alienate them."


    "Then, you deliberately keep a distance from them because of my existence?" He asked, even if though he knew the answer.


    Ten minutes later, they arrived at Kate''s mansion. Before she got out of the car, Joseph handed her a cloak, "It is windy, please put it on."


    Seeing that it was a woman''s cloak, she was curious and asked, "Who does this belong to?" Suddenly she felt that she might trigger an argument, so she added, "I mean, you are a man, why do you have a woman''s¡­"


    "I picked it up for you," Joseph said calmly, but his heart was racing. He wasn''t sure if she would let him take her home, but he wanted to be ready. Joseph had not only the cloak, but also motion sickness patches, medication for upset stomachs, and her favorite music.


    Kate blushed, and her heartbeat accelerated, she was so nervous that she forgot how to open the car door.


    Joseph smiled and didn''t say a word. He secretly wished she would stay longer because he felt happy to have her next to him. He was so attracted to her and stared at her pretty face.


    Suddenly, Kate snapped out of her daze and quickly opened the door. Just as she was about to say goodbye, she said, "Just wait a minute! I will be right back!"


    Joseph was curious as he watched Kate run toward the front door. He hoped she had something for him; as a sign, she may still love him.


    A few minutes later, Kate came out with an exquisite looking box and the cloak he bought her. Joseph immediately recognized the box; he couldn''t understand why she was returning it.


    "Thank you for the cloak and the gift. However, I think the gift should be with its proper owner, that is not me," Kate put the items on the passenger seat then closed the door before running to the house and not looking back.


    Joseph watched her shut the mansion door and then looked down at the box.


    Daisy saw Kate come in, looking slightly upset, "Kate, what happened?"


    Kate shook her head and said, "Nothing, just returning something."


    "Was that Lord Joseph''s car out there?" Daisy asked.


    "Yes."


    "Then you¡­¡­"


    "Daisy, we are only friends. Please don''t ask about him and me," She knew what Daisy was going to ask, so she wanted to explain first.


    "Uh... I won''t ask anymore."


    Kate went to her room and took a deep breath. She lay down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling; she laughed at everything that had happened. Though Joseph was treating her well, she could not forget the past. Plus, she thought he might only be feeling bad about the letters that would not be love. If he wanted to be with her out of guilt, it would not work out.


    **


    The next morning, Kate woke up and went to work as usual. When she was waiting on replies to emails, she worked hard to find ways to solve any problems she incurred at work. She believed that as long as she studied hard and continued to try, she would find a solution.

 Chapter 133 None of Your Business

    "Hi, Kate! It''s Rowen."


    "Hi, Rowen. I didn''t expect you to call!"


    "It''s almost time for lunch, and I would like you to join me. Are you free?"


    "I¡­¡­"


    "Don''t worry; it''s just time for lunch. It won''t take any longer than your usual lunch break; I wouldn''t want to disturb your work. I just think that since I am back, it would be nice to talk," Rowen quickly said.


    Kate thought of his leg injury and said with concern, "Is your leg better?"


    "It''s getting better," Rowen was glad that she cared, then asked again, "So, are you free at noon?"


    "Okay, you decide where," Kate agreed.


    "Just so that you don''t need to go too far, we can meet across from your office. Lisa told me that there is a good restaurant there," Rowen suggested. He had already planned their lunch date but just needed Kate to accept.


    Kate smiled and said, "Let me guess you are already at the gate of the office building?"


    Rowen looked around and asked, "Do you see me?"


    "No, I just assumed," Kate laughed, "Give me a few minutes, and I will be down."


    "Okay, no hurry," Rowen smiled happily and hung up the phone.


    A luxury car pulled up across the street from Rowen, but he didn''t pay it much attention, he was too excited to see Kate. About five minutes later, she walked out and waved at him.


    "Let''s go!" Rowen exclaimed with a big smile on his face.


    When the man in the car saw Kate and Rowen walking together, he grew furious. He was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that the veins in his hands looked as if they must burst. Once the two entered the restaurant, he looked away.


    Rowen pulled out a chair next to the window and said, "Kate, please sit down!"


    "Thank you," Kate nodded and sat down.


    Then Rowen passed her the menu, "You probably know this restaurant better than I do. Please order all of the delicious meals that you enjoy; I want to try them all. I have been living overseas for too long and miss food from home."


    Kate smiled and said, "Then it will be my treat! First of all, it is to welcome you back as your classmate; second is a celebration of your leg healing."


    She amused Rowen, "That makes me seem cheap, though. I asked you to lunch, so I should pay."


    "Don''t be so silly. It is my treat."


    "Okay, then next time, my treat," Rowen smiled, thinking that this way, he would have an excuse to take Kate out again.


    Kate smiled and nodded, "Okay."


    Rowen shook head helplessly, "Kate, I like you more than before. Back in school, you were so shy. Even when you had math questions, you just asked, there was never a lot of conversation other than schoolwork. But, I do feel like we got along very well."


    Kate smiled awkwardly, "I was so bad at math at that time..."


    "Yeah, my mother said that if it weren''t for Chinese, I would have to go back a grade," Kate sighed and said, "Thank you again for helping me with my math. If it hadn''t been for your help, I could not have passed the entrance exam."


    "I am so lucky just to have you remember something that includes me," he smiled again.


    Kate did not inquire about what he meant but just said, "I used to call you tutor. Would you feel awkward if I called you that now?"


    "I don''t care, whatever you like. But, I would be happier if you call me Rowen like Lisa does or even Dr. Rowen if that makes you more comfortable."


    They were not close before, but after not talking for years, Rowen had talked to Lisa. She explained that Kate had suffered a lot, and he only hoped that she could be as happy as she was before.


    "Okay, I will call you Rowen, like Lisa. After all, we graduated and are adults now. It will seem like we are still in school if I call you tutor."


    Rowen looked at Kate, seeming to be lost in thought.


    "Why aren''t you eating?" Kate felt uncomfortable when she saw him looking at her, "Is the food bad?"


    "No," Rowen shook head and wrinkled his eyebrows before asking, "Kate, is it over between you and Joseph?"


    His sudden mentioning of Joseph left Kate speechless. She lowered her head and nodded.


    Rowen smiled with delight, "If you really figure it out, then look forward. There is no need to be sad for the past."


    "Of course," She smiled and shrugged.


    Since he had his answer, Rowen picked up his fork and began eating.


    As they walked out of the restaurant, Kate and Rowen said goodbye. Before Kate walked back to work, Rowen gave her two concert tickets, "There is a concert Saturday. I will be performing, and I hope you can come to see me. Please give the other ticket to Lisa. If she is free, come together. I promise you will not be bored."


    "Thank you!" After she accepted it, she praised, "I didn''t expect you to be so multitalented!"


    After being admired by Kate, Rowen felt warm, "Life is not easy, so, I have to be."


    Kate nodded to agree and waved goodbye to him.


    Across the road, the man sitting in the car stared at Kate.


    Once Kate was across the road, someone grabbed her wrist. She spun around in shock and looked up to see a man''s deep eyes.


    "You refused my gift because you are dating Rowen?" He said in a low voice. He didn''t mean to question her, but his tone sounded full of jealousy.


    Kate pushed his hand away and said with a calm expression, "It is none of your business who I date!"


    The words cut like a knife.


    Walking toward the building, Kate was on guard. She thought Joseph would follow her, so she quickly rushed to the elevator. Finally, she let out a sigh of relief when it closed behind her.


    Why was he here? Did he see me having lunch with Rowen? He is ridiculous. Why would he think I returned his gift if I was dating another man? I just want to cut off all contact with him. Kate swore to herself.

 Chapter 134 Dismiss Joseph

    Later in the afternoon, Vincent and Samuel walked into Joseph''s office. He was still upset and frustrated about Kate, so he didn''t have the patience to speak with them. He said bluntly, "Just tell me what you want. Don''t sit here and give me dirty looks."


    Vincent had been angry when he got to the office, but Joseph''s words sent him into a rage.


    "Do you really think I don''t know that you secretly helped White Group?"


    Vincent shouted, "Before you were Leo''s son-in-law, so I pretended not to see it when you help them. But now, you and Kate are divorced, and so there is no connection to her. You have no reason to help her."


    Joseph asked calmly, "You came about this?"


    "You must stop providing resources to White Group now, otherwise..."


    "Otherwise, what? Dismiss me?" Joseph sneered, showing that he didn''t care about it. "If you really want to do that, I will not stop you!"


    "You!" Vincent''s face turned red. He just wanted to threaten him and scare him with Samuel, but Joseph didn''t seem to care.


    "Grandpa, don''t be so angry! We should sit down and talk peacefully if we have something to say. We are a family, and our relationship should not be ruined because of unimportant things," Samuel began to act as a devoted cousin.


    "Peacefully? I''m afraid that is just wishful thinking!" Vincent growled again,


    "Someone doesn''t respect me as the chairman of the board; he just helps White Group on his own, regardless of the consequences. That kind of management mentality, no matter how great it may seem, will lead to a management crisis."


    "You don''t have to justify yourself. Just tell me your decision," Joseph didn''t feel threatened at all.


    Seeing this, Vincent blurted out, "Since you don''t respect my opinion, then you are dismissed from your position as president of this company."


    "Grandpa..." Samuel appeared to be shocked but was thrilled. He pretended to stick up for Joseph, "Can''t you see that grandpa is angry? Don''t fight him. Apologize to him quickly; otherwise, you will no longer be president¡­"


    Faced with Samuel''s pretend concern, Joseph smiled coldly, "If he doesn''t dismiss me, how will you have a chance?"


    Vincent was so angry that he could not even speak. He glared at his rebellious grandson, and after a few minutes, he finally said, "You are going to ignore your father''s will for a woman? If he knew that, he would¡­"


    "Don''t use my dad as a reason!" Joseph snapped. It was a subject that hurt Joseph deeply, "You have been teaching me with that reason for many years. Are you not tired? You take everyone as your subordinate and ask that everyone be obedient to you? How did you pressure my dad then, have you forgotten?"


    While Samuel watched the entire scene, he pretended to stop Vincent, "Grandpa, your heart is not good. Don''t get too upset, or we will be worried about you."


    "Worry?" Vincent shouted, "Someone hopes I will die as soon as possible!"


    Joseph stood straight and ordered John coldly, "Collect my belongings. I will hand over all of my work," Then he turned to Vincent, "I hope you can arrange for someone to take over my work as soon as possible. I always don''t like to procrastinate, so you should be decisive this time and do as you say!"


    Vincent had threatened Joseph before, but at that time, Smith Group was unstable, and so Cassie persuaded him to tolerate Vincent''s temper. However, the repeated threats led to Joseph understanding Vincent''s true nature and his own better. He couldn''t handle being pushed around by others, especially his family, which is why he developed his own career. Although it was not equivalent to Smith Group, with his experience, Joseph''s new career would only get better. More importantly, he could be out from under Vincent''s management and control.


    Vincent gripped his crutches in his hands. He did not want to fire Joseph, only scare him. He didn''t think that Joseph would give up, but now that he had, Vincent had no choice. Out of anger and to avoid embarrassment, he looked at Samuel and said, "You take over Joseph''s work!"


    "Grandpa..." Samuel was shocked. Vincent''s words were clear; the Smith family power was now in his hands. It had been Samuel''s main goal ever since he returned. He thought that Vincent was only using him as a pawn and would command that he go through various tests before becoming president of Smith Group. But, the most important part was that Joseph needed to make mistakes while he held the position. Samuel was thankful that he was able to get the job so easily.


    "What are you afraid of? You received a great education, and you are also my grandson. You have the same right to inheritance as he does!" Vincent encouraged Samuel. He hoped to irritate Joseph, but Joseph remained remarkably calm.


    Vincent was furious, he stepped forward and pointed his finger at Joseph, "Kate refused your help, but yet you are still showing such passion for a cold woman like that?"


    When Vincent demanded that Samuel take over all of Joseph''s work, Samuel stuttered, "O¡­Okay!"


    Even after Vincent left the office, Samuel continued to act shocked and upset, but inside he was elated. He turned to Joseph and said, "Hand over the work now! And please, don''t get me wrong, Joseph, I was not the one who made the choice."


    Joseph scoffed, "Don''t think about taking anything else from me. If you try, I promise you will lose everything!"


    "What are you talking about, Joseph?" Samuel acted as if he didn''t understand.


    Joseph ignored him and gathered files. After two hours, Joseph explained what he was currently working on to Samuel. As he was about to walk out of the office, Samuel smiled and asked, "Do you know why Kate refused your help?"


    Hearing him mentioning Kate, Joseph turned around, "Because of Grandpa?"


    "Yes, Grandpa reached out to her personally and warned her to cut off contact with you and not reply on Smith Group," Samuel smirked.

 Chapter 135 Dismiss from Pos

    Samuel knew that Joseph would not be fooled easily and that Joseph didn''t like him. There was also the fact that both wanted to be with Kate, causing not only competition at work but also in their personal lives. Since Joseph did not trust him, he could stop pretending. Samuel said bluntly, "My parents have always looked forward to the day that I could show promise. But, because of you, I had no place in the Smith family, let alone in Smith Group. I studied and worked hard overseas for several years just to surpass you and become president of this company!"


    Joseph was not surprised by what Samuel said, so he opened the door the commented, "Congratulations! Now, you got the job!"


    Samuel watched Joseph leave and smiled.


    **


    Joseph hadn''t been home for long when the announcement of his removal from Smith Group was released on the internet. Many people were speculating as to why such an excellent president would be removed.


    When Kate saw the news, she thought she misinterpreted what that article said, so she read it over and over before realizing it was true.


    It was the end of the day, but Kate was still reading multiple different stories about Smith Group when Lisa called and asked her to dinner. Kate was hesitant to agree, but she assumed that Lisa saw the news about Joseph and wanted to know what happened.


    Lisa and Kate met at the restaurant, and after Lisa ordered, she still deciding if she should tell Kate.


    Kate spoke first, "Do you want to ask me whether or not I know about Joseph''s removal?"


    Lisa smiled sarcastically, "No, no, I''m not so gossiping."


    "Okay, just say what you want to say."


    Kate also wanted to know why Joseph was dismissed; she hoped Lisa might know.


    Lisa said, "I know you have a conscience and that you might actually care about him!"


    Kate rolled her eyes, "If you talk nonsense, I will..."


    "Okay, okay," Lisa told her what she had found out, "You were part of the Smith family. You should know who is really in charge of Smith Group, and who could fire Joseph. Nobody, but Vincent Smith would have that power."


    Kate was completely aware that it would be Vincent, but Joseph worked so hard for the company. After he took over as president, there were huge developments; many called him the hero of Smith Group. Therefore, Kate did not understand why he was suddenly dismissed.


    "Many people on the internet are saying that after Joseph''s dismiss, the company will close down. Also, since Joseph is gone, Samuel took his place as president of Smith Group. Everyone is saying that the main reason Joseph left had to do with Samuel."


    "Kate, what are you thinking about?" Lisa waved her hand in front of Kate''s face.


    "Uh... nothing..." She was indeed a little absent-minded, and even a bit worried about Joseph. Although she tried to deny her love for him, her real feelings always betrayed her.


    Lisa saw the anxiety in her expression. She patted her on the hand and said, "If you are worried about him, why don''t you go to see him? You know that he was by your side not that long ago."


    "I''m not worried," Kate denied and said in a low voice, "We are at most friends now. It is not suitable for me to go to him."


    Lisa understood and sighed, "Don''t deceive yourself. I can clearly see that you worry about him."


    Kate suddenly got extremely anxious and mumbled, "I am just worried about Auntie Cassie¡­"


    "You need to remember that since Joseph saw Anna''s real personality, he has not disrespected you. And thanks to him, you saw Anna''s tricks," Lisa was afraid that she might upset Kate more, so she explained, "I am not sticking up for him; I am just stating the facts."


    She had to admit what Lisa was saying was true; Joseph''s attitude toward had changed, and he seemed to be overly concerned about her.


    **


    The next morning, Kate''s phone started ringing before her alarm went off.


    "Kate, are you free? My mother is in the hospital. If you can, please go to visit her. When she heard about Joseph was fired from Smith Group, she probably couldn''t handle it."


    Kate panicked and agreed, "Okay, I will go to the hospital to see her right away."


    Half an hour later, Kate arrived at the hospital. She walked into Cassie''s room; she was lying on the bed, facing the window. Jenny was there and motioned to Kate that they should speak in the hallway.


    "Thank you for coming, Kate. I know you aren''t married to Joseph any longer, but Cassie has always thought of you as a daughter. This incident has been a heavy blow to her. I hope you can encourage her that things will get better."


    "Okay, I will do my best," Kate whispered.


    Jenny was relieved to hear Kate would talk to Cassie; she hugged her, "Thank you!"


    "It is alright, Auntie. I am happy to do it."


    Jenny smiled happily, "I thought you would never call me auntie after you divorced Joseph. Regardless, you are great friends with Noelle; I will always treat you like family. It is just such a pity that my nephew did not see what Anna was truly like and missed out on a great woman like you."


    Kate couldn''t help but ask, "Do you know why he isn''t the president of Smith Group?"


    Jenny looked at Kate''s worried expression, "You still have feelings for Joseph, don''t you?"


    "No¡­no¡­" Kate said, looking at the ground.


    "Don''t be nervous around me; I am very reasonable. I don''t blame you; on the contrary, you have been wronged for a very long time. I apologize on behalf of Joseph."


    "No, I am sorry. I shouldn''t have bothered you; I am so sorry."


    Jenny shook her head, "Leave it up to fate. Sometimes relationships that go through hard times are stronger than those that don''t."


    After speaking, Jenny began to laugh, "You see, I..."


    Suddenly, she realized she never answered Kate''s question. After hesitating for a moment, she sighed and explained, "Joseph was removed not only because he didn''t want to listen to his grandpa, but also because he doesn''t want to¡­"


    "Aunt Jenny!" Joseph exclaimed and waved.

 Chapter 136 Visit Together

    Kate wasn''t sure what to do when Jenny walked away, and Joseph was left standing in front of her. She was stunned to see him not wearing a business suit, he was dressed casually, and he still looked handsome.


    Seeing Kate dazed, Joseph snapped his fingers in front of her and smiled, "What did my aunt tell you?"


    "She didn''t say anything," Kate mumbled and quietly followed Joseph into Cassie''s room.


    Joseph stood beside the bed and looked at his mother. He didn''t say a word, and only even nodded when Kate moved a chair next to the bed for him. Joseph pointed at another chair and signaled for her to sit; she smiled and sat close to him.


    There were no hard feelings or awkwardness in the air like there had been since their divorce; there was a hint of peace that made Kate feel relaxed. Maybe it was curiosity or concern for Joseph, but she kept looking at him, trying to read what he was feeling. But no matter what, he always had a cold appearance, which gave others a feeling of alienation.


    The ticking of the clock on the wall and Cassie''s monitors were the only noise in the room. Joseph and Kate did not speak, but it was a comfortable silence as they prayed Cassie would wake up.


    About an hour after they arrived, Cassie woke up. She was shocked to see that Joseph and Kate were sitting next to her bed. She thought for a moment she might have been dreaming, and she was ready to yell at Joseph until she realized Kate was actually in the room.


    "Mom, you are awake?" Kate took her hand, "Are you uncomfortable?"


    "I am fine," Cassie smiled, thankful to be awake.


    Joseph knew that his mother was angry with him, so he immediately got up and searched for a doctor to examine her.


    The doctor did a thorough exam on Cassie and said that there was nothing wrong. Both Kate and Joseph let out a sigh of relief. Cassie wasn''t worried because she knew she had only got overly upset about Joseph''s dismissal from the company.


    "Kate, when did you get here?" Cassie hoped that she and Joseph arrived together and that their relationship had improved.


    Kate answered truthfully.


    "I see," Cassie said softly.


    Joseph stayed silent like he was an outsider.


    In order to ease the discomfort between Joseph and Cassie, Kate smiled and said, "Joseph has been here watching over you the entire time."


    "Don''t mention him; otherwise, I will..." Cassie grabbed her stomach.


    "What''s wrong?" Kate asked in a hurry and had Joseph call the doctor immediately.


    "I''m okay," Cassie took Kate''s hands and cried, "I have always been a strong person. I always held on to the hope that he would succeed. After so many years of hard work, he finally made some achievements. But now¡­"


    "You are a member of the Smith family, why do you want to leave it?" Cassie was furious. She tried to hold back her emotions in front of Kate, but she couldn''t any longer, "I am your mother, and I rarely ask you to listen to me. This time though, I am so angry!"


    Cassie was the toughest woman in the Smith family; she seldom cried, so Kate became anxious when she saw her upset.


    Seeing Kate frowning and unsure what to do, Joseph said, "Don''t cry in front of Kate. You are making her feel uncomfortable."


    "You are telling me I make Kate feel uncomfortable? Have you ever thought about her before?" Cassie continued to interrogate her son, "In the beginning, I thought you were working hard toward developing Smith Group for our family. So, I didn''t stop you when that bitch, Anna, lied and scammed you. Do you regret that you did not cherish your wonderful wife?"


    Joseph didn''t understand why Cassie was being so cruel. If she was trying to help them get back together, it wasn''t the best approach, but he did feel bad for embarrassing Kate.


    "Mom, don''t be angry," Joseph persuaded, "Kate is here with you. Even if you want to explode on me, you shouldn''t at this moment for Kate''s sake."


    Cassie could see that her son''s attitude had changed; she calmed down and said, "Okay, I will put my feelings aside for the time being but only for Kate."


    Kate felt relieved and asked, "Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?"


    "Yes, please!" Cassie took the glass of water and drank it before looking at Kate and Joseph. She looked deep in thought and then frowned, "Kate, I am a little hungry. I would like some Hebb brand porridge. Would you mind going to pick it up for me? It is the best porridge, made from carefully selected ingredients and its healthy and so many flavors¡­Oh! Now, I am even hungrier!"


    "Okay, I can go now," Kate immediately agreed.


    "As I said, there are so many flavors, probably a few hundred. If you see any that you think I would like, please pick them up," Cassie added and then signaled to Joseph to follow her.


    "I will," Kate said as she put her coat on.


    Cassie knew that Kate was a caring and considerate girl. She was independent and rarely refused any requests from others. The plan to ask Kate to get the porridge was only an excuse so that Kate and Joseph would be alone.

 Chapter 137 Picking the Porridge

    "Don''t worry, I promise I will pick them up and bring them to you intact," Kate answered confidently.


    The moment Kate stepped out of the hospital room door, Joseph followed, which made Cassie smile.


    "You¡­" Kate was startled when she saw Joseph following her to the elevator.


    "My mom is very picky. I am worried that you won''t know what she likes. I will go with you to help," Joseph did not tell her his real intention.


    Kate said, "You do actually care about your mother."


    "Of course," Joseph smiled.


    Kate looked up at his attractive face; combined with his unique personality, she couldn''t look away.


    Joseph noticed her looking at him; he looked down at her. For a moment, they were like to magnets so close together that nothing could pull them apart.


    Ding! Ding! Ding!


    The elevator door opened, and both looked away. When Kate realized that she was completely occupied with Joseph, she blushed, but Joseph was happy.


    Perhaps she still loves me; otherwise, she would not have looked at me so attentively. She must be acting shy, though. Joseph told himself.


    After getting on the car, Joseph reached across Kate.


    "What are you doing?" Kate asked nervously.


    Joseph didn''t say a word; he just reached for her seatbelt and buckled her in.


    He just fastened the safety belt for me. Kate blushed again.


    "Sorry, I misunderstand you sometimes," Kate apologized to him after thinking for a long while.


    "That''s okay," He answered.


    When they arrived at Hebb Porridge Shop, Joseph asked, "Is there anything special you like?"


    Kate''s eyes were open wide with amazement; there were hundreds of porridge types lining the walls, "Wow! Cassie was right; I have no idea where to start!"


    "Buy as many as you like!" Joseph said patiently.


    Kate shook her head and said, "No, we are here to buy for your mother. We should choose her favorites."


    "She likes the same flavors that you do," Joseph chuckled because he knew that it as just a reason for them to spend time together.


    "Really? But you said that you were coming with me because you were afraid that I wouldn''t know what she liked."


    "Did I?" Joseph turned red when Kate questioned him. He quickly changed the subject and pointed at the menu, "Take one of each? We can have a small amount to find out which is the best!"


    "That is a great idea!"


    Joseph felt relaxed when he saw that Kate was not acting as unfriendly. He spoke to the server and then directed Kate to another area, "This is the tasting area. We can try as many as we like, and then you can recommend the most delicious ones for Mom."


    "Okay," Kate pulled out a chair and sat down. She tried a few different flavors and told Joseph all about each.


    "Are they really delicious?" Joseph deliberately put on a questioning expression and bent over to be closer to her.


    "If you don''t believe me, try it." Kate handed him the spoon, trying to prove that her recommendation was not wrong.


    Joseph looked at her and begged in a serious tone, "You feed me."


    Kate turned red, and her mind suddenly went blank. She stared at him and wondered why he was acting so strangely. Yet, she fed him a spoonful as if everything was normal, and Joseph smiled then opened his mouth.


    Kate asked, "How is it?"


    "Sweet!" He replied from the bottom of his heart.


    "Sweet?" Kate glanced at the description of the porridge, "This is a salty flavor! Plus, I tried it, and it is definitely not sweet!"


    Joseph squinted at her, "It is sweet because you fed it to me!"


    Oh my! This is the first time Joseph said anything romantic to me. Kate realized but did not want to get her hopes up. Joseph still held a place in her heart, yet she could not show it, even though his every action made it hard for her to control herself.


    Seeing Kate hesitant, Joseph knew both of them were shy. He passed her the porridge package and said, "We will get a few and go back to the hospital. Otherwise, Mom will be hungry."


    "Mm¡­okay," Kate responded and followed behind him; her hands were filled with porridge, and her brain was filled with Joseph''s loving words.


    Joseph saw Kate looking dazed and asked, "What is wrong?"


    "Nothing," Kate whispered as her heart began to race.


    "I know in your heart there is a grudge against me, but I don''t mean to hurt you. I respect you¡­" Joseph said sincerely, "I hope you don''t distance yourself from me. You said we are friends; friends should not be so far away, right?"


    Kate looked at him with a confused expression. He suddenly appeared to be much gentler than before, the cruel man who bullied seemed to have disappeared. Yet, she didn''t know if she could trust him because it could be a temporary way to deceive her or make up for his bad behavior. Kate didn''t have the answers, so she just had to be cautious.


    When Kate and Joseph arrived back at the hospital, Cassie was thrilled to see them, "Kate, did you taste the porridge at that wonderful store?"


    "Yes, I have eaten a lot," Kate laughed.


    Cassie nodded in relief and turned to her son, "How about you?"


    Joseph glanced at Kate and smiled cheerfully, "Someone fed m, so it was very delicious."

 Chapter 138 Dont Be Angry with Me

    Cassie noticed and immediately understood, she nodded with approval and exclaimed, "I am pleased about that!"


    She was afraid Kate might realize her true intention, she quickly added, "I mean, I like the porridge that you bought!"


    "That''s great!" Kate opened the porridge and began to make it for Cassie.


    Joseph looked at Kate, taking care of his mother and filled with regret for not seeing her positive traits before.


    Cassie ate the porridge then turned her focus to Joseph, "What are your plans now? Since you are not the president of Smith Group anymore."


    Kate glimpsed Joseph; she was also wondering what his plan was for the future.


    She was aware that he was competent and had an excellent reputation in the business industry. She believed it would not be difficult for him to find another job.


    "Are you not angry?" Joseph questioned.


    Cassie stared at him and replied, "Will that do any good? If you respected my opinion in the first place, you would not be in this situation."


    "Mom, I know you love dad and wanted me to contribute on his behalf. And, yes, whatever you say now will be pointless," Joseph understood, "because Smith Group is stable. As long as Samuel continues to operate it correctly, there should not be any issues."


    "He regards you as his rival, but care for him as if he is your brother. Don''t you know that your uncle¡­"


    "Let the past be the past, Mom. They got what they wanted, and now we will not need to bother with them," Joseph was satisfied with the contribution he made to Smith Group. He had initially taken over the company for the sake of his father and to help them expand. So after his grandpa dismissed him, it was as if a weight was gone.


    Hearing Joseph explain the situation, Kate felt relieved. She thought he would have been frustrated and angry about the situation for a long time, but Joseph seemed to be very optimistic.


    "You are only thirty years old; you should start your own career," Cassie sighed.


    "Thank you, Mom," Joseph was thankful that his mother was not angry.


    "But I will remind you that this was your choice. If you suffer, do not blame me," Cassie wasn''t truly worried, but she needed to voice her thoughts to Joseph as if she was.


    Joseph nodded to show his understanding.


    Kate was pleased to see that Joseph and Cassie made up. She said, "Mom, you need to rest, and I need to go to work."


    "Are you going to work?" Cassie did not want her to leave.


    Joseph immediately said, "If you need help with work, I am available!"


    "Yes, if you need any help, you can call him. He has a lot of experience and can help you learn," Cassie encouraged Kate.


    Kate didn''t want Joseph''s help; she wanted to succeed on her own, so she shook her head.


    "Okay!" Joseph agreed in a hurry.


    "You stay here to take care of your mother. I can call a taxi," Kate refused politely.


    However, Joseph did not listen to her and walked out of Cassie''s room. Kate was amazed at how quickly he moved; she was feeling a little nervous.


    Cassie smiled, "Follow him, my dear. I''m okay, and if you are that worried about me, you can come to visit after work."


    She didn''t want to worry Cassie, so she agreed. When she walked out of the room, she saw Joseph waiting for her at the elevator. They spoke a few words to each other on the way out, and it was even more comfortable than it had been before. Even Kate noticed that she was not nearly as cold to him.


    As Joseph stopped in front of White Group, Kate said, "You take care of your mother first, then I will replace you after work."


    "You go home and have a rest after work. You don''t need to worry about her," Although he wished she would sit with his mother, he didn''t want Kate to be worn out.


    Since Joseph argued with Kate''s suggestion, she said, "Then you go take care of your mother!"


    Kate''s warmth and consideration moved him, so he laughed, "I know. Get out then!"


    "Then you¡­"


    "Or do you want to invite into your office?" Joseph asked bluntly, holding his breath for her answer.


    "What?" Kate looked confused.


    Joseph smiled reluctantly and said, "I am joking. Go on into work!"


    Kate wanted to know why he didn''t want to leave, so she hesitated for a few moments and then invited him out of politeness, "Want to walk in with me?"


    Joseph jumped out of the car and was at Kate''s door before she could even open it, "Let''s go!"


    Though Joseph was not wearing his usual attire of a business suit, he still attracted attention when he walked through the office doors. Kate felt nervous and self-conscious standing next to him, so she immediately took him to her office. Joseph quietly shut the door behind them.


    "Why did you close the door?" She asked fearfully.


    "Are you worried that I''m going to do something to you?" Joseph asked and tried to keep himself from smiling.


    Kate blushed, and she stammered, "If you dare to do something to me, I will call the police."


    Since they were neither a couple nor even dating, if Joseph dared to hurt her, it would be a crime.


    Seeing that Kate was extremely annoyed, Joseph thought she looked cute. He smiled, "What if the police think we are lovers and ignore your complaints?"


    Are we lovers? Kate was shocked and blushed.


    "Your lover? Don''t talk such nonsense!" Kate corrected.


    "Kate, don''t be angry with me. Okay?" He said her name softly.


    Joseph''s tone and words made Kate''s heart beat faster, and she felt hot.


    "I¡­I''m not angry¡­" Kate stuttered.


    "Then, you are promising me; you won''t refuse my help?" He said and started at her sincerely.


    Kate really could not resist him when he treated her so kindly. She would sigh and remind herself that it had been so good to her during their marriage they would be happy and in love.


    "You should go back to the hospital now," Kate replied, refusing to answer his question.


    "You should consider my offer," Joseph did not push her to answer him.

 Chapter 139 Mostly Because of You

    He stood watching her reaction, then said, "Sorry, I was nervous."


    Kate was stunned for a long time, even after Joseph left. She was thinking of his face, of his words, of his kindness, then she smiled.


    **


    Later that evening, Kate and Lisa met for dinner. Kate explained everything that happened between her and Joseph.


    Lisa was shocked, "Joseph is so good to you now. Are you sure you are not back together?"


    "You are the one who tells me not to forget the pain from the past; I think you are right. Besides, what I want is love rather than sympathy and guilt. If he doesn''t love me, I don''t want to be with him ever again!" Kate said.


    "But you never ask him if he loves you. How can you know? And you know how cold Joseph is; he will rarely put himself down and beg you. Tell me honestly, do you still love Joseph?" Lisa asked seriously.


    Kate blushed and denied her accusations.


    "I will not be scammed by you. I can clearly see the answer by the look on your face!" Lisa advised her, "If you really can''t let go of your feelings for him, you should give him another chance. I know it won''t happen overnight, but you can start working on it until he wins you over, and your negative emotions are gone."


    "Yes, it is better to wait. It is too easy to forgive and then lose it all. I am such a coward; I just don''t want to be hurt again¡­" Kate whispered she had never admitted that she was afraid of losing Joseph.


    "I heard that Joseph would be starting something on his own," Lisa smiled.


    "Yes," Kate nodded.


    "Although his ability is unquestionable, the power Smith Group had compared to him alone¡­" Lisa didn''t want to say too much and sound as if she was degrading Joseph. However, she read the analysis and comments on the internet, and some made a lot of sense, "Some people say that the relationship between Joseph and Samuel is not good. With Samuel being president of Smith Group, he will ensure his success is made public, just to convince them he can surpass Joseph''s abilities."


    Kate understood how bad the relationship between them was, and the business industry was like a battlefield at times. There were insightful businessmen, who respected Joseph but would rely on Smith Group because they had to consider their own companies.


    "Kate, I heard from Nick that..." Lisa hesitated whether to tell her.


    "What?" Seeing Lisa hesitating, she knew it had to be something extraordinary.


    "Nick told me multiple times not to tell you, and if I did, Joseph would beat him!"


    "Then you promise me when I tell you that you will not run to Joseph. It will cause problems between Nick and me, if you do," Lisa explained.


    Kate frowned and nodded, "Okay, I promise."


    "The truth is that he was dismissed as president of Smith Group because he went against his grandfather. He was unwilling to give up helping White Group, so his grandfather fired him in a rage¡­" Lisa was as shocked as Kate when she heard the reason. It meant he cared for Kate.


    "What do you mean?" Kate didn''t understand, "After I took over White Group, I stopped working with Smith Group. How did this happen?"


    Was Joseph lying to me? Was it not Cassie''s intention to have Wilson Group help me? Did he use Cassie as an excuse? Kate wondered.


    "Even though Joseph promised his grandfather not to help you, he can still find those companies willing to help secretly. It is all because of you. Nick said that Joseph had taken over Smith Group because of the pressure put on him. Now, that he has given up the job, not only for you but also to be out from under the pressure of his grandfather''s unreasonable threats," Lisa was terrified that Kate would feel guilty. Hence, she quickly said, "In the end, this was inevitable. Don''t take any of it too seriously."


    "Do you think I can pretend not to know?" No matter what anyone thought, part of the reason had to do with her.


    Lisa grabbed her hand and asked nervously, "Kate, are you going to find Joseph?"


    "Don''t worry; I won''t ask him."


    "Actually, it doesn''t matter if you want to ask him. It is no big deal to have Nick angry with me, but I don''t want you to lose out on this chance. Don''t lose the opportunity to be together again because of this."


    "Don''t worry; I won''t make things awkward between you and Nick."


    After saying goodbye, Kate went to the hospital to Cassie.


    **


    Joseph was in Cassie''s room, peeling an apple for her.


    "My dear, you can go back to your own life. There are nurses here to take care of me, so you have nothing to worry about," Cassie told Joseph as he handed her the apple.


    He replied, "Kate told me to take good care of you. I cannot leave."


    If Joseph had been there for anyone else, other than Kate, Cassie would have been uncomfortable, but she was happy it was Kate.


    "Kate is so considerate," After a sigh of relief, she joked, "You care so much about Kate, why not be brave and take the initiative to win her back?"


    "Don''t think your son is a brave man?" He asked and then smiled, "Haste makes waste. Besides, I don''t want to make her uncomfortable; I bullied her so much before. I want to be kind to her now."


    "Yes, she has been sensitive since her mother died and then to find out her father was lying to her. She is very strong, or else she would have broken down."


    "In fact, we are quite similar in some respects," Joseph lowered his head, "Neither of us wants to lose. However, she has no management experience and dared to take over White Group because she didn''t want all of her mother''s efforts to be in vain. I took over Smith Group to continue my dad''s dream."

 Chapter 140 A Movie Date

    He hoped to get closer to her through further understanding.


    She was right, there was no fixed answer for the matter between lovers. It depended on how much effort had made for the other one.


    "Joseph, tell me the truth, do you feel guilty about Kate? Do you love her with all your heart?"


    When Kate was about to push the door to enter, she heard the dialogue from the ward. The hand on the door handle suddenly stopped.


    She also wanted to know how he feels about her, guilt, or true love.


    "There are both guilt and love..." This is the answer in Joseph''s heart.


    "Then your love for her is based on guilt?" Cassie looked at him and reminded, "You have to figure out. Although mom really would like you to be with Kate, you must be careful about your relationship. You''ve done something wrong before, you can''t let her down anymore."


    "Mom, I know that."


    So, his love for her comes from his guilt?


    Kate''s heart sank slowly. She took a deep breath and then opened the door, entering the ward with a smile.


    "Hi there."


    Kate''s sudden appearance surprised Joseph. "Why did you come here? I think you should stay at home to have a rest now."


    She deliberately ignored his caring eyes and replied indifferently, "I feel better now. There is nothing to do at home. Anyway, it''s better to come here to accompany Cassie."


    Cassie squinted at her son and said, "Kate could come here whenever she wants, quiet yourself. And how are you two related?"


    After speaking, she also looked at Kate''s reaction specifically.


    Kate bowed her head in embarrassment.


    Seeing that she was not talking with him, Joseph pulled out the chair and said, "Take your seat."


    "Thank you," she said politely.


    The unfamiliar words made him touches his nose uncomfortably.


    Cassie''s eyes wandered between them for a while, then said, "Kate, would you like to go back home for me? I need some clothes."


    "I have asked the servant to prepare for you, and the driver will bring them her later." Joseph returned.


    She was looking for an excuse for them to get along with each other, but this silly son didn''t understand her intention at all.


    However, the truth was Joseph did understand Cassie''s intention, but what he worried was that Kate would feel sick in the car on such a round trip.


    "Well." Cassie thought about it again, and said, "Kate, did you see that new movie? It shouldn''t be missed."


    "I''m a bit busy lately, I haven''t watched it yet." Kate somehow felt Cassie''s intention, but she answered truthfully.


    "Auntie, I''d like to take care of you. Don''t speak of it."


    "But Mom still hopes you can agree, otherwise ... Ouch!" Cassie was afraid that Kate would refuse, and began to play the martyr.


    "Are you alright?" Although Kate knew that Cassie might be pretending, she still stepped forward to care.


    Cassie curled her eyebrows and said, "I have to admit, I am not young anymore. My heart hurts so much when I get anxious, so you two promised me, OK?"


    "Okay mom, don''t put Kate on the spot." Joseph stuck up for Kate.


    "Kate, I know that Joseph hurt you too much, but can go to watch a movie with him for my sake?" Cassie pleaded again.


    Seeing this, Kate couldn''t bear to refuse, and she was just going to run something by him. She simply agreed, "That''s good."


    She said YES?!


    It was incredible! Joseph looked over, there was a surprise in his eyes.


    "Great!" Cassie was as happy as a child, hurriedly urging her son, "Joseph, hurry up, choose the best cinema. I heard that there are private cinemas especially for couples ..." Realizing that it sounded weird, she hastened to correct it. "I mean, it will not be disturbed in a private cinema."


    Kate somewhat felt a little shy with a red face.


    "Saying too much would be counterproductive," Joseph said to his mother.


    Cassie stopped talking in time. She was overjoyed and said to herself after the two left: Boy, you take me a lot of energy, how could I say so much?


    All the way out of the hospital, Joseph was worried.


    He thought Kate was just trying to make Cassie happy. She would go home after leaving the hospital. He didn''t expect that she would stand by his car and asked, "Is there any cinema nearby?"


    "Huh?" He was really surprised.


    However, her reaction was misunderstood by her, "Or did you not plan to see it, just to cheer your mom up?"


    "No, no, I''d love to." Joseph said.


    She took out her phone to search for the cinema nearby.


    "Let''s go to the private cinema." Joseph took the lead and opened the car door. "It''s not far from here."


    She was stunned, and couldn''t help joking, "Have you been there before?"


    Joseph stopped the car suddenly.


    "What''s wrong?" Is there anything wrong with her words?


    "Some things are self-taught." After speaking, he restarted the engine and drove to the private cinema.


    Self-taught? What he meant was, it''s the first time?


    Joseph somehow was secretly pleased by her question.


    If she didn''t care about me, she wouldn''t ask me such a question, would she?


    Kate also realized that she was jealous when asking that question just now. If his answer was yes, I would have been in a panic, right?


    But she became serious, and asked casually, "Then what''s your plan next?"


    "Work hard on my business." After Joseph answered, he glanced at her, "So, you are worrying about me?"


    "It is said that you fell out with your grandfather, so you were dismissed ..." She asked cautiously, "What''s the hell?"


    In fact, she knew that she could not get a true answer from him when she spoke out.


    "A person who doesn''t like being led and a person who likes to be the leader will definitely have different opinions. This is not conducive for the development of Smith Group, so ..."


    "So you just left, and give up everything you worked hard for so many years?" She obviously felt sorry for him.


    Joseph stared at her with a smile, "Care about me?"


    He already saw her through, which made her speechless.


    "Why didn''t you tell me the grandpa things?" He focused his eyes on her, gentle and distressed.


    She looked puzzled and asked, "Who told you that?"


    "It''s not important, right?" He murmured, "What he had done to you, doesn''t represent me."

 Chapter 141 Into His Arms

    Since it had come out, he didn''t intend to continue to hide it.


    "I can recreate my career, but you ..." He fixed his eyes on her, affectionate and careful, "are unique."


    "..."


    His words, like a thunder in the plain, made her mind trembled with fright, and then her whole body froze without any response.


    Suddenly, the man leaned over and left a kiss on her cherry-red lips.


    The kiss, like the first dew in the morning infiltrated the veins of the leaves, revived her immediately.


    But her body is still. She still couldn''t recover from his shocking words just now.


    Kate''s face was extremely hot, she felt that her face was about to burst, and her heart was beating irregularly.


    "I''m serious," he added.


    "..." Faced with his gaze, she became more nervous, and asked: "You ... you are ..."


    "I said from my heart."


    But in the ward just now, he clearly said that he felt guilty and owed to her. If their relationship was based on these, she refused.


    "Joseph, do you really find out your feeling to me?" After she calmed down a little bit, she looked at him and said, "I will not accept your love, if it came from the fact that I wrote the letter to you then, or the sympathy of our aborted child ..."


    "No, it''s not like that." He leaned sideways and answered clearly, "I don''t deny that I felt sorry for you, but now I only have you in my heart."


    This was the first time he showed his feeling so bluntly.


    Loving a person someone was implicit, sometimes was direct, because we were too afraid of misunderstandings and cherished the opportunity to confess too much.


    She blushed, and her heart was being struck by his sweetness.


    "Relax Kate, I didn''t ask you to reply to me now. When you''re ready to accept me, then tell me." He didn''t want to force her, and also worried that she will reject him so that he would have no chance in the future.


    "Even you, would also be nervous?" She couldn''t help teasing.


    Joseph sat upright, willing to be teased by her, "Because I care."


    How could she not understand this kind of emotion? She had suffered a great deal already.


    After that, the two went to see the movie and did not continue the topic.


    She really didn''t know how to answer him, but she didn''t want to refuse him now. After all, she had feelings for him.


    The two also needed time to think clearly about their relationship.


    In the past, her feelings were blind, she once believed that as long as she loved others, everything can be ignored and endured.


    But now, she wanted to love more rationally.


    "Which one do you want to see?" Joseph asked her.


    Kate pointed to a horror film on the list, "How about this one?"


    She had always intended to see this film but didn''t dare to watch alone. It happened that there was someone to accompany her today. What a good chance.


    Joseph asked curiously, "There are so many romances and comedies here, why do you want to see such a bloody thrilling one?"


    After hearing his question, she asked, "Don''t you dare to watch it? Why don''t we go in separately, you watch a romantic movie, and I go to the horror movie alone?"


    She just said that to provoke him. Sometimes she found herself was quite evil.


    "Who said I was afraid?" Joseph snorted coldly, "How could I be afraid? No way!"


    Ha, it''s that!


    "Since you are not afraid, let''s watch this, right?"


    "Sure, here we go."


    "Okay." She smirked and followed him.


    It was extremely quiet in the private cinema.


    After the lights were turned off, there was only the light reflected on the screen. Probably because of the gloomy tone of the movie, the halo reflected on them seemed thrilling.


    Their seats were close to each other, but Kate was still a little scared. She looked at Joseph''s face from time to time, trying to find a sense of security from him.


    Fortunately, in the early stage, it was narrating the plot, but the panic and bloody scenes came out later.


    She was so frightened that she had forgotten to chew the popcorn in mouth, firmly pinching the handle of the chair with the shrunken neck.


    Joseph noticed her nervousness and fear and put his slender hands on her to comfort her.


    At that time, the heroine on the screen suddenly changed into a ghost and opened her scared mouth to the screen...


    "Ahhhhhh!"


    She screamed into his arms!


    Joseph put his arms around her and comforted, "It''s okay, it''s okay. It''s just a movie ..."


    "Woooo..." She grumbled with fright, still holding popcorn in her mouth, and shrank into Joseph''s arms.


    Joseph was amused. He held her tightly, with a sense of fulfillment in the heart.


    At least when she was scared, she would rush into my arms.


    A few minutes later, Kate calmed down and asked vaguely in his arms, "Is it ... over?"


    Joseph glanced at the screen and wanted to say that the horror scenes were finished, but he lied to her, "Maybe later."


    "Okay." She wouldn''t like to come out from his arms.


    The corners of Joseph''s lips overflowed with joy. His embrace became more and more natural.


    It would be great if time stopped at this moment.


    After a few minutes, the movie was over.


    Kate immediately got out of his arms when she heard the ending music and saw the credit, she glared at him, "It''s over already!"


    Joseph patted her on the head, and said, "That part is pretty bloody, you''d better not look at it."


    "But I didn''t see the ending ..." She felt that it was in vain to watch a movie without its ending. The ending part was the most important!


    "Then... shall we see it again?" He wanted to spend more time with her.


    Kate looked at him, then the screen, and replied, "Forget it. Just leave it in suspense."


    "It doesn''t matter, I can let them replay the last part you didn''t see just now, but you have to ..."

 Chapter 142 Kiss in Cinema

    "You''ll know it later," Joseph said. A smile began to snake across his face.


    Kate was obsessed.


    She couldn''t help sighing in her heart, Kate, with such a beautiful face to accompany you, no matter how terrible the plot was, it becomes warm, right?


    If you don''t love him, you won''t stay with him for so long, and you won''t rush into his arms for the first time you felt afraid.


    No matter how cruel this man has been to her, she could always feel safe and protected with him.


    "Come over here." When the horror plot just now was replayed, he called her.


    Kate puzzled, "What?"


    "Are you afraid?"


    "What a good question."


    "Come here." His tone was particularly overbearing.


    "All right." She who was in panic moved to him obediently.


    Immediately, he stretched out his hand and swept her into his arms.


    The unexpected embrace made her blush.


    Just as she was about to resist, the picture on the screen became horrified.


    She had to turn head but had a sudden mouth-to-mouth contact with him.


    At that moment, her brain was blank, and her body was frozen.


    The man seized the perfect opportunity to kiss her back. The lingering kiss made her forgot the plot on the screen. She was completely trapped in his affectionate kiss.


    The horror plot atmosphere in the movie was in sharp contrast with the sweet atmosphere in front of the screen.


    If it was not that each other was a bit out of breath, the kiss would go on endlessly.


    Joseph hugged her, making her dazed to distinguish their breaths.


    Kate realized that she was totally engrossed in the kiss he had given, she shyly buried herself in his arms.


    This moment was too beautiful to be described in words.


    Finally, Kate still didn''t watch the entire film, but she had no regret. Instead, she felt that the blank filled her heart with another joy.


    This joy was brought to her by Joseph.


    Both of them came out of the cinema with a smile on the face.


    "Can I take you back?" He asked gently with awkward eyes.


    She shyly nodded.


    At the thought of the passionate kisses in the cinema, her heart beat violently.


    Soon, the car arrived at White''s house.


    When Kate was about to get out of the car, Joseph handed her the jacket, "It''s cold at night."


    The blushed woman shook her head, "No, thank you. I''ll be home a few steps away. Be careful on your way home!"


    She fled after that.


    Joseph stared at her running away as usual, with gentle starlight in his eyes and a charming smile on the corners of his lips.


    Tonight was probably the happiest night for him these days.


    Daisy was worried and knocked at the door, "Kate, are you okay?"


    The blushed Kate replied, "I''m fine, I''m just a little tired."


    "It''s OK." Daisy was relieved.


    Kate stroked her jumping chest, she felt shy and inexplicably excited at the thought of everything tonight.


    God, Kate, did you forgive him so easily?


    Joseph sent her a message after arriving home.


    [I''m home now, have a good rest, baby.]


    She held the phone, excited as if she were in love for the first time.


    Although he hadn''t noticed her at that time, it was a kind of happiness for her to see him every day.


    In a panic, she replied with an "Okeyyyy".


    Only if you cared about the other very much, would you choose the simplest word to reply in a thousand words?


    After waiting for a long time, she went to take a bath, believing that he would not text back.


    Coming out of the bathroom, a new message came in.


    [Call me if you can''t fall asleep at night.]


    After reading the text message, she was infuriated.


    She replied: [I was not scared at first, but you reminded me that all those horror images tonight! ! !]


    The final exclamation mark represented how angry she was right now.


    She didn''t receive him text message again.


    Kate thought that her message was ignored by him. She threw the phone aside and turned on the speaker. The soft song made her relax, she read in the soothing music.


    Half an hour later, she was almost fell asleep.


    All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door, and Daisy shouted excitedly outside, "Kate, come out, Joseph is here!"


    Are you kidding me?!


    What a big SURPRISE!


    She opened the door and saw Daisy''s excited face. She frowned and asked, "What the hell is he doing here?"


    "I have no idea ..." Daisy looked innocently. Worried about Kate''s blame, she quickly explained, "I opened the door to let him come in out of politeness. I didn''t ..."


    "He has come in already?" Kate''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Sitting on the sofa." Daisy pointed downstairs.


    Kate looked at her pajamas and quickly put on a coat.


    She had to go down herself to drive him away because Daisy couldn''t do anything to get Joseph to leave.


    When she saw the man sitting on the sofa with another windbreaker jacket, she asked, "Why are you in my house now?"


    Joseph glanced at Daisy, then answered calmly, "I''m worried that you are afraid and cannot sleep well."


    "..."


    Kate was speechless.


    Yes, she did say that she was afraid and also blamed him, but she didn''t mean to ask him to accompany her...


    "Mr. Smith, did you come here for Kate especially?" Daisy was surprised, and said with joy, "You just said you went to watch a horror movie with Kate tonight, right? She must be very timid, isn''t she? She used to force me to watch horror movies together with her and ask me to put on headphones to listen to the sound. She only dared to watch the silent screen. But we both screamed in fright and ran around the room ..."


    Daisy complained.


    How could Kate not remember that? There was a feeling of being betrayed.


    She resisted awkwardly, "That''s not true! You are playing games on another computer. I just asked you to listen to the sound for me, I never try to scare you."

 Chapter 143 Bare the Hear

    "Huh!" Kate signed.


    Kate was used to bickering with Daisy. She deliberately hugged her arms and pretended to be angry, didn''t notice the smile on Joseph''s face at all.


    "Lord Smith, do you want to stay here tonight?" Daisy looked very gossip and asked unconcernedly, but she wanted them to be together from the heart.


    "No!" On hearing this, Kate was shocked and hurriedly waved her hands to express rejection. After which, she turned to Daisy and said, "it''s OK to be hospitable but we should not go too far."


    "Uh...O¡­K¡­" Daisy was a little disappointed, pouting poorly.


    "Shouldn''t go too far? What do you mean by too far?" Joseph got up, walked to Kate, and waved to Daisy secretly.


    Daisy understood instantly and walked away, leaving space for the two of them.


    "What are you doing?" Kate was nervous with Joseph''s sudden approach, and open her own defense switch immediately.


    "Tonight, in the theater, I experience the most unforgettable kiss in my life. I didn''t reserve any distance from you." Joseph said while revealed an evil charm in the corner of his mouth. It''s easy to recognize that he was flirting with her.


    "I think you might have the same feeling. Or we couldn''t have such a wonderful kiss by myself, could we?"


    A scorching heat flashed across Kate''s face, and her eyes kept blinking by his approach.


    While Joseph took a step forward, Kate took a step back, until to the side of the TV wall where she had no way to escape at all.


    Joseph stretched out his long arms and pressed his palm against the wall, just beside Kate''s face. He then leaned his handsome face over Kate. The warm breath sprayed directly on her face, like rosemary, freezing her mind instantly, as well as her attention.


    As far as Kate''s eyes reached, was his slightly trembling mouth, which looks like a smile but was not a smile, charming.


    This man was evil, always made Kate lose her well-built control inside.


    "You... what do you want to do?" Kate''s sleepiness that was finally brewing was dispersed because of Joseph''s sudden approach. The only panic left at this moment.


    "Sleep with you," Joseph answered her straightforwardly.


    "You!" Kate''s eyes widened in astonishment, and almost screamed the word ¡®rogue''!


    "Don''t get me wrong, sleep with you means staying at your bedside and waiting until you fell asleep. Don''t think too far." After speaking, the smile on his lips became stronger.


    The smile made Kate feel frizzy, not scary but made her have a rat in the garret.


    Who gave him the right to step in here, and who gave him the confidence to sleep with her?


    Joseph tilted his head and looked at her face, "Don''t worry, I will not only behave myself but also help you to behave yourself."


    "In this way, would you please leave my home right now?" She was serious, not joking at all.


    "OK," Joseph said.


    Kate was relieved to hear this.


    Before leaving, Joseph said, "Don''t think about anything, just sleep, until dawn."


    "Hmm." Kate waited for him to leave, closed the door, and took a deep breath.


    But after returning to the room, her heart couldn''t stay calm for a long time.


    It''s early morning already. How energetic the man was!


    On the next day, Kate woke up and went downstairs.


    Daisy pulled her and whispered, "Does Anna have any mental problems?"


    "Why do you say that?" Kate glanced at Anna''s closed door, guessing that she shouldn''t get up yet.


    "When I got up in the morning, I saw her sleeping at the door!" Daisy shuddered when thinking of the scene, "It frightened me!"


    "She slept at the door all night?" Kate was also surprised, wondering why she did this, "Where is she now?"


    "I woke her up and she went back to her room to sleep now." Daisy said in a cold and ironic tone"


    "It shouldn''t..." Kate thoughtfully.


    After finishing the work in the morning, Kate had lunch with Lisa and complained about what had happened last night.


    Lisa, who listened to the whole story, was really puzzled, "Since you two have bared the heart with each other, why don''t you two kiss and make up?"


    "Who said that I have bared my heart? I just thought that everything that happened last night was like a dream, incredible!"


    "But you''ve kissed each other, doesn''t it mean that you''ve bared the heart?" Lisa asked in a low voice, "If you don''t like it, how could you kiss each other for so long?"


    Lisa''s words sounded reasonable, making Kate''s face blushed. But within only one second, she defended, "The plot of the movie was too horrible at the time, and I..."


    No, she shouldn''t say in this way, or other people would regard Joseph as a man who usually took advantage of others. But in fact, Kate kissed Joseph voluntarily and she also enjoyed it¡­


    "Well, you needn''t hide in front of me." Lisa understood Kate''s thought and made a fair point, "If you really thought it over, you could try to give each other a chance to make up the regrets."


    "regrets?"


    "You had a crush on him before and he finally knew about it now, so you two have to reconnect!" Lisa raised her hands to support, "A handsome man with a beautiful woman, perfect match!"


    Kate was overjoyed in fact, but she was also afraid that everything was so good that would vanish soon.


    "Kate, I hope you could be braver! You could be so brave to love Joseph before while you didn''t get any response from him. Now he responds to you, you shouldn''t shrink back. I hope you can be bold and step forward bravely. Even if you failed again, it''s better than regretting, am I right?"


    After thinking carefully, Kate nodded, "I''ve thought it through and I know what to do next."


    "But Kate, you''d better reserve your love and don''t give all of your heart to him foolishly as before. I don''t want you to be stingy with your love, but knowing how to keep love could make love last longer."


    Kate agreed with Daisy, she looked at her and asked gossipingly, "Be frank to me, did you fall in love behind my back? It looks that you''ve lots of experiences when you gave me an idea."


    Lisa gave Kate an angry stare, "Don''t you know that ¡®the onlookers see most clearly''? Moreover, you two really need someone to promote the relationship. Fortunately, you have an enlightened and always supportive mother-in-law. If it were not for Mrs. Smith, the relationship between you and Joseph would be over soon. Mrs. Smith has been assisting you all the time. If you get married in the future, you''ll surely lead a happy life."


    "Yes, Aunt Cassie has always supported me."


    "Come on, I hope to you could always have a big smile on the face in the future, let the tangled, frowning face disappear forever."


    Kate was move and said in a touching voice, "Thank you, Lisa. Every time it''s you who enlightened and encouraged me when I was disappointed or frustrated. You made me brave."


    "Just be brave and don''t always make me worry so much," Lisa said in a parental tone.


    "I will."

 Chapter144 The Jealous Guy

    But when she lit the phone screen, she found several missed calls and unread text messages, all of which were from Joseph.


    [Why didn''t you answer the phone? What do you want for lunch? I''m downstairs in your company and want to have lunch with you.]


    [Your assistant said you are out; So, I''ll go back first.]


    [Remember to take a lunch break at noon, don''t be too tired, you can ask me directly if you have any difficulties at work.]


    ...


    After reading a series of messages, Kate felt warm in heart.


    This man could be as cold as ice when he''s indifferent, but could also be as hot as fire when he cared about you.


    Kate called Joseph then, Joseph answered the phone quickly.


    "Do you finally remember me?" Joseph said bitterly.


    "I''m busy." Kate slightly raised her lips up but she pretended to be cold.


    "Did you eat something for lunch?" Joseph asked, in an exactly soft tone, which''s coupled with the magnetic sound. While it lingered in the ear, it''s simply an aural enjoyment.


    A blush appeared on Kate''s face unknowingly.


    "Yes, I had."


    "Where are you now?"


    "On my way back to the White Group. I''ll arrive there soon." Kate said as if she were an obedient student, reporting to her teacher what had happened carefully.


    "I see," Joseph said and hung up the phone.


    Hearing the busy tone on the phone, Kate looked at the phone screen uncertainly. After making sure that he had hung up the phone, she bit her lower lip with anger and complained.


    "It''s really not polite at all! I didn''t ask the things I want to know yet!"


    Two minutes later, Kate arrived at the White Group. As soon as she stepped out of the car, she saw Joseph''s car parked in front.


    He hung up quickly because he was waiting for her here?


    In a daze, Kate walked towards the car.


    Joseph got out of the car when Kate approached. He said with a smile, "I suppose you didn''t know I''m here."


    "When did you come?" Kate continued, "Don''t tell me that you''ve been here since you texted."


    He nodded in acquiescence.


    "So, you haven''t had lunch yet?!" Kate was shocked.


    Joseph''s stomach was growling while they mentioned the lunch.


    "You see, now you''ve recalled the evil in my stomach now, it warned me I had to have something." Joseph smiled awkwardly,


    "You are not a kid right now; don''t you know you should have something when you''re hungry?" Kate said angrily.


    "Your way of speaking..." It seemed to be asking her, but it was much smoother than the overbearing threat before.


    Joseph realized this and explained, "I think it''s very important, so I emphasized it. I didn''t mean to be aggressive."


    Oh, Joseph should explain to Kate right now, this was not the case before.


    Kate realized that she loved to compare the past with the present. It''s not a good habit at all. Since she had made up her mind to start again, she should know each other from the beginning. Just let all the bad things past.


    "Then we can go to eat now." Kate planned to take Joseph to eat something. She pointed to the restaurant across the street and said, "That restaurant is good, there should have something you like."


    "Don''t you take a lunch break?" Although Joseph wanted Kate to accompany her, he also hoped that she could have a good rest.


    "It''s okay. A Ten-minutes nap was enough for me. I would feel uncomfortable if I slept long in the afternoon." Kate said.


    "Okay."


    In the restaurant, Joseph asked her while reading the recipe, "What do you want to eat?"


    "I can''t eat anymore. I had a lot of dishes with Lisa at noon."


    Joseph casually ordered a dish and a soup, and then chatted with her, "You''re so far away from Lisa, why do you have lunch with her? Don''t you have car sickness?"


    When talking about this, Joseph felt a little sour. He came here after a long drive but didn''t see Kate as expected.


    Fortunately, she met Kate in the end and she''s now sitting opposite him. This had given him great comfort.


    "I rarely have car sickness if I''m happy. Besides, I couldn''t wait to meet Lisa. The feeling''s like you want to see mother when you got home from school in your childhood." Kate explained her feelings plainly.


    "Then how about meeting me?" Joseph asked jealously.


    Kate shook her head, indicating that she didn''t know.


    Joseph stopped asking for a snub and changed the topic, "Why did you bring Rowen here for dinner last time?"


    Kate almost forgot it if Joseph didn''t talk about it. At Joseph''s reminding, the memory was refreshed. Kate then said in full detail. "Last time, Rowen was waiting for me at the entrance of the company like you, saying that he would treat me with a meal. I thought it''s near my company, how could I let him treat me, so I took him here."


    "I don''t know if I should be happy or jealous." Joseph complained without evasiveness, "I was treated the same as him."


    Kate glanced at him and laughed at him unceremoniously. "I''m not your girlfriend. Why are you jealous?"


    The words made Joseph didn''t know what to say next. He glanced at her bitterly and continued to eat.


    Kate took the opportunity to observe Joseph, who''s angry now. She''s complacent at the man''s reaction.


    "Okay, Rowen is my classmate, you needn''t regard him as your imaginary enemy." After the explanation, she continued, "Don''t aim at Rowen like Samuel, he is innocent, and shouldn''t be involved in our relationship!"


    Kate''s explanation made Joseph feel much better. After a while, he asked seriously, "Am I an unreasonable person in your heart?"


    "Otherwise?" Kate ridiculed unceremoniously. "It was a pure misunderstanding between Samuel and me, but you gave me a bad name of having affair with him. To me, this is a result of personality."


    When thought of this, Kate was indignant.


    "That bastard before should disappear in the world!" Joseph apologized, "I''m sorry Kate, I hurt you too much before. Forget those unhappy things. No matter how you punish me in the future, I''ll accept it."


    "I hope I''m not mistaken?" Kate looked at Joseph in surprise, "There''s should be one day you apologize to me."


    Joseph smiled awkwardly, and said sourly, "That depends on who I faced, otherwise how could I apologize easily?"


    "Yes, yes, you are the Lord, what a cool person." Kate was somewhat complacent.


    After a meal, Kate passed the milk tea shop and wanted to have a cup of hot milk tea, but Joseph stopped her, "You have a bad stomach, you can''t drink it."


    "You''re going too far." Kate wanted to piss Joseph off, so she said deliberately, "Fortunately, I''m not your girlfriend yet. Otherwise, it''s tiring to be controlled by you. "


    Sure enough, Joseph frowned and asked worriedly, "Do you put me out of your potential boyfriend list?"


    Seeing his nervous look, Kate smiled slyly, "How do you think?"

 Chapter 145 I Want to Do This for You

    "Glib-tongued!" Kate had never seen Joseph be so cute and casual before, but it''s quite interesting.


    The weather was getting colder, but Joseph''s getting warmer.


    At the entrance of the White Group, Kate said goodbye, "Okay, after a great meal, you should go back to work."


    "I will wait for you to go up before leaving."


    Kate didn''t say anything more and turned to leave.


    "Did you forget something?" Joseph said.


    "No." Kate looked at herself, but she didn''t notice anything''s missing,


    "Okay." Joseph shrugged helplessly.


    What did he mean? She stared at him blankly until he drove away.


    The problem bothered Kate the whole afternoon. At last, she couldn''t help but called Lisa for help.


    Lisa was single, but when she was faced with Kate''s love bewilderments, she acted as if she were a love specialist.


    "Kate, do you have a zero IQ when you fall in love? Don''t you know he implied that you''ve forgotten him or forgotten to give him a goodbye kiss?"


    "Is it?"


    "Joseph was cold as an iceberg. It''s not easy for him to keep in contact with you all the time right now. Don''t waste his patience, or you''ll regret then." Lisa worried a lot about Kate.


    "Didn''t you say I should test him for a while? If I agreed to be his girlfriend too soon, what if he doesn''t cherish me?" Kate pouted and said, "Besides, we are not boyfriends and girlfriends yet, it''s strange to have a goodbye hug or kiss with ..."


    "Just think about what you''ve done in the cinema, didn''t it mean that you''ve been together?" Lisa asked sharply.


    Kate blushed when she thought of that kiss. But she still didn''t want to confess it.


    "We did kiss, but just kiss. It doesn''t mean anything!"


    She clarified to Lisa several times, but Lisa just didn''t believe it.


    "Yet it''s only a kiss, but you didn''t reject him, what does it mean? It means that you love him. It''s more convincing than just saying ¡®I love you'' to him!" Lisa continued, "Come on, why don''t you agree to be his girlfriend? Are you fond of having an affair with him?"


    "I didn''t want to have an affair with him at all!" Kate couldn''t out-argue her best friend at all.


    Lisa knew Kate well; she knew that Kate was always looking forward and backward in love. If nobody pushed her forward, she wouldn''t take a step forward at all.


    "Yes, what am I doing this way." She suddenly figured it out.


    Hanging up, Kate sent another text message to Joseph, asking him if he had gone back.


    Joseph called back directly. She looked at the phone and felt a panic in her heart as if holding a hot potato, she picked it up nervously, "Why...what''s wrong?"


    "Are you busy right now?"


    "It''s okay." She dared not tell him that she had been restless since he left.


    "Did you miss me?" The sound was velvet, deep, filled with sin and just enough friendliness to cause Kate nearly faint and then open her arms wide and obey whatever that voice commanded.


    "I..." When she was about to deny, she thought of Lisa''s suggestions. She didn''t answer his question but asked back, "Just now, you''ve said I forgot something, what did I forget?"


    The man on the other end of the phone snapped his lips, feeling full of pride.


    It seems that his words have worked in her heart, otherwise, why would she keep thinking about this question?


    "You forgot to greet aunt Cassis." He teased her on purpose.


    "..." Kate got embarrassed immediately, and her pounding heart returned to normal immediately.


    It turned out that Lisa was wrong and she thought about it too much.


    Joseph didn''t mean that at all.


    God, what the hell was she doing! She should care so much about what he said. His words could annoy her all afternoon.


    And the result¡­¡­


    "Uh..." She was disappointed but didn''t forget to explain, "I intended to greet aunt Cassie but forgot because of your presence."


    Ah, how could you say this? Obviously, it meant that you''re so excited to see him that you forgot everything.


    After speaking, she was so embarrassed that she wanted to disappear in one second.


    "Could I understand that in your heart, I''m more important than my mother? "Joseph asked complacently.


    Kate denied it immediately. "Don''t think too much. Aunt Cassie is more important than you. She had always cared about me, treating me like her own daughter, you..." She snorted and hit him unceremoniously. "In my mind, your status is just so-so!"


    "..."


    A sudden quiet appeared on the other end of the phone.


    Was he angry and hung up the phone?


    Kate wondered, but when she looked at the phone, it was still working.


    Did I speak too much? Kate still worried a lot.


    When thinking about it, she seemed to have committed the same mistake-duplicity. Although she remembered what Lisa said to her, she didn''t do it.


    "The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is very important, a better relationship could improve the relationship between husband and wife." After a long time, a response to the other side of the phone occurred.


    Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships?


    "Hey, Joseph, don''t talk nonsense!" She was ashamed and anxious.


    "Mom is fine, so don''t worry about her." Joseph changed the subject very cleverly.


    She was too embarrassed to continue the topic and said dully, "yeah".


    After a while, Joseph asked, "Do you have any plans tonight?"


    "..." She thought for a while, and said truthfully, "Not yet."


    Now that she wanted to give each other a chance to increase the relationship, she won''t refuse to meet each other.


    "Go home for dinner together at night," he said.


    "Go home?" She questioned.


    "You have always been a member of the Smith Family. There is nothing wrong with this." Joseph used an affirmative sentence, and he didn''t feel that there was a problem with his expression at all.


    Kate didn''t know how to refute it, whatever it was, it made no sense to argue whether it''s right in every sentence.


    And once she''s used to be double-minded, she won''t get rid of it.


    "Okay." She agreed.


    At six o''clock in the evening, Joseph appeared at the entrance of the White Group.


    After she got in the car, he held her seat belt hand.


    Facing him suddenly leaning in and approaching, she was so nervous that her breathing became rapid, and her face blushed uncontrollably.


    "Okay." After he fastened her seat belt, he returned to his seat and drove calmly.


    She secretly took a breath and motioned for her to calm down.


    Isn''t it just wearing a seat belt? Why should you be so nervous?


    But she could also tie it by herself, why does he have to do it for her?


    He caught her puzzled eyes and said gently, "I want to do these things for you."

 Chapter 146 Three Options for Kate

    She was excited and shy all the way back to Joseph''s home.


    When they arrived, Amy and Ricky came to meet her, she responded with a smile.


    But the expression on the faces of the two was complex. It was likely to be that the two didn''t expect that Kate could return. Obviously, they didn''t make any preparation to meet her again.


    Should they be enthusiastic? But they have neglected her before, even spoking ill of her to please Anna.


    Should they be indifferent? But Kate came back with Lord, they dared not to do so.


    "Is dinner ready?" Joseph asked softly.


    "Lord, I''ve made everything ready at your instructions," Amy replied quickly.


    She was surprised that Joseph should call her today to tell her what dishes to make at night. Lord had never asked about dinner before.


    She was secretly pleased after answering the phone.


    Would the Lord finally like to eat the dishes I made?


    Thinking of this, she was busy with her work in the kitchen with full of joy and excitement.


    And she prepared surprises ingeniously by the way.


    Until the appearance of Kate, extinguishing the excitement in her heart instantly. The jealousy dormant in her body suddenly wakened up.


    even so, she had to pretend to be normal and greeted Kate with a smile.


    Joseph turned his head and said softly to Kate, "Let''s eat."


    "Okay." Kate had known Amy''s intention and true personality a long time ago.


    The happier she was in front of Joseph, the more upset Amy would be.


    Kate thought she had to come up with a solution to deal with this kind of insidious person! Or she would make trouble again in the future.


    She escaped narrowly last time by betraying Anna last time, that should be the real last time. In addition, there were many conflicts between her and Joseph then, she spared no time to care about it. Moreover, it''s Joseph''s family matter, Kate had no ground to get involved in it.


    But if Amy was ignorant and made troubles again, she would never ignore it like last time.


    Amy, who''s standing on the side of the table, staring at Kate angrily, as if wishing to eat it alive.


    She had never expected that Kate would be here again!


    They''re a couple before, but in Amy''s eyes, Kate was the Lady in name only. She was not jealous of it, because she knew that Joseph did not love her at all. Kate did not pose any threat to her at that time.


    Later, when Anna was forced to leave, she thought that there was no strong opponent. Even if she couldn''t be lady Amy, she was also the closest woman to the Lord.


    How could she have thought that her dream would be shattered so soon!


    "How does it taste?" Joseph asked with concern.


    Amy thought Kate would take the opportunity to retaliate against her, but Kate gave good feedback to her. Although the tension was reduced, it still could not alleviate her resentment.


    She wanted to take place of Kate, sitting opposite to Joseph, eating with him, and be cared about by him¡­


    Kate was about to leave after the dinner while Joseph turned to Amy and said, "Get Kate''s room ready."


    "Yes, Lord, is it still the master bedroom?" Amy asked again.


    "Correct."


    "OK." Amy''s heart was complex when she heard this.


    Kate sensed Amy''s subtle changes. As a woman, it''s easy for her to read the jealousy and unhappiness in Amy''s eyes. But, she paid so much attention to Amy''s expression that she ignored what they''re talking about.


    She said again that she wanted to go back home.


    "I''ve asked Amy to pick up a room. You could stay here tonight." Joseph replied.


    "But I didn''t plan to sleep here tonight," Kate said.


    She was very confused right now. She didn''t date with Joseph formally yet, should she stay here overnight? Even though they''re a couple before.


    When thought of this, Kate realized that she''d been overthinking again. She bit her lip to prevent herself from the tangle.


    "Drive me back home please, I have something to tell you on the way." Kate then said.


    Joseph frowned and but his eyes were filled with love and tender. "Is there anything you can''t say here?"


    She glanced around and shook her head earnestly. "It''s really not appropriate to say it here."


    Her words made Amy nervous.


    She felt that Kate was obviously defending her, even expelling her out in front of Joseph. This made her more unsatisfied.


    "Okay, I''ll send you off." Joseph regarded Kate''s words as an excuse to go home. So it''s better to send her home.


    On the way back, Kate was the one to break the ice. "We..."


    But she didn''t know what to say.


    "What''s the matter with us?" Joseph asked.


    It''s rare for Kate to take the initiative to break the silence. They had nothing to say before when they''re sitting in one car. He tried to say something but was afraid that it would upset her. So he remained silent most times.


    The relationship and distance between the two have improved significantly, and he can''t hold back his happiness.


    "I don''t know how to clarify our relationship right now. Our relationship is not clear." After thinking for a long time, Kate finally found a suitable sentence to express her opinion.


    Kate''s words made Joseph stop the car suddenly. He turned his head and looked at Kate aggressively.


    "What''s the matter?" She met his gaze. So, frightened she was that she pretended to be stupid.


    "I could give you three options. The first one, be my girlfriend; the Second one, be my future wife; the Third one, be the mother of my child in the future." He looked serious, making it difficult for her to escape the eyes.


    She thought about it, and when she understood the meaning of these options, she coldly snorted, "Don''t these three options mean the same thing?"


    "If it really meant one thing, that is, whether you want to be mine. To understand it separately, that is, you''re my girlfriend now, my wife later, then my child''s mother, grandmother of my grandson¡­"


    Joseph, whose eloquence was not so good, seemed to have used all his strength to describe a very beautiful thing.


    He didn''t think about the future so far before, but because of her, he couldn''t help but sketch the future. The most important scenery in it was Kate. She is indispensable. Without her, the beauty cannot be achieved, and the vision is bleak.


    "Are you confessing to me, or are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" She avoided his gaze, feeling nervous.


    "Both." The more nervous she got, the closer he leaned, "Are you willing to be my girlfriend?"


    The tone of inquiry was simply a kind of bewitching.


    She raised her head slightly, and his eyes were drawn away by his deep gaze.


    There was no need for her to nod and say yes. Joseph''s thin lips covered her lips and drowned her answer.

 Chapter 147 Another Kiss

    A kiss rain soaked her heart.


    It took a long time for her to recover herself from the kiss. Her beautiful face, rosy and shiny, like a coveted peach.


    The more Joseph looked, the more he liked it. Knowing that she was shy, he didn''t say anything, just drove the car silently.


    It was not until at the door of the house that Kate gradually recovered, with her shy eyes peeking at him from time to time.


    "You didn''t refuse my kiss just now, and gave me a response, could I assume that you agreed to be my girlfriend?" Joseph looked over with a gentle gaze.


    She was so scared that she quickly ran her eyes away from his face and nodded shyly.


    Seeing her shy look, Joseph smiled. "We''re a couple before, but why we act as if we''re having a blind date for the first time?"


    Kate''s sweet mood was weakened by Joseph''s words immediately. She complained, "Who wanted to be your wife before? In those two years, you had no feeling for me at all and always treated me badly, except to vent your desires. The memory was my nightmare, would you please don''t talk about anymore? Or it''ll only diminish the relationship between us right now."


    Kate tried to repress her feelings while she talked about the past. She talked angrily, but reasonably.


    Joseph apologized. "I''m sorry, it''s my fault."


    "Well, I said this no to ask you for the apology, I just wanted to let you know that I value the relationship between us very much, I''m willing to start again. Maybe I''ll get hurt again, but don''t worry, I''ve made enough preparation for it. Maybe we could make it this time. How beautiful it would be if we could get old together." Kate said with a silly smile.


    Her words made him feel guilty.


    If it weren''t for the previous events that happened before, how could she have suffered so much? How hurt she was in the past, or why she still had the worst plan now?


    He had brought too many restless feelings to her.


    "Kate, action speaks louder than words. In the future, I''ll make you safe and happy with my movement."


    "I trust you." Kate met his hot and sincere gaze, smiled, and nodded.


    "Have a good rest tonight, I''ll pick you up tomorrow morning," Joseph said and kissed on her forehead.


    Everything that happened tonight was very meaningful to Kate. When she lowered her eyes and accepted the kiss, she couldn''t help but shed two drops of tears.


    "What''s the matter with you? " Joseph was nervous when he saw her tears.


    Seeing his nervous look, she couldn''t help laughing. "What do you fear? I won''t regret it since I promised you. But to you, don''t wake up and regret what you''ve said today."


    "Dear Joseph, don''t you know crying with joy?"


    He understood immediately and wiped his tears bumbling. "You see. I could also cry."


    "How na?ve!" Kate was amused by him.


    "This''s the true me in front of you, I don''t know if you like it." He immediately returned to his usual appearance.


    Kate leaned over, stretched out her hands, touching his face softly. "Just relax in front of me."


    "So are you." He brought his face closer.


    Kate looked at his face, knowing what to do next. She gave a light kiss to him and said, "I''ll go to the room now, have a safe drive home!"


    Before Kate got out of the car, Joseph chuckled. He reached out to grab her, with one hand circled the back of her head, another long kiss started again.


    He was reluctant to let go of her. "It seemed that the kiss was not enough at all."


    Kate shoved him away embarrassedly, "All right, you''d better go first, I''ll get up early for work tomorrow."


    "Good night." His eyes kept on her.


    "good night."


    Kate clasped her hands happily, full of joy in her heart.


    It turns out that when you were happy, even your foot could feel the joyful notes when you trot.


    The tears just now were more of emotion than just tears of joy. Never did she dream that her crush would become a date.


    Hard the journey was, it was still full of hope, Kate and Joseph were together in the end.


    They must be happy since they had made up to be together.


    As soon as she got home, she couldn''t help but share the good news with Daisy.


    As Joseph and Kate''s fans, Daisy jumped up on the sofa with joy, and said in disbelief, "Kate, are you sure it''s not because my birthday is approaching, and you deliberately made me happy?"


    Well, it''s usually difficult to guess what the young people thought...


    "Of course not, I''m serious." Seeing her so happy, Kate felt even happier. A blessing from the family usually made people feel happier.


    "Hahn Kate, this is really great, I''m so happy tonight that I can''t sleep. Finally, you fell in love with the Lord." Daisy hugged Kate, said happily.


    Kate didn''t know whether she should laugh or cry. "I thought you would scold me why I repeat the same thing and love the same person again."


    "No, I just feel that love also required good times. Your relationship with the Lord has always been influenced by some unkind people. Now no one is blocking your road to happiness. You must be happy."


    "We won''t mention the things that were unhappy before." Kate hoped that all setbacks would pave the way for today''s happiness, no more complaints, and regrets, just move on.


    "Yes, everything at present is the best thing."


    "Correct."


    On the second floor, in the half-open door, a blank face stared at the happy woman sitting downstairs on the sofa, with rather sinister eyesight.


    After washing, Kate, who was Kate, who was confessed, went to sleep with a sweet smile.


    When I woke up the next morning, someone called.


    One the next morning, Joseph called just in time.


    With sleepy eyes, Kate answered vaguely, "Why are you calling so early?"


    "What do you want for breakfast?"


    "Breakfast..." While she was thinking, she suddenly realized that she was now Joseph''s girlfriend. She sat up immediately and asked in astonishment, "You...wouldn''t you be near my home?" She remembered that he could come and pick her up today.


    "Correct."


    "Huh?" She was completely awake, opened the quilt, and started looking for the clothes to wear today. Her hands and feet were in a mess, and her mouth kept talking, "Why are you so early, I haven''t gotten up yet, and you don''t have to come and pick me up, I can go there by myself..."


    "Don''t panic, it''s still early, clean up slowly, I''ll wait for you." He hung up the phone after speaking.


    Kate looked at the phone and mumbled to the screen, "How could I stay calm, this''s the first day since we were together."


    For the first time, Kate was worried about which clothes to wear.

 Chapter 148 Our Relationship

    "Lord Joseph, it is freezing out and if you catch a cold, Kate will be unhappy."


    "Okay," Joseph said hesitantly, then walked into the living room and sat on the sofa.


    Daisy brought him a cup of coffee and asked nervously, "Did you have breakfast yet, Lord Joseph? Would you like something? I can have it made for you, I will have to make Kate''s breakfast anyway."


    "I am planning on taking her out to eat," Joseph explained.


    "Oh... that''s great," Daisy didn''t question any further. After all, she was not close to Joseph, even when he and Kate were married. She had always been a little afraid of him but her biggest concern was that Anna did not wake up before they left. Although Anna supposedly lost her memory, Daisy knew it could still affect Joseph and Kate''s relationship. Kate usually got ready quickly but she was really slow Daisy thought, in a panic, she said, "Lord Joseph, just wait a few more minutes. I will go see if Kate is okay."


    When Kate heard the knock on her door, she felt even more anxious. She yelled, "I will be ready soon!"


    "Kate, can I come in?" Daisy asked.


    Kate was still rushing around to find something to wear. She opened the door for Daisy and then slammed it shut again.


    "What''s the matter?" Daisy was confused.


    "Which one looks best?" Kate held up two blazers and asked nervously.


    Daisy tried not to laugh but she was very amused by Kate''s actions. Pointing at the outfits, Daisy chuckled, "You have been looking for something to wear this long? They are the same, just different colors!"


    "Don''t laugh at me, Daisy. This is my first official day being in a relationship with Joseph. This sounds silly since we were married, but he didn''t love me then. Now, it''s different! We are in love so I have to dress up!"


    "I understand," Daisy stopped laughing. She glanced at all the clothes on Kate''s bed and picked out a beige sweater, khaki pants, a white shirt and a pair of simple high heels, "Here try these!"


    Kate changed and spun around for Daisy to see.


    "Amazing! You look very smart and beautiful!" Daisy looked at her from top to bottom and praised.


    Standing in front of the mirror, Kate asked again, "But it doesn''t look girly. What if Joseph doesn''t like it?"


    "My dear!" Daisy rolled her eyes and reminded Kate, "If you keep wasting all of this time on clothes, you will have no time for breakfast and then you will be late for work!"


    "Oh yes, I forgot I have to go to work today!" Kate grabbed her purse and rushed toward the stairs.


    When Joseph heard footsteps, he got up and immediately saw Kate coming down the stairs. He smiled and said, "Are you ready?"


    "Yeah¡­" She nodded awkwardly and apologized, "I''m sorry, I kept you waiting so long."


    "It''s okay," Joseph looked at her and smiled again, "Today''s outfit is different than your usual."


    Kate blushed, she usually wore casual clothing, but her outfit was more professional. She looked up and noticed that Joseph was also wearing a beige sweater.


    Will he think that I chose this sweater so that we match? But even if I did, it is okay because we are in love. Daisy does have good taste, I like this outfit.


    Kate thought.


    "By the way," Kate called to Joseph as he walked toward the door.


    Joseph stopped, "Did you forget something?"


    "No," She rubbed her hands nervously and asked in a low voice, "Do you like what I am wearing today?"


    Joseph said what she was wearing was different than usual but did not elaborate, making Kate feel very self-conscious.


    "You care about my opinion?" Joseph asked.


    "No," Kate shook head try to deny she did care, "I was curious about which styles you like."


    "That is what I asked. You do care about my opinion," Joseph smirked.


    "If you don''t like it, I can change," Kate felt conflicted. She didn''t want to change for him, but she did care about what he liked and disliked.


    Joseph touched her cheek softly and replied, "I love you as a person, no matter what you wear."


    "Don''t give me that kind of answer," Kate snapped.


    Joseph pretended to look her up and down, "I think it is a very good choice. You are the head of White Group now, you should look professional to convince others. More importantly, we match, so, yes, I like it very much!"


    "Thank you for the compliment. I am satisfied now," Kate was relieved.


    Seeing how nervous Kate was, Joseph was confused, "We are dating but we have known each other for a long time. Why are you so nervous?"


    "It may not be the first day we met; it is the first day I am your girlfriend though. We should get to know each other from the beginning," Kate said seriously.


    To Joseph, it was a good thing that she was taking their love seriously. He thought it was cute and it proved to him that she thought their love was as important as he did.


    "Should I tell my mom about us?" Joseph asked.


    "Not now," Kate thought for a while and shook her head.


    "Why?" Joseph could not understand, "We''ve decided we are in a relationship. Why keep it from her? If she knows that we are back together, she would be very happy and it might help her to recover."


    "That is the reason, I don''t want to tell her, and then possibly disappoint her. I want to wait until we are stable. I am still worried that we may break up," Kate whispered. She had decided to forgive Joseph, yet she was still prepared for the worst.


    Joseph frowned and looked her in the eyes, "We will never break up, never ever."


    Kate said, "Sometimes when we are not as confident about things, something unexpected happens. Regardless, I will cherish our love this time."

 Chapter 149 Not Good Business

    "Thank you," Kate smiled, feeling very delighted inside. In the past, she had only seen the side of Joseph that was stubborn and dominant. She had never had a chance to voice her opinion, now she could not only say what she thought, but Joseph respected what she said.


    After parking near White Group, Joseph and Kate walked to a small caf¨¦ for breakfast. Kate was in a hurry and said, "I have a lot of contracts to sign. I do need to go!"


    Joseph grabbed her wrist and said harshly, "I know you are in a rush, but I will walk you. Even though, it is just across the road or else I will worry about you."


    "I''m not a three-year-old child. I can recognize a red and green light. You don''t need to treat me like a child, okay?"


    "Walk with me," He held her hand and walked her across the road.


    After crossing the road, Kate said, "So, do you feel better now?"


    Joseph pulled her close and in a deep soothing tone said, "Remember to call me if you need anything. I am your boyfriend, you should tell me if you have any difficulties."


    "Okay, okay. I know!" Kate said impatiently.


    Hearing the annoyance in her voice, Joseph loosened his hold on her and touched the tip of her nose, "Remember!"


    "Yes," She smiled happily.


    Joseph watched her with a smile on his face until she disappeared into the office building.


    That morning, Kate decided to change the name of her company. She asked the marketing department to release an official announcement to the public and change the website.


    "Kate Group," Kate murmured to herself. On one hand, she was ecstatic, yet on the other hand, she never felt a heavier responsibility. She looked at the picture of her and her mother on her desk, she whispered to it, "Mom, I am in love with Joseph; remember you met him, your best friend''s son. Although he mistreated me in the past, he treats me very well now. Don''t worry, I will be happy."


    Wiping away her tears, Kate added, "And Mom, please forgive me for changing the company name from White Group to Kate Group. In the future, I will spare no effort to develop the business, despite any pressure. I hope that I can be like you and not flinch in the face of difficulties. I believe that Kate Group will develop even further."


    Kate closed her eyes and sighed when suddenly she heard, "As your best friend, I don''t need an appointment to see you. It is so nice, when I say that I am your friend, the receptionist said that she knew me and brought me directly to your office!"


    "Be honest, Lisa. You were in such a hurry that she didn''t even have time to see you or stop you!" Kate laughed.


    "Oh, my goodness! How can you say that? I am polite no matter what," Lisa joked then turned serious, "How is it going with you and Joseph?"


    "What?" Lisa was shocked. She shook her head and demanded, "Tell me all of the details!"


    As her best friend, Kate knew if she didn''t tell Lisa everything, she would only continue to ask. Kate felt as if she was dreaming as she relived the evening.


    Lisa nodded and then joked, "Well done, Kate! You are so brave!"


    "I should be saying thank you to you. Without your encouragement, I would not have been so brave!"


    "You''re welcome. You know you can talk to me about any problems in your love life, but I am going to have to start charging you. After all, Joseph is wealthy!" Lisa smiled.


    "No problem!" Kate chuckled.


    "But Kate, tell me honestly, did you¡­" Lisa looked at her slyly.


    Kate stared at her, "What are you thinking? I only decided to be his girlfriend last night."


    "Really? Don''t be shy. You have done it before. It doesn''t matter."


    Kate knew that Lisa just wanted to give her a hard time, she didn''t really care about what happened between her and Joseph. She changed the subject, "Don''t have such evil thoughts. By the way, why are you here? Have you made so much money that you closed the shop?"


    Lisa sighed, "Business has been slow lately, so I closed the shop for two days. And, since it is almost lunch, I was hoping you might treat me!"


    "Business, isn''t good?" Kate assumed Lisa''s tea shop was thriving and there were no worries.


    "There is a bigger and more luxurious shop next to me. Most customers go there¡­" Lisa said casually as if she didn''t care.


    Kate was worried though, she knew Lisa very well and instead of trying to comfort her, she began to think of how to improve her tea shop revenue.


    "Oh, Kate, were you going to have lunch with Joseph?" Lisa questioned. She got up to leave, "You go have lunch with him. I will be okay."


    "Stop!" Kate demanded, "We ate breakfast together this morning. He had his own business to attend to. Even though we are dating and in love, we don''t need to be together all the time."


    "Don''t you want to be near him all the time?"


    Kate shook her head, "No!"


    "Don''t lie to me!" Lisa glared.


    "Let''s go to have lunch!" Kate said and walked out of her office, forgetting her phone on her desk.


    When they got to the restaurant Lisa looked at the menu and said, "It''s been a long time since I have been here."


    Kate and Lisa finally ordered and then Lisa asked, "Kate, you are the one you love and he loves you. You must be so happy now?"


    "It feels as if all the unfortunate things that happened in the past have accumulated and created the happiness I feel today," Kate smiled.

 Chapter 150 Totally Drunk

    "We should celebrate!" Lisa said and was about to flag down a waiter.


    Assuming that Lisa was upset about her tea shop, Kate said, "Yes, we have a drink!"


    "You mean it?" Lisa just joked with her.


    "Yes, of course!" As there wasn''t much for Kate to do at work after lunch, therefore a drink or two wouldn''t hurt she thought. She could pretend to work and if need be lie down for a rest.


    "Okay, since you are agreeing; we are going to enjoy ourselves," Lisa called out, "Waiter, bring us four bottles of beer."


    After eating their meals and drinking only one bottle of beer, Kate''s face was getting hot. Lisa teased her, "You used to be able to drink a lot before. Now, your face is red after one bottle, or is it because you are in love with Joseph?"


    "Don''t pick on me! Being in love has nothing to do with it. I am just happy," Kate stuttered. She was feeling a little tipsy but raised another glass to toast with Lisa.


    Lisa responded, "If Joseph finds out that you are out for lunch with me and drinking beer, will he get angry and kill me?"


    "Don''t worry, he won''t even know," Kate assumed that her buzz would be gone by the time Joseph picked her up after work, "Forget about everything, just keep drinking and enjoy ourselves."


    Lisa was moved that Kate could see she was upset, even if she didn''t say it. Kate didn''t purposely say anything to comfort her but she could sense Kate''s love. Even after drinking two bottles each, Lisa giggled, "Kate, I think I want another bottle."


    "Okay, if you get too drunk, you can come back to the office with me. It isn''t too far from here," Kate agreed and ordered them two more bottles each.


    Kate felt very dizzy and murmured, "Why am I feeling drunk? I have only been drinking beer!"


    "Yeah! We shouldn''t be¡­unless the beer is mixed with hard liquor. Waiter¡­" Lisa shouted.


    The manager ran over in a hurry, "What is wrong, ladies?"


    "I think we are drunk," Lisa mumbled.


    Lisa and Kate had been at the restaurant before, the manager remembered them. He stated, "You won''t be having any more to drink. I will call you a taxi!"


    "No, thank you. We can get home on our own," Kate said with confidence and stood up. She went to help Lisa up, "Let''s go to my office. It isn''t safe to call a taxi; we can walk, it is close by."


    The two drunk women stumbled to the door and nearly fell. The manager was about to call a waiter to help, however, Rowen walked in and saw them. He


    saw the beer bottles littering the table; understanding what happened he quickly put his arm out to help Kate.


    "Kate, are you okay?" Rowen asked with care.


    Kate squinted and said cutely, "I''m well and happy. Why are you here?"


    "Yes sir!" The manager handed the card to a waiter.


    Rowen helped Kate all the way to his car, Kate put her hand up and drunkenly said, "I need to go to work. I want to go back to the office. I don''t want to go home! And take your hand off of me!"


    "Kate, it is Rowen. You are drunk," Rowen''s tone was very gentle, and he loosened his hand a little for fear of hurting her.


    "Rowen, Rowen...I know you," She laughed suddenly, "I know you. I''m not drunk."


    "Okay, I know you''re not drunk," He assumed that Kate''s stomach would be uneasy after drinking so much, and if they drove she might throw up. He said, "Okay, we will walk back to the office."


    "Good!" Kate agreed with a smile.


    As soon as they crossed the road, a tall man stepped out in front of them. Rowen looked up and was staring straight into Joseph''s cold eyes.


    Rowen asked, "Hi! What is going on?"


    Joseph looked at him with anger, "I would just like to know where you are taking my girlfriend?"


    Girlfriend? I thought they were divorced. Rowen was confused. He looked at Kate then back to Joseph, either way, the important thing was that Kate was drunk and needed to lie down. Rowen ignored Joseph, trying to walk around him. However, Joseph stepped forward and pulled Kate''s unsteady body into his arms, then picked her up and walked away.


    Rowen watched them leaving and then returned to check on Lisa.


    Kate was restless as Joseph carried her toward the office. She tapped on his chest and stuttered, "Is this a wall? How hard is it? I will knock on the wall¡­"


    Then she suddenly put her hand to her face and began to cry. Joseph looked at her and thought she was so cute. He had warned her before not to drink, but she still dared to do it on the first day they were officially dating.


    "You didn''t hit a wall," Joseph answered after they were in the elevator.


    "Then why is it so hard?" Her hands wandered over his chest.


    Joseph was starting to feel excited as Kate''s hand roamed, he whispered, "Don''t move!"


    "I didn''t," She pressed her face against his chest but her hands still moved across his body.


    When the elevator stopped, Joseph carried Kate directly to her office then put her down on the sofa. As he tried to stand up, Kate wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down toward her. He could no longer control himself, he kissed her lips gently. However, he quickly stopped himself.

 Chapter 151 Wont Allow Me

    "Uncomfortable¡­" She murmured lying on the sofa. She reached out, fumbling against his chest, and whispered again about how hard the wall was.


    As he looked at her, Joseph thought he would give her a lecture for drinking too much once she was awake. He was thankful he ran into her and Rowen, otherwise, it would be his chest she was rubbing. The more Joseph thought, the angrier he got; he looked at Kate''s innocent face again though and the rage was gone.


    For the entire afternoon, Joseph stayed close to Kate. He got her water several times and covered her up when she kicked her blanket onto the floor. The sun had begun to set but Joseph didn''t want to turn on the light, fearing he might wake Kate up. He knew sleeping was probably the most effective way for her to recover. It was the first time that he had ever taken care of someone besides his mother, he smiled at the thought of taking care of his girlfriend.


    A few hours later, Kate finally woke up. She opened her eyes and looked around, she couldn''t see anything except the faint glimmer of street lights coming in through the window. Kate rubbed her forehead and tried to sit up as she whispered, "Is it night already? Where am I?"


    A voice startled her, "You are awake?"


    "Joseph?" She suddenly recalled that she and Lisa drank a lot at lunch. She put her hand up to her mouth in shock, then asked, "Where are we?"


    "Your office," Joseph answered her in dark.


    One of Kate''s hand was resting on Joseph''s arm, while the other was still on his abdomen. Every time her hand moved even slightly, it was a tease but Joseph fought to control the desire rising in his heart.


    "My office?" Kate didn''t notice the coldness in Joseph''s voice, "Did I nap for that long?"


    "Was it a nap?" He asked harshly.


    "You..." She had a bad feeling, and gathered all of her courage, "You know?"


    "You want to hide it from me? I''ve told you not to drink or did you forget?" Joseph snapped.


    Kate quickly tried to explain, "I didn''t mean to drink so much. It was because Lisa was having a rough time. Her tea shop is not doing well and I had some beer with her to relax."


    "That is not the point," Joseph replied.


    Not understanding what Joseph was talking about, Kate asked, "Then what is the point? Can we turn on the light so I can see your face?"


    "It is probably better than you don''t see it," He snarled.


    "Are you angry?" She asked cautiously.


    "You don''t answer my call or reply to my messages. If I hadn''t been waiting at the front gate for you to return, you would have been kidnapped by Rowen!" Joseph clenched his fists.


    "Call¡­?" Kate realized she left her phone on her desk. She rushed to apologize, "I am so sorry, I didn''t take my phone. Otherwise, I would have answered."


    In the past, Joseph seldom had his own phone because all the work was handled by his assistant. However, things were different, he kept his phone with him out of fear of missing a phone call or text from Kate. He had hoped to see her at lunch, but she didn''t even have her phone.


    "Of course, you are important," She argued, "But, I cannot ignore my best friend because of you. Lisa understands everything and said that I could have lunch with you. She was unhappy though and I did not want to leave her alone."


    After Kate explained, Joseph calmly said, "I don''t blame you for spending time with Lisa. I am just worried that I cannot contact you when you don''t take your phone. If anything happens, I¡­"


    "I was wrong, Joseph," Kate suddenly understood the situation, "We are in love now so we should let each other know that we are okay. I promise I will not make you worry about me in the future."


    Joseph''s anger was gone and he wanted to feel close to Kate. He pulled her to his chest, then bent down to kiss her. Kate closed both her eyes and her mouth, Joseph couldn''t understand why she was refusing to kiss him. He questioned, "You won''t allow me to kiss you?"


    Kate shook her head and so Joseph pretended to be angry, "You made a mistake, so you should persuade me. Yet, you are refusing my kiss?"


    "Ummm, I drank at lunch. If you kiss me and smell it, you will be even angrier," Kate said shyly, "Plus, my bad breath would probably scare you off."


    After hearing Kate''s reasons, Joseph couldn''t help laughing, "I don''t mind at all."


    "Really?" She was unconvinced.


    Joseph didn''t answer her but instead leaned down and kissed her passionately. After a few minutes, Kate was out of breath and pulled away from him while Joseph felt as if could ravage Kate, he forced himself to stop.


    "I haven''t forgotten what you said. We will take our relationship slow," He said as he gently touched her face.


    "Thank you," Kate returned to his arms, feeling at ease. After a while, she asked, "You mentioned Rowen. Does my drinking have something to do with him?"


    Obviously, she didn''t remember it; Joseph didn''t want to mention his name again, so he chose not to tell her the truth.

 Chapter 152 Jealous of Rowen

    "Then why did you say he could have kidnapped me?" Kate questioned.


    "Are you hungry?" Joseph tried to change the subject.


    She touched her belly and said shyly, "I would like some porridge."


    Joseph laughed to himself, he wondered if all girls in love sounded like a child when they wanted something. He liked it though, "Let''s go to the porridge shop we went to the other day!"


    "Great! Let''s call Lisa to see if she wants to join us. I know she was drunk and is probably feeling uncomfortable too!"


    "Mm¡­ Where is Lisa? Why she is not here?" Kate was worried.


    "She is at home," Joseph had received a call from Rowen, saying that he took her home.


    "Thank you and I am sorry that we were trouble. You must be very tired after taking care of two drunk women," Kate apologized.


    "It is my responsibility to take care of you. And, I wasn''t the one who took care of Lisa," Joseph whispered.


    "Not you?" Kate jumped up and rushed to turn on a light, "Is Lisa at home alone? It is not safe, she was drunk and may have fallen down."


    "Don''t worry, Rowen is taking care of her," Joseph said with a hint of jealousy.


    "He is taking care of her?" Kate was still worried though, "I have to call Lisa to check-in."


    Joseph did not stop her and waited for her to finish the phone call patiently.


    "Hello?" Rowen answered.


    "Rowen?" Kate asked in surprise and checked the screen to confirm that she did not dial the wrong number, "Where is Lisa?"


    It was the first time Kate said his name out loud, he was thrilled. He gently replied, "I just fed her a bowl of porridge, she is asleep now."


    "Thank you for taking care of Lisa."


    "You are welcome. How about you?"


    "Mm¡­I" She turned to look at Joseph, who was sitting on the sofa pouting, "I am good."


    Kate was too embarrassed to say that Joseph, her boyfriend, was taking care of her.


    Rowen wanted to ask if she and Joseph were back together, but after much hesitation, he decided against it, "Get some rest and don''t drink so much in the future."


    "I won''t be drinking anymore. I don''t want to do something embarrassing while I am drunk!"


    "You are cute!" Rowen comforted her.


    "Cute?" Kate said out loud but after seeing Joseph''s expression, she quickly said, "I need to go!"


    After finishing the call, Kate sighed with relief, "No need to worry about Lisa. There is someone taking care of her."


    Joseph asked suddenly, "Why do you agree not to drink when he tells you but you talk back to me when I say it?"


    Joseph looked at her but didn''t say anything for a long time.


    "What is the matter? I mean it," Kate was scared.


    "Why didn''t I realize how good you were at arguing before?" Joseph said calmly.


    She stood up straight, tilted her head, and said, "You did not allow me to speak before. Now you listen to me, and understand that I have to express my own opinions."


    He nodded clearly, "Now you can speak any time as you wish."


    "Got it!" Kate replied to him happily.


    "You said you are hungry; let''s go and eat now," Joseph walked over to Kate and put his arm out for her to hold on to.


    Kate held his arm naturally, and said with a chuckle, "I never expect that Lord Joseph would get jealous."


    She had always been the jealous one, so Kate and Joseph both thought it was strange as to how much things had changed. When they were in the elevator, Joseph smiled, "I will forgive you this time. However, if you drink again, I will punish you."


    "Oh," Kate blushed.


    **


    After dinner, Joseph asked her, "Would you like to see my new company?"


    "Can I?"


    Joseph rolled his eyes, "If you can''t go, then who can?"


    Kate''s heart began to race whenever Joseph teased her but she was still concerned the happiness wouldn''t last long.


    When they arrived at the building, Kate exclaimed, "Wow! It is huge! It looks to be about the same size as my company!"


    Kate thought it would be difficult for Joseph to start his own business so she was completely shocked when she saw the size of it. She asked many questions as she walked around with Joseph and John.


    "Lady Kate, this is the headquarters, and there are several branches under it," John commented with a smile.


    Seeing him, Kate was curious, "Aren''t you the assistant to the president of Smith Group?"


    John nodded and said, "It should be said that I am Lord Joseph''s assistant."


    She understood, "So after Joseph left, you also resigned?"


    "Correct."


    Kate appreciated him and smiled, "I like your bravery and I am glad that you make the right choice."


    She understood that it was Joseph''s personal charm that helped encourage John to leave.


    "Thank you for your praise! Because of Lord Joseph''s help and sophistication, I have been able to advance very quickly. I firmly believe that I will only continue to progress as I work with more excellent people. It is my honor to work for President Joseph."


    "Are outstanding people always so humble?" Kate looked at Joseph.


    Joseph also gave her a sarcastic look, "You are also very humble."


    "Am I? Are you kidding me?"


    John smiled embarrassedly at the words and said, "Mr. Smith, I''m going to get back to work now."


    "Okay! Thank you, John," Joseph replied.


    After John left, Kate took Joseph''s arm again, "With John as your right-hand man, your business will become more and more successful."


    "Nothing is better than the fact that we are together again," He sighed.


    Kate looked at him and thought to herself. This man is emotional, I know him better now than when I was married to him. I never thought two people would get closer after their divorce.

 Chapter 153 Celebrate Having A Boyfriend

    Daisy had been patiently waiting, as soon as Kate walked through the door, she threw colorful confetti and streamers at her. Kate was so scared that she screamed then began trembling. Daisy exclaimed, "Congratulations, Kate! You have a boyfriend!"


    Kate put her hand to her chest, sighing, "You scared me to death!"


    "I thought we should celebrate! Don''t be afraid," Daisy smiled and pointed to the living room, "I also ordered your favorite cake."


    When Kate walked into the living room and saw the beautiful cake, her eyes lit up, "You really ordered cake?"


    "Of course, how would I lie to you?" Daisy walked over to light the candle on the cake, "Hurry up and make a wish!"


    "Is it my birthday?" Kate mumbled and shook her head, "It''s not my birthday or yours."


    "Cake isn''t just for birthdays, now hurry up and make a wish!" Daisy held a knife in her hand to cut the cake as soon as Kate made a wish.


    Kate quickly blew out the candle and smiled at Daisy; she could see how excited she was.


    "Great! Now, let''s cut the cake!" Daisy put a piece on a plate then handed it to Kate, "Don''t worry about getting fat! You have a boyfriend!"


    Kate rolled her eyes, "So, I shouldn''t care what I look like just because I have a boyfriend?"


    "Well, you are right. We girls should be careful about our appearance! But, we can always have another piece of cake!" Daisy laughed.


    Daisy and Kate were chatting and giggling when they heard footsteps. They turned to the doorway to see Anna standing there smiling at them.


    "Sister, would I be able to have a piece?" Anna begged.


    Just as Kate was about to get Anna a piece when Daisy interrupted, "This cake is for Kate. We are celebrating her having a boyfriend. I don''t want you to touch it, so¡­"


    "Daisy!" Kate snapped, then she cut a piece of cake and handed it to Anna, "Sit here and eat."


    Anna smiled and sat down with them.


    Daisy was sure that Anna''s innocence and amnesia was all an act. She continuously watched her catch her making a mistake.


    "Sister, are you in love?" Anna asked in a sweet voice.


    "Can you speak normally?" Daisy wanted to vomit.


    Anna rolled her eyes innocently and said, "I am speaking normally. Is there something wrong?"


    Kate felt that Daisy was pushing the situation too far, "Daisy, Anna cannot remember what she was like before, so we shouldn''t look at her the same as we did in the past."


    Daisy nodded and said, "I''m afraid you are too kind and will be deceived by her faking..."


    "If she scams me, she will end up living in misery," Kate said looking at Anna.


    Anna ate the cake and exclaimed, "Delicious!"


    After eating the cake, Kate said with a sense of guilt, "I will get fat and may not be able to fall asleep if I eat anymore!"


    "You can talk to Lord Joseph until you fall asleep!" Daisy teased.


    Kate joked, "Wow! You are so experienced. It sounds as if you have been in love before!"


    "I just have a gift for it!" Daisy stuck her tongue out at Kate.


    When Anna went back to her room, Kate looked at Daisy and with a serious expression said, "Be nice to her. She is not playing games."


    "Okay," Daisy agreed reluctantly.


    Kate said good night and went to her room to have a shower. As she walked out of the bathroom, Joseph called. She answered and giggled, "Did you install a tracker on me? I just got out of the shower."


    "Not a tracker, I just sensed it in my heart. It is tuned into you," Joseph answered honestly without hesitating, "We have a special connection."


    In the past, Kate only saw Joseph as an ice-cold man, who spoke without considering her feelings. She never imagined that he would be so charming. She smiled happily, "Then I will take a longer shower next time to wash your heart off my body."


    "Why? Why wash it off?" Joseph asked seriously.


    "I''m only joking. Why do you think I am serious?"


    "Where do you want to go this Saturday?" Joseph asked.


    "Today is only Thursday. Let''s wait and see what the day is like," Kate suggested.


    "Okay, then good night¡­" Joseph sighed.


    "Good night!" Kate hung up. She laid back on her bed and pulled a pillow tight to her chest, smiling as she fell asleep.


    **


    Kate got up early and left for work, hoping that she could have a relaxing weekend with Joseph. However, when she arrived at the office, Max told her that their new project was stolen by Smith Group.


    "Smith Group?" Kate was shocked because she immediately thought of Joseph, then realized that Samuel was in charge of Smith Group. Regardless, of who was president, Smith Group obviously set their targets on her.


    "We were about to sign the contract but Smith Group offered a higher price so they chose them over us," Max frowned.


    "I see, you go to back to work. I will look into it," Kate persuaded Max, she needed time to calm down and knew it was not a problem that would be quickly resolved.


    Kate was contemplating her next step when her phone rang. The receptionist said, "President, Chairman Smith is here to see you."


    There was no doubt in Kate''s mind as she walked to the reception waiting room. She glared at Vincent who looked as intense as normal as Kate led him to a conference room, she didn''t say a word.


    After she shut the door, Vincent''s hoarse voice snarled, "Good! You changed the name from White Group to Kate Group. Although it is just a name change, it will have an impact on the company."


    "Thank you. I think this name is more suitable," She returned with a smile.


    Vincent nodded and asked directly, "You must know by now that Samuel has taken over Smith Group."

 Chapter 154 Stolen by Smith Group

    Vincent remained silent for a long time, it seemed as though he was trying to figure out how to cause trouble for Kate. She was aware that he didn''t come to see her just to notify her that Samuel had taken over as president. She wondered if he knew about her relationship with Joseph, but she was not going to say anything until he did.


    "Joseph is excellent. His only disadvantage is that he likes to rebel against what I say," Vincent finally said.


    Kate smiled awkwardly, "Chairman Smith, I would prefer that you don''t mention Joseph in front of me, we are no longer married."


    It was obvious to Kate, that Vincent had a bone to pick with Joseph and wanted to get her thoughts. Therefore, she tried to avoid the subject so that she could not be taken advantage of and cause more trouble for Joseph.


    "But I heard that you were at my house and that he took you home," Vincent said as if he was accusing Kate of lying. His sharp eyes glared at her as she responded.


    Kate replied calmly, "You should know that I have a great relationship with Cassie. Even though she is not my mother-in-law, I still regard her as my family. I went there to see her and Noelle."


    Vincent frowned and asked again, "Then, please explain the rumors that you and Joseph are dating?"


    Sensing the interrogative tactics Vincent was using, Kate was sure he didn''t have confirmation. She smiled and shook her head, "The rumors are just rumors, and cannot be taken seriously. Besides, I was the one who broke off our relationship, why would I get back together with him?"


    Kate wondered if Vincent was asking because Smith Group stole the new project she was working on.


    "That is fine. Otherwise, there might be trouble for your company," Vincent warned.


    "Chairman Smith, Joseph is also your grandson. Isn''t it a little unkind for you to exclude him as you did?" Kate asked cautiously, showing no hint of defending Joseph.


    Vincent sighed coldly, "He doesn''t regard me as his grandpa. Why regard him as my grandson?"


    After seeing Vincent''s anger, Kate thought it was best to change the subject, "You just stated that as long as I am not with Joseph, you will not cause trouble for me. You should not take our projects for either public or personal reasons. However, you are still doing it!"


    "I did that as a reminder not to fight against me or Smith Group," Vincent smirked.


    "Rich and powerful men always speak so confidently, but it''s a bit much," Kate was no longer holding back her fury, "Even if Joseph and I were back together, it does not mean that you can dominate the business world!"


    "Mr. Smith, you have no respect for me!" Kate snapped.


    "Okay, I didn''t know that you were so talented!" Vincent nodded.


    When Kate didn''t respond to his sarcasm, Vincent said, "Don''t think that Joseph can steal attention from Smith Group by standing on his own. Even if he has the ability to start over, it will be ten or twenty years before he can be as successful as Smith Group. If he thinks he will make it now, he is far too confident."


    Cassie had always tried to explain how affection worked in the Smith family but Kate never understood until that moment. It appeared as if it was important but when it came down to business, the family was nothing. Joseph had been raised by Vincent to take over as a future successor from the moment he was born.


    He had done the same to Joseph as he had done to his father, Erick, but he was even more unfortunate. Erick was the eldest son at home, therefore all of the attention was focused on him. Because of Vincent''s dominance, Erick did not have his own opinion and was afraid of voicing his thoughts. When Smith Group was not living up to its potential, Vincent put pressure on Erick, causing him to feel less and less confident. Before Erick died, his only wish was that Joseph would be the one to achieve Vincent''s wish of growing Smith Group.


    Erick had a terrific personality and supported Joseph''s hobbies, they were more like friends than father and son. The heartache Joseph felt when his father passed away was overwhelming, he became depressed then went overseas to try and escape from the pain. Even though Joseph wasn''t interested in Smith Group, he still came back to fulfill his father''s last wish. Just as his father expected, Joseph helped Smith Group become one of the main companies in the business industry.


    Vincent was very happy with the results and became even more partial to Erick''s family, which left his other son, Brian, extremely dissatisfied. Brian immediately sent his son, Samuel, away to further his education, in hopes that he could one day be capable enough to defeat Joseph.


    If Joseph hadn''t been so disobedient toward Vincent, Samuel wouldn''t be working at Smith Group at all, let alone in the position of president. Being unable to control Joseph and his ideas, Vincent removed him but the company could still develop, just not at the rate it would have with Joseph as president. Vincent looked at Joseph as if he was a thief.


    Kate smiled reluctantly and replied, "Since you know Joseph is unable to have a stable career outside of Smith Group, why don''t you just be generous and support him starting on his own?"


    "I also don''t want to make him uncomfortable. He insists on fighting against me so, I must let him learn and then he will realize how good it was at Smith Group!" Vincent said stubbornly as if the entire situation was Joseph''s fault.


    There was no point in trying to continue talking to Vincent. Kate knew that no matter what she said, Vincent would not change his mind. She smiled and politely said, "Is there anything else we need to talk about? If not, I will have my assistant show you to the door."


    "Obviously, you are trying to get rid of me!" Vincent snarled, "Even though you are not Joseph''s wife, I am your elder. You will not have good luck in the business field treating me this way."


    "Thank you for the advice," Kate said calmly.


    "You¡­" Vincent mumbled as he stomped out of the conference room.

 Chapter 155 Two Rivals

    "It''s okay," Lisa said excitedly, "Kate, I had to call you and tell you that business at the tea shop has been overwhelming today. I am thrilled but I am tired, if this happens every day, I will have to hire someone to help me."


    "That is great news!" Kate was glad to hear Lisa''s business was improving.


    "What''s wrong? You sound unhappy."


    "No, just some insignificant work."


    "I understand, my work seems easy, I just want to have more customers. Your business is very complex and you have to think about so many different things, every single day," Lisa encouraged, "Kate, everything will be fine after you have more experience. You will have no difficulties!"


    "I know," Kate sighed.


    "I want to treat you and Joseph dinner tonight," Lisa was feeling guilty for enticing Kate to get drunk with her.


    "Okay, I will ask if he is free tonight and let you know!"


    "That is perfect! Just let me know and I will send you the details," Lisa replied.


    Kate hung up with Lisa and texted Joseph, she didn''t want him to hear the unhappiness in her voice. He quickly replied that he was available so she told Lisa. Kate was wondering what Joseph was doing, but she stopped herself from asking. She was afraid they might talk too long and it would affect both of their schedules.


    **


    At JK Group, John spoke to Joseph, "This is the current situation¡­"


    After listening to John''s report, Joseph suddenly frowned and looked deep in thought. He demanded, "Take back the item at a higher price. If the other party still refuses to agree, we will make other plans."


    "But our company has just been established. If we spend so much money to support..."


    Before John finished speaking, he was interrupted by Joseph, "Just do as I said."


    "Uh... okay," John realized Joseph''s intentions and added, "I think it worthwhile to use so much money to help Lady Kate get her project back."


    John had become aware that there was nothing more important to Joseph than Kate.


    Joseph reminded him, "This is a secret between us. Don''t let Lady Kate know!"


    John promised immediately, "Don''t worry, I will ensure everything is done properly."


    Glancing at the time, Joseph grabbed his jacket and left to pick up Kate at her office. About twenty minutes later, he arrived at Kate''s door, she was looking through documents and didn''t notice him. He didn''t want to startle her so he knocked softly.


    "Please come in," Kate looked up. Seeing that it was Joseph, she was very surprised, "Why are you here?"


    "You asked about having dinner tonight?"


    "Okay," He leaned against her desk, watching until she was out of sight. He quickly started reading the documents she was inspecting.


    "I''m ready," Kate exclaimed but when she was that Joseph was reading the files, she frowned, "What is wrong?"


    "I heard that you were going to sign the contract for this project? Why are you changing the plan?" Joseph pretended not to know she lost the contract.


    Kate quickly made an excuse, "It is for study purposes. As you know, I am not a professional, so any extra practice is good for me."


    Joseph nodded, rather than telling her he knew the truth. He smiled and said, "Let''s go!"


    As Joseph and Kate walked down the street, she noticed everything seemed to be more beautiful than it had been days before. When they arrived at the restaurant, Lisa and Rowen were already waiting for them.


    Rowen did not have confirmation that Kate and Joseph were dating. Even though Joseph told him that he was Kate''s boyfriend, Rowen did not believe him. He was not going to believe anything until Kate told him in person.


    Lisa was aware that Rowen liked Kate but she thought he would see Kate and Joseph together soon enough, so she did not want to discourage him. When he saw them walk in holding hands, he froze and stared off into space.


    "Kate, and Mr. Smith, please sit down!" Lisa got up and greeted them warmly.


    "Must I sit here? I want to sit with you," Kate smiled.


    "No, you and Mr. Smith are in love now. I can''t separate you," Lisa teased.


    Kate and Joseph sat on one side of the table, and Lisa and Rowen sat on the other, to an outsider it looked as if they were on a double date. However, it was just an appearance.


    When Joseph saw Rowen, his eyes flashed with unpleasantness yet he smiled politely. He was happy to hear Lisa''s comment, it was a reminder that Kate had a boyfriend.


    "Rowen, what are you thinking about?" Seeing Rowen not saying a word, Lisa elbowed him.


    Rowen returned to his senses, glanced over Joseph, and then looked at Kate, "Are you together again?"


    "Yes," Kate nodded shyly, with overwhelming happiness on her face.


    Rowen forced a smile and said "Congratulations!"


    "Thank you," Kate didn''t sense anything wrong with Rowen, but Joseph and Lisa could see his anger. Seeing the woman, he loved with another man, Rowen must have been hurt, especially needing to sit there with them.


    In order not to embarrass him, Lisa held up a glass of wine and thanked him, "Rowen, thank you for taking care of me when I was drunk. In my entire life, I have never met a man like you."


    Lisa finished the glass of wine, followed by Rowen to ease his bad mood.


    "You are drinking before you eat? You should know not to drink on an empty stomach. Please wait until the food is served, okay?" Kate said, shocked by their actions.

 Chapter 156 Display of Love

    "I''m glad that you know," Joseph put a glass of water in front of her, "Drink it!"


    "Come on! Can you two consider our feelings? We are single," Lisa complained deliberately, but she was honestly happy to see them showing their love for one another.


    Rowen was upset and drank multiple glasses of wine until Lisa took the bottle from him and joked, "Don''t think that just because this is my treat, you can drink as much as you want. If you get drunk, I can''t carry you home."


    "I won''t get drunk enough to pass out," Rowen commented on his own ability, but Lisa and Kate felt extremely embarrassed.


    To ease the tension, Lisa took the opportunity to pour another glass of wine, "Lord Joseph, I would like to propose a toast in your honor. First, congratulations to you and Kate, I hope you will treat her well for the rest of her life. Second, thank you for your suggestions to improve the business at my tea shop."


    "You''re welcome," Joseph smiled.


    Joseph helped Lisa with her tea shop? Why didn''t he tell me? Kate wondered.


    "I''m sorry for getting Kate drunk. I was in a bad mood," Lisa apologized.


    "It''s okay, I think it was meaningful. She was drunk the first day we officially started dating," Joseph teased but Kate felt uncomfortable.


    "I heard that you stopped Rowen from taking Kate home. Rowen was terribly scared," Lisa laughed, but nobody else thought it was funny.


    "What? I didn''t know that," Kate really didn''t have any memory of what happened. She looked at Rowen, "Is that true?"


    "Before Mr. Smith took you to your office, Rowen was helping you out of the restaurant. You and he ran into Joseph and then he helped you," Lisa added.


    Kate was a little embarrassed. Her face gradually became hot, and she finally understood why Joseph mentioned Rowen and was jealous of him.


    "Mm..." Kate held up the water glass in front of her and apologized, "I''m sorry Rowen, I drank too much..."


    Rowen felt Kate''s politeness only increased the distance between them and her actions made it obvious that she only regarded him as a friend. He knew nothing had changed over the years, Kate only had Joseph in her heart, there was no room for him. Rowen was frustrated, yet he still smiled and spoke from the bottom of his heart, "It doesn''t matter. Your well-being is the most important thing."


    "Thank you," Kate always regarded him as her friend, so she did not think anything more about the situation.


    Joseph was jealous and he clearly sensed Rowen''s provocation. He was aware that she had a boyfriend, yet he was speaking affectionately. Joseph held up his glass and said, "Of course, she is safe by my side. I should thank you for taking care of Kate, even though it should have been my place."


    Lisa realized Joseph and Rowen''s commented were becoming heated, she looked around and quickly said, "Our meal is here! It is time to eat!"


    Kate also said as she touched Joseph''s arm, "Yes, let''s eat something, okay?"


    Hearing such a gentle tone, Joseph''s anger disappeared instantly, and he smiled pleasantly, "Okay, my dear! I will listen to you."


    Then he clinked glass with Rowen and said, "Drink the final glass, and then we shall start our meal."


    Rowen did not want to ruin the evening, so he nodded in agreement.


    Kate could clearly feel the tension in the air, but she could not say anything out of fear of embarrassment. Rowen had never said he liked her, Lisa only joked that he did so she never took it seriously. Even as she heard his comments, Kate didn''t believe that he liked her. She thought they were friends and that he was defending her for how Joseph had treated her in the past.


    After an awkward dinner, Kate and Joseph left in one direction while Lisa and Rowen took a taxi the other way.


    Joseph took out his phone to call Henry, Kate quickly said, "I will drive since you were drinking."


    "You?" Joseph looked at as if she had two heads, "Can you drive? How long have you had your license?"


    "In the two years we were married, I drove often on my own. Have you ever worried about me before? You want to know how long I have been driving? I don''t care to tell you!" Kate snarled and held her head in the air.


    Suddenly, Joseph''s face turned gloomy. He apologized, "I was wrong before, but in the future, I will pay attention."


    Kate was amused by Joseph''s words, "I can see it now, all across the front page of the newspaper, it will say: Joseph Smith, admitted to his girlfriend that he made a mistake."


    Joseph was amused by Kate but he still had his phone in his hand to call Henry.


    "You really worry about my driving?" She asked innocently, "I can drive slowly. I will take you home."


    He shook his head and smiled slyly, "I have other ideas."


    "Other ideas?"


    "Henry will be here in about an hour. Let''s go for a walk," Joseph replied.


    But, Kate was still very curious so she continued to ask, "Which idea?"


    "You''ll find out later," He smirked


    "Fine then!" Kate snapped. She suddenly thought of Lisa''s shop, she gave up asking him about his idea and then asked, "Why didn''t you tell me that you helped Lisa?"


    "Will you thank me if I tell you?" Joseph asked holding her hands tightly in his.


    "But you should tell me even if you don''t want me to thank you."


    "I just didn''t want you to be worried about her, so I helped because of you. Do you understand?" He touched the tip of her nose like she was a little child.

 Chapter 157 Tell Joseph

    Joseph wanted to ask why she hid the fact that Smith Group stole her project from him. However, he decided against it, even though Joseph needed to ensure Kate did not continue to hide things from him.


    Kate looked up and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "I want to ask you a question. Would you be unhappy if I hid something from you?"


    "It''s necessary to respect each other and have our personal space. But, I also think that if something happens we should tell the other person, in order to avoid any misunderstandings," Kate looked away as she answered.


    Joseph watched her expression change but did not speak.


    Not understanding what Joseph was thinking, Kate asked, "What is wrong? Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    "I''m glad you understand," Joseph replied.


    "So, you think that I am hiding something from you?" Kate questioned. She wondered if Joseph was referring to the fact that Vincent went to see her. When Joseph didn''t answer her after a few moments, Kate admitted, "I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want to bother you with little things. Besides, I can deal with it on my own."


    "My grandpa went looking for trouble with you?" Joseph suddenly frowned, "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "It is trivial and as I said, I don''t want to bother you with it," Kate told him.


    "Did he ask you to draw boundaries with me and said you will suffer if you don''t?" Joseph knew his grandpa and expected that he would threaten Kate.


    "Yes, that is exactly what he said! But I fought back; it was the first time I ever argued with him," Kate lowered her head, worried that Joseph might be upset.


    Joseph was furious, "He never listens to anyone''s reasons."


    "Why are you so angry now?" Kate tried to comfort him, "You left Smith Group as he requested. He is creating trouble for me; maybe because you aren''t begging for your job back. He must be really worried that you will create and develop a company larger than the Smith Group. Your grandpa is afraid of you!"


    "He always threatened me and he requires everyone to be obedient to him,"


    Joseph was very disappointed with his grandpa. He thought that he could use his efforts to convince Vincent to change his mind, but he was wrong. So, Joseph knew he made the correct choice in leaving his position at Smith Group; he just never expected that he would continue to create problems for Kate. Joseph smiled but he knew he would have to give his grandpa a friendly reminder.


    "Your priority is to grow your company. Don''t worry about unnecessary things," Kate said softly.


    Henry pulled up in front of them and Joseph opened the door for Kate.


    Kate remembered Joseph''s earlier comment and questioned him, "You said you had an idea. What is it?"


    His three simple words made Kate instantly blush. She thought he had been talking about an idea for work. She whispered back, "We are in the car, and Henry is driving. Behave yourself!"


    "We are in love. Don''t be afraid," Joseph giggled and kissed her.


    The two continued to kiss passionately as Henry drove. Each time Kate felt out of breath, Joseph would pull away then the moment she recovered he pulled her close again. In the beginning, Kate tried to push him away, but she feared Henry might hear her fighting with Joseph, so she gave in.


    By the time Henry pulled up in front of Kate''s home, Joseph was still unsatisfied. He asked Kate, "Don''t you want to invite me in for a while?"


    Kate pulled away from him and explained, "It is late and you have been drinking. Go home to bed; Henry is waiting for you."


    "Okay," Joseph sighed and opened the car door. He helped Kate out of the car, then reluctantly said, "See you tomorrow."


    "See you tomorrow," Kate knew he was hesitant to leave, so she stood on her toes to kiss his forehead. She quickly spun around and ran inside before Joseph had the chance to stop her. Looking out the window, Kate could see him standing in the driveway smiling.


    **


    The next day Kate woke up see a text message from Joseph: Remember to have breakfast. I have some work to do today. If you are bored and spend time with Lisa, don''t drink. I will contact you when I am done work.


    Kate smiled and replied: Sounds good, I don''t want you to neglect your work just because you are in love. Concentrate on your work. I will not be bored, I have a lot of books to read.


    After getting dressed in comfortable clothes, Kate went downstairs to find Daisy preparing breakfast.


    Daisy looked at her and quickly said, "Kate, wash your hands and eat breakfast!"


    "Okay, okay!" Kate teased.


    "Sister, can I have breakfast with you?" Anna called out from behind Kate.


    "Of course, you can," Kate waved for her to sit down.


    "Thank you," Anna ran to the table.


    Daisy did not look happy about Anna joining them. She watched Anna pick up a piece of bread and quickly devour it.


    "Eat slowly, Anna. There is plenty of food," Kate gently reminded her.


    "Yes, nobody will take it from you," Daisy got up to get Anna a plate of eggs.


    Anna ate a few bites then said, "You are a really good cook. It is very delicious!"


    "You always said my cooking was horrible before," Daisy said shaking her head with uneasiness.


    "Sister, are you going to play outside?" Anna asked looking at Kate.

 Chapter 158 Red Roses

    "Can I go out with you? I''m so bored at home. I have nothing to do except watch soap operas every day," Anna said as she squeezed her stomach, "I am getting fat. I will be a lazy, fat woman soon if I don''t do something."


    Kate thought for a few moments and then nodded, "Alright, you go up and change your clothes. I''ll show you around."


    "Wow, I''ll go right away!" Anna jumped up and ran to her room.


    Daisy didn''t expect that Kate would take Anna out. She whispered, "Kate, haven''t I reminded you enough? Don''t be too kind to her. We still don''t know if she has really lost her memory or not. If she sees that you are being nice to her, she may do something harmful that you will regret."


    "But what can I do? Keep her in the room every day?" Kate asked. She knew that since Leo and Dora were arrested, there wasn''t much trouble that Anna could create.


    "Sister, I''m ready," Anna put on a mid-length trench coat and spun around.


    "Hey, isn''t that Kate''s coat?" Daisy was furious to see Anna wearing it, "Take that coat off and put your own on!"


    "I couldn''t find mine," Anna whispered and lowered her head.


    Daisy rolled her eyes, and sneered, "You and your mother were kicked out of this house. Of course, there is nothing here that belongs to you. It all belongs to Kate!"


    "Sister Daisy, I don''t know why you hate me so much, but I really want to get along with you. Please don''t be so cruel to me. I''m so scared," Anna hugged her arms to her chest, then began to cry and tremble.


    Seeing her face full of fear, Kate walked over to calm her down, "It''s just tough talk. Daisy will not hurt you, there is no need to worry about it. We will go shopping!"


    Although they were about the same size, Anna couldn''t wear Kate''s clothes every day. Kate, Anna, and Daisy all went shopping and then out for lunch.


    Daisy complained as they walked, "Kate, she is not a three-year-old child. If she wants to go shopping, let her go by herself. Why do we have to be with her? I feel like we are her assistants. We have bought nothing for ourselves, it has all been for her!"


    Kate laughed at Daisy''s comments but did not say anything more.


    On their way home that evening, Kate whispered to Anna and she nodded.


    Seeing them whispering, Daisy felt uncomfortable, "I didn''t know you two were getting along so well."


    "Well, you are all sweaty from shopping. Go take a shower and relax," Kate encouraged Daisy.


    Reluctantly, Daisy stomped up the stairs while Kate checked her phone. The number of missed text messages and calls shocked her. She immediately called back to hear, "I am outside of your house."


    "My house?" Kate was surprised and went to the gate immediately to see Joseph standing next to his car.


    She hung up the phone and walked over with a smile, "We just got home. When did you arrive?"


    If Joseph was any shorter, he would have been overpowered by the copious number of flowers. Kate looked at them and asked nervously, "How many roses are there in there?"


    "Too many to count!" Joseph exclaimed with a huge grin.


    "Oh, wow!" It was the first time that she received such a large number of flowers, and it was from the man she was in love with. Kate was happy, yet she had to consider the situation. She looked at Joseph and asked, "Will you keep the flowers in the truck for now though?"


    "Why? You don''t like them?" He thought Kate was unhappy.


    "I have a plan for later," She smiled and then leaned in to whisper in his ear.


    After hearing Kate''s plan, Joseph smiled and put the flowers back in the truck.


    Kate suddenly realized that after Daisy had her shower she would probably put her pajamas on, so she asked Joseph to wait outside. Daisy let out a loud sigh and turned to get changed when Kate explained that Joseph was visiting.


    Anna asked innocently, "Sister''s boyfriend? Do I know him?"


    Kate looked at her and thought, maybe she lost her memory, especially if she didn''t even remember Joseph.


    "I''ll go to change out of my pajamas, too!" Anna went back to her room.


    After everyone was changed, Kate waved to Joseph that he could come inside.


    Daisy said to Joseph, "I''m so sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Smith."


    "It doesn''t matter," Joseph replied.


    Daisy watched Anna cautiously, fearing that she might get too close to Joseph. She pulled Anna''s arm and said, "Come here and sit next to me."


    "This is great!" Anna looked naive, "Sister Daisy finally seems to like me."


    Daisy rolled her eyes, thinking that if it weren''t for worry that Anna might cause a scene; nobody would want to sit next to Anna.


    "Mr. Smith, Kate, I am so tired after a long day. I think I should go to bed," Daisy yawned after talking with them for a while.


    "Sister Daisy, if you are sleepy, just sleep here for a while," Anna thought of what Kate had said to her and tried to stop Daisy from leaving.


    "Why should I sleep on the sofa? Besides, I don''t think we need to spend any more time with the happy couple," Daisy said and tugged on Anna''s sleeve, "We are going to bed! Go back to your room!"


    "Sister Daisy..." Anna looked embarrassed and asked Kate for help, "Sister Kate, what should I do?"


    Kate knew that it would be impossible to get Daisy to change her schedule, it was her usual bedtime after all. She had to find an excuse, "Daisy, there is a basketball game tonight. I think the Lakers are playing, shall we watch it together?"


    "Basketball game?" Daisy was uninterested, "Enjoy your evening, I have to go to bed now."


    "Come on. If you are really sleepy, you can sleep here; it would be boring without you," Kate teased.


    Daisy was stunned. She didn''t understand, "Are you bored with your boyfriend? Joseph is here, I''m afraid he will be sad."


    Joseph knew that Kate was making an excuse, so he didn''t mind. He saw Kate was having a hard time convincing Daisy not to go to bed, he had to help, "Daisy, you are going to leave me here and go to sleep? Is that your polite way of asking me to leave?"

 Chapter 159 Surprise at Midnigh

    Kate was surprised to hear Daisy''s explanation, but she knew she had to find a way to keep Daisy awake. After coming up with the right words, Kate said, "Well, I don''t know. After all, a date is just a date. Nobody knows what will happen between us in the future."


    Joseph glared at Kate, and she realized she may have gone too far, "I am just kidding, take it easy!"


    Daisy was not sure what to say, it was an awkward conversation, but it did convince her to stay with them.


    Kate sat next to her and patted her shoulder, "Come on, take a nap. I will wake you when the game starts."


    Looking at the clock, Daisy saw she had plenty of time to nap. She was exhausted from shopping all day, she put her head on Kate''s shoulder and fell asleep within minutes.


    When Joseph saw that Kate wasn''t going to be able to move for a bit, Joseph took the initiative to get up and sit by her. He then pointed at his shoulder, Kate leaned on him and smiled.


    Anna looked at them smiled with a silly smile, "Oh, I envy you."


    "I love her," Joseph replied with a smile.


    "Of course, my sister is the best sister in the world," Anna still sounded innocent.


    "Anna, here is the remote. You can change it to any show," Kate said handing her the remote.


    Anna took the remote and smiled sweetly at her, "Thank you, Sister. How about a soap opera?"


    "If that is what you would like," Kate looked at her, feeling as if they were back to the time when they first met. Anna was just as cute and na?ve then as she was currently. Kate just hoped Anna would not deceive her again and that she would remain sweet.


    Ten minutes before midnight, Kate quietly slid Daisy''s head off of her shoulder and rushed to help Anna prepare the surprise. Once everything was in place, Kate shook Daisy gently, "Daisy, wake up! The game is starting!"


    "Huh?" Daisy opened her eyes reluctantly, and said with a dazed expression, "I want to sleep, I don''t want to watch a basketball game."


    The clock chimed that it was midnight and Kate nodded at Anna, who immediately turned off the lights. Kate lit the candles on Daisy''s birthday cake and began singing, "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Daisy! Happy birthday to you!"


    "You ..." Daisy suddenly understood why Kate and Anna were encouraging her not to go to bed. The birthday surprise was a complete shock to Daisy. She hugged Kate and cried, "Thank you! I haven''t had a real birthday since dear Aunt Flora passed away. Thank you so much!"


    "Come on! I don''t need any more surprises," Daisy chuckled.


    "Let''s cut the cake."


    "Okay!" Daisy gave the first piece of cake to Joseph and said, "You first, because you are the only man here."


    "My honor," Joseph nodded.


    Kate knew that he didn''t like the cake, and whispered, "You can just have a taste. She won''t feel bad."


    Joseph took only a small bite, then fed the rest to Kate. She used to be shy with such intimate behavior in front of others, but she felt so comfortable with Joseph that she didn''t care. And, neither Daisy nor Anna seemed to care.


    After eating the cake, Kate went to the closet and took out a gift for Daisy, "Here is your present, I am sure you will like it!"


    "Wow!" Daisy was excited and her eyes were glued on the gift box.


    "Open it!" Kate shouted.


    Daisy slowly and opened the gift box to see a beautiful dress inside. She exclaimed, "Kate, it''s the one you bought for yourself."


    "That was just an excuse to surprise you! I lied to you!" Kate laughed. When they were at the mall, she had asked Daisy if she liked the dress or not. After seeing that she liked it, Kate bought it.


    "I love it! I love it so much!" She knew the clothes were expensive, "Thank you, Kate. It''s too much for me."


    "Don''t mention it. As long as you like it," Kate knew Daisy was usually thrifty so she wanted to spoil her.


    "I will cherish it," Daisy picked the dress up and held it close to her while she spun around.


    "Sorry, I should take better care of you," Kate whispered.


    Daisy replied, "Kate, don''t say that. I know what you''ve done for me and ¡­"


    "Sister Daisy, this...is for you." Anna interrupted them and handed her a box, tremblingly.


    Daisy looked stunned, she never expected that Anna would give her a birthday present.


    She turned to Kate and hesitated to accept it, but Kate encouraged her to take the gift, "More gifts mean more blessings."


    Daisy then reached out to take the gift from Anna. She replied politely and smiled, even though she only took it for Kate''s sake. Daisy could not let her guard down, Anna may look na?ve but Daisy did not trust her. Each time she saw Anna, the horrible pain that put her through over the years came rushing back.


    As Daisy and Anna wandered off to bed, Kate walked Joseph out to the driveway.


    "The flowers?" Joseph asked cautiously, wondering if Kate wanted them inside.


    Although Kate was thankful, she complained, "I will accept them. However, next time do not waste your money."


    Joseph frowned and said, "What does that mean? Don''t worry, I may have just started my own business, but I have enough to buy you flowers."

 Chapter 160 Your Kiss

    "Do you say this just to make me happy?" Joseph was amused.


    "It''s so late, you''d better go home. And, tomorrow..." Kate thought for a moment, "Tomorrow, I am going to spend the day with Daisy to celebrate her birthday. Few people have cared for her since my mother passed away, I want to make up for that. Since I will be with her all day, I won''t be able to see you."


    "That is not a problem," Joseph replied.


    **


    The next morning, Kate and Daisy left to spend the day at the amusement park. After a day of playing games and going on the rides, they went to a pub for supper and it was nearly ten o''clock when they finally arrived home.


    Daisy was thrilled, "I wish I could spend every day like this!"


    "We could go to the amusement park on the weekend in the future," Kate suggested and flopped down on the sofa.


    "Can we? That would be great!" Daisy put her head on Kate''s shoulder, "I remember when Aunt Flora would take us to the amusement park. I never thought we would be happy after she passed away."


    Kate felt sentimental as Daisy spoke. She looked at her mother''s photo on the table, then with a smile said, "She is always by our side."


    "Yes, we''re together, forever."


    "I think we should probably get some sleep," Kate didn''t want to talk about her mother anymore, or they would end up feeling sad.


    When Kate got to her room, she saw that there were no missed calls or text messages on her phone. She immediately wondered if Joseph was too busy to contact her throughout the day. After thinking about it for a few minutes, she decided to call him.


    The phone rang twice and Joseph answered, Kate was caught off guard and stammered, "Are you asleep?"


    "Not yet, I''m working on a project," He answered quietly.


    "Then did I bother you?" She was worried.


    Joseph''s voice was soft and filled with caring, "How was the amusement park today?"


    "Great!" Kate tried to sound happy, but she missed him and was too shy to tell him.


    "Happy to hear that," Joseph continued, "It''s late so you should go to bed. After all, you do need to go to work tomorrow."


    "Yeah..." She thought he would have a lot to say since they hadn''t spoken all day. However, Joseph seemed to be in a rush to get her off the phone. Kate felt a little depressed until she remembered he was working, so she assumed that was the reason. She whispered, "Okay, same to you. Good night."


    "Good night," Joseph said and hung up.


    **


    The next morning Kate was having breakfast, when Daisy murmured, "Lord Joseph usually comes to pick you up around this time but he isn''t here."


    Even though Kate acted like she didn''t care, she wanted to see Joseph. She liked it when he picked her up for work.


    "Yeah, as a business tycoon, Lord Joseph must be very tired. I am sure that your support is very important to him."


    "I''ll do whatever I can."


    After the breakfast, Kate grabbed her purse and car keys, then headed toward the garage when she saw Joseph''s car pulling into the driveway.


    Daisy seemed to be more excited than Kate. She shouted, "Kate, don''t go to the garage! Your knight in shining armor is picking you up!"


    Kate laughed at Daisy''s reaction. She looked at Joseph and tried to hid her excitement, "I thought you weren''t coming."


    "I''m sorry, there''s was traffic."


    "It''s okay. I mean, you don''t need to pick me up every morning. We don''t even work in the same direction, it is a waste of your time," Kate could see the weariness on Joseph''s face when she got in the car. She touched his hand and said, "Did you get any sleep last night?"


    "Do I look that bad?" Joseph asked with surprise. He wanted to ask her how she knew, but that would sound as if he was admitting he didn''t sleep.


    "Bloodshot eyes, dark circles, puffiness are all signs that you didn''t sleep or if you did, you didn''t sleep well," Kate said with concern.


    "Could you give some energy?" Joseph asked and squeezed Kate''s hand.


    "Energy? Me?" She was confused with his request.


    Joseph looked at her and smiled. He leaned over and softly kissed her lips, "That gives me energy! It made me forget that I am tired and it will give me the strength to make it through the day."


    Kate slowly opened her eyes and knew exactly what Joseph meant. Without saying a word, she also felt the warmth of their kiss and the passion behind it.


    When they arrived in front of Kate Group, Kate asked, "Shall we have lunch together?"


    "Sure, I was just going to ask you the same thing," Joseph said with a smile.


    Joseph took the plan he spent the night working on and drove to Cooper Group. Cooper Brown, the president of Cooper Group, looked anxious when he found out that Joseph wanted to see him. He was unsure what to do, if he refused to meet with Joseph, it would offend him. However, if he met with Joseph, he would offend Smith Group. After weighing his options, he decided it was best to see Joseph, even if it was just to keep a false sense of peace.


    "Mr. Smith, how are you? I am surprised to see you, why did you want to speak with me?" Cooper greeted Joseph.


    Joseph didn''t really acknowledge his question. He handed the plan he prepared over, "Mr. Brown, before you decided whether or not to sit down and meet with me, you should read this first."


    Cooper was confused and felt a little uncomfortable as he took the folder from Joseph. He had planned to just skim over it, but the contents got his full attention. After reading it carefully, he asked suspiciously, "Isn''t this plan given to me before from Kate Group?"


    "That is the one you denied," Joseph sat down on the sofa, after seeing Cooper''s reaction. He calmly started to say, "If you think this plan is good, I don''t mind you using it. However, you would have to work with Kate Group."


    The second part of Joseph''s sentence was loud and clear; he had a lot invested in the matter.

 Chapter 161 A Hard Choice

    "Then what about Kate Group? You failed to keep your promise to them. Or, do you think that Kate Group is so weak that you don''t need to take them into consideration?" Joseph interrogated Cooper, leaving him panicking.


    "I didn''t mean it, I just¡­"


    "No matter what benefits you have received from Smith Group for this project, you have a second chance to make the right decision. I need you to give me a truthful answer though!" Joseph looked at him aggressively, waiting for his response.


    Cooper had never felt so trapped. He originally agreed to work with Kate because of Joseph, but before the project began, Joseph was removed as president of Smith Group. When Samuel took over, he requested that Cooper cancel the contract and work directly with Smith Group. Everyone was aware that Vincent behind the transactions of Smith Group, so Cooper believed that after paying the fees to Kate, everything was over. He never thought that Joseph would personally visit him and question his actions.


    Smith Group''s president had changed, but it was obvious that their success was linked to Joseph. Samuel was capable, but it seemed that he was walking in after Joseph had done all of the hard work. With Joseph''s past achievements, it was likely that his own business would thrive as well.


    Cooper knew that if he didn''t help Joseph, he might have to pay the consequences in the future. After thinking the situation over, Cooper said, "Joseph, we are old friends. As the president of this company, it is my duty to make sure the company prospers. Therefore, I am going to implement this plan, and I am willing to continue working with Kate Group, but I have one condition."


    "What condition is that?" Joseph listened quietly.


    "I will take care of the finances between Cooper Group and Smith Group in accordance with the contract. However, if anyone from Smith Group causes trouble for me, now or in the future, I hope you will help me," Cooper was trying his best to be careful and not offend anyone.


    "As long as you keep your promises, you can rest assured that you or your company will not be put in any predicaments," Joseph completely understood his concerns.


    Cooper sighed, "Joseph, I trust you. I want to collaborate with you!"


    "I appreciate your adventurous spirit," Joseph said, "After all, my business has just started, and so has Kate Group."


    "Smith Group is strong, but I do believe that its success and development was dependent upon you. Now, that you have left¡­" Cooper did not say anything more, but Joseph knew what he was thinking.


    "Don''t worry," Cooper waved the plan in his hand and said, "I am a man who''s trustworthy."


    Later in the afternoon, Smith Group received the news of Cooper Group''s decision to cancel the contract. When the sum for the contract was deposited in the account, Samuel was confused but he knew it was serious.


    Mayne, Samuel''s assistant, walked into his office and explained, "Cooper Group not only refused to work with us, but they have resumed their relationship with Kate Group!"


    "How dare Cooper goes back on his word?" Samuel was furious. He shouted, "Since Joseph has got involved with this, I have nothing to be afraid of."


    Mayne didn''t understand what Samuel meant. He was about to ask when Samuel started to ramble, "Cooper couldn''t tell a good decision from a bad decision. But others will, we can go to Cooper''s rivals, Lewis Group and Bill Group. They will join with us and we can easily take Joseph down."


    "You are right! With Smith Group''s reputation, they will flock to you. We don''t need to worry, even if Cooper Group backed out of working with us," Mayne tried to flatter Samuel.


    "Confidence is important, but we can''t underestimate the enemy. Joseph''s very capable, that''s why he managed Smith Group well," Samuel thought about how he could make outstanding achievements in his new position. He wanted to convince his grandpa and the employees. Cooper Group''s actions crushed him and made him feel uncomfortable, but he knew there was nobody backing Cooper, so he didn''t understand how he could openly offend him. Samuel suddenly realized, "It has to be Joseph helping him!"


    "That''s true. Many people will still support Joseph. I heard someone talking about you¡­" Mayne lowered his head, too anxious to say anything more.


    Samuel was not surprised at all, and snorted, "Let''s go and find out! Anyone who supports Joseph will be dismissed from Smith Group sooner or later."


    Mayne knew that Samuel had a bad temper and was jealous of Joseph. Yet, he was still too afraid to say anything bad, "President, I will stand by you forever. You are very capable, so you will be able to make great achievements!"


    **


    At Kate Group, Max informed Kate that Cooper Group would be reinstating their contract. She was stunned and had no idea why.


    Max was thrilled, "Lady Kate, this is good news. Why aren''t you happy?"


    "Don''t you think it''s a bit strange?" Kate wondered. She knew that the business industry was serious, but within two days, Cooper Group changed their plans twice and Smith Group would clearly be offended.


    "Strange?" Max couldn''t understand why Kate thought it was strange, "I think everything is fine. We convinced them with our plan; that shows that it is was better than others."


    "But we presented our plan before Smith Group, it doesn''t make sense. And¡­"


    She knew something must be wrong.


    "Yes, they had our plans before," Max understood what Kate was thinking.


    "Don''t panic, we could wait and see," She planned to speak to Cooper.


    "OK, I''ll call to set up a meeting," Max stated and walked out of Kate''s office. He was shocked to see Cooper and his assistant walk in a few moments later. Max showed Cooper to the conference room and quickly rushed to get Kate.


    Kate and Cooper sat across from each other. Kate''s expression looked calm while Cooper''s expression was full of regret.


    "Miss Kate, I know that you are questioning my sudden decision. To show my sincerity, I personally come over and explain it to you," Cooper put the project proposal that Joseph gave him in front of her, "I don''t know if Joseph told you, but this plan is impeccable. Even at first glance, I know that a lot of work has been done. I have no reason to refuse such a perfect plan."


    Until that moment, Kate didn''t know for sure that it was Joseph''s efforts that caused Cooper to change his mind.

 Chapter 162 Silent Contribution

    Cooper frowned, "What do you mean?"


    "The plan you are excited about was created by Joseph, but you are choosing my company. I don''t think that is necessary and you should probably collaborate directly with Joseph," Kate was thankful for Joseph''s help and did not want to decline his help, but she felt that Joseph was more suitable for the project.


    "Miss Kate, are you refusing to work with me? If you are, how can I explain that to Joseph?"


    "I''ll explain it to him, don''t worry about that," Kate smiled.


    "All right," Cooper felt as if he was dripping with sweat. He was worried but if he could work directly with Joseph, it would be wonderful.


    When Cooper left, Kate spoke with Max, and as she sat down at her desk Joseph called. She assumed what he was going to say, so she took a deep breath and calmly answered the phone.


    "Kate, don''t worry about it. I will explain everything to you when I am done work," Joseph said softly.


    Kate understood that Joseph was being kind, but she could not accept the fact that he done it all behind her back, "Do you know that you are openly challenging Smith Group? It will anger your grandpa, and he will take any measures necessary to take you down!"


    "Do you think that I am afraid of them?" Joseph sounded extremely calm and confident, "You have to trust that I have the ability to compete with them."


    "But Smith Group is strong, relying on your own strength to..." Kate felt a little emotional. She tried to calm herself down and said, "I do believe in your ability, but I''m also afraid that other companies might join them to overpower you¡­"


    "Honey, don''t worry about me," He tried to comfort her, "I''ll always be here. However, if you are refusing, I will have to apologize to Cooper Group. Please be prepared for the headlines that say ''Cooper Group was Abandoned''."


    "Are you threatening me?" Kate looked out the window and quickly changed the subject, "Are you finished work? I am done here and going to leave soon."


    "I ..."


    Sensing Joseph''s hesitation, she said, "It''s okay, keep working. I don''t need you to pick me up."


    "Why? I will ask John to pick you up, then you can come to JK."


    "Okay," Kate was still worried about disrupting Joseph''s work though.


    When she hung up with Joseph, Kate explained her opinion on the plan to Max and advised him to continue working with Cooper Group. Joseph had put a lot of effort in to win the project for her and she cared about him.


    "I am sorry that you had to leave your work to pick me up. Thank you!" Kate said quietly.


    "You''re welcome, Miss Kate," John said with a smile.


    "How is Mr. Smith doing? Is he working hard every day?" Kate asked cautiously.


    "Mr. Smith has spent the night at the office for the last few days. He takes a nap for an hour or so each day. I have reminded him multiple times that he needs to sleep, but he is a workaholic. It was the same when he took over as president of Smith Group; working on no sleep."


    "Did he spend that night at the office then?" Kate had no idea that Joseph went back to work after taking her home.


    John nodded, "That is the way he is. Mr. Smith always says very little but he does a lot. If I don''t tell you, I know he won''t."


    "Yes, that is true. If you don''t tell me, I would never know," Kate felt horribly guilty. As Joseph''s girlfriend, she should know that he was working hard all night to help her.


    "Actually, Mr. Smith does much more than this¡­" John signed.


    "What do you mean?" Kate asked and then quickly said, "Don''t worry, I will keep everything you tell me a secret."


    "Mr. Smith has done a lot for you in private, and he told me not to tell you," John said quietly.


    "I know," Kate sighed, aware that Joseph left Smith Group because of her.


    "Miss Kate, you shouldn''t worry about any of this. Lord Joseph was willing to do it all," John said cheerfully, "Now that you are his girlfriend, that is that best return on his contribution."


    "John, thank you for telling me. I know what I need to do," Rather than feeling guilty, Kate saw that it was better to help and care more. She explained, "Since he has been working so much, I am sure he hasn''t eaten. We should stop and pick him up something."


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Smith has arranged for a meal."


    Kate felt happy and loved, Joseph planned everything. He could be so considerate if he wanted to do something for her.


    As soon as they arrived at JK Group, Kate rushed to Joseph''s office. Her heart was pounding as she was about to run in and kiss him passionately. However, she slowed down when she saw his door was partially open and he was discussing work with a female colleague. Kate saw John walking toward her, so she whispered, "Who is that lady?"


    "A newly recruited project manager, Alisia. Didn''t Mr. Smith tell you about her?"


    "He didn''t¡­" Kate shook her head and tried to act normal, "It''s nothing important. He doesn''t need to tell me everything about his company."


    Kate looked at the beautiful woman standing in Joseph''s office. She had long legs and was wearing a short skirt; Kate was feeling something in her stomach but not sure what. She thought the woman looked familiar and as she tried to figure out where Kate was overwhelmed. She suddenly realized why Joseph was jealous of Rowen, even though there was no reason to be. She was jealous of the new project manager working so closely with Joseph, but Kate tried to tell herself that she wouldn''t think too much of it.

 Chapter 163 The Project Manager

    "As long as you are sure, Lady Kate."


    As Kate walked to the lounge in Joseph''s office, he put the file aside and said, "That is enough discussion for today, Alisia. It is time to go home!"


    Alisia sighed, "Sure enough, love is more important than work. You worked day and night on this project plan, but now that we are in the last part, you are quitting to spend time with your girlfriend."


    Joseph smiled, "No need to be in such a hurry. Besides, you have been working overtime the last few days, go home and get a good rest. You will be able to work more efficiently tomorrow.¡±


    "Okay," Alisia raised her eyebrows helplessly. When she was about to leave with the document, she hit her stomach on the corner of the table, she swore under her breath.


    Hearing her, Joseph jumped up to help her, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Alisia grabbed his hand and frowned, "It was just me being clumsy. It only hurts a little.¡±


    "Can you walk by yourself?" Joseph tried to pull his hand away, but Alisia gripped down on it. She frowned again and said, "I will try."


    After taking a few steps, Alisia cried out again in pain, "It really hurts. So painful!"


    "I''ll help you walk out," Joseph said only out of politeness. However, Alisia didn''t see it that way; even though he had a girlfriend, she could not control her feelings. She whispered, "Thank you, Lord Joseph."


    Hearing footsteps, Kate assumed that Joseph had finally finished work, and she stood up excitedly, ready to run to his waiting arms. However, she was startled by the scene in front of her.


    "President Smith, what''s the matter with Alisia?" John walked over and asked with care.


    "She accidentally bumped into the corner of the table. You help her to the hospital for examination. By the way, we should get a new table to avoid any unnecessary injury.¡±


    "Okay," John nodded.


    Even though she saw Joseph planning everything, Kate still felt a little uneasy. It was seeing Alisia holding his hand that made her feel the most uncomfortable. Kate was so angry that she wanted to turn and walk out, but she thought it was a little too childish. She resisted the jealousy growing inside and went back to the lounge, pretending to see nothing. Once the sound of Alisia''s high heels disappeared down the hall, Kate let out a sigh of relief.


    Not long after, Joseph opened the door to the lounge. He smiled at Kate and asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    "No," She answered.


    Joseph walked over and sat next to her. He looked at her closely, then tried to hold back his laughter, "I can hear your stomach rumbling from here. Are you not hungry?"


    She turned her face away to avoid his eyesight, "I said no."


    Joseph thought she was still angry about what happened earlier in the day.


    Kate knew that Joseph only wanted what was best for her; she was not angry after discovering he had been working to help her without sleep. She couldn''t stay angry. She looked at the food Joseph put on the table, "I guess I am. I should eat it!"


    "Okay," Joseph gently touched her cheek.


    When he went to wash hands and Kate sat at the table to unpack the meal.


    "My girlfriend is so talented!" Joseph praised her again.


    "Don''t flatter me," She didn''t realize that she kept wearing a poker face.


    During the meal, Joseph kept feeding her. He also said that if she would like Cassie to make her meals, he could take her to visit or have Cassie cook at his house.


    "No!" Kate still couldn¡¯t let go of the jealousy.


    Joseph laughed, he thought the topic of his mother would lighten the mood, but Kate seemed to be upset. Being worried that she might stay angry the entire night, Joseph coughed to get her attention.


    Kate quickly put down her fork and handed him a glass of water. "Are you okay?"


    "I''m okay, I just was in too much of a hurry,¡± Joseph coughed and blushed.


    Kate couldn''t help but laugh, "When did you become a three-year-old child?"


    He looked at her and answered with a serious look, "Haven''t you heard that people in love are like children, especially in front of the one you love?¡±


    "Who says that?" Kate rolled her eyes at him, wondering whether it was actually a saying. She couldn¡¯t understand how Joseph was so cold to her when they were married, and he commands his employees so seriously but then turns to mush in front of her a few moments later. Then she realized how she was in front of him; his behavior wasn¡¯t all that strange. After all, in front of him, she was also like a child.


    Kate knew that if she continued to look cranky, it would affect Joseph¡¯s mood. So, when he was done coughing, she gently asked, ¡°Are you better now?¡±


    ¡°Much better,¡± He wanted to say he was much better as long as she cared but decided against it. He was thankful that his coughing scheme worked.


    "You ordered so much, and now you must eat all of it. Don''t waste food!" Kate said as she poured him another glass of water, then put more food on his plate.


    "Okay," Joseph looked at her and agreed in a hurry.


    Seeing the look in his eyes, Kate was puzzled then asked, ¡°What is the matter?¡±


    "I think you are right."


    Kate squinted at him, "Eat your food, and don''t start talking nonsense."


    When they were done dinner, Kate started cleaning up the dishes, but Joseph stopped her, ¡°Let me do it.¡±


    "Aren''t you busy with work?"


    "Not as much as I was. It is almost done," Joseph took the dishes from Kate, but she just picked up more.


    "Future Mrs. Smith, can you listen to me? Sit there and watch your handsome husband clean up the table," Joseph stopped her from doing anything.


    Kate held back her laugh and asked seriously, "I have hands."


    "You do, but you shouldn''t do these chores," Joseph put down the dishes and took her hands in his, ¡°My mother said that she was determined to marry my dad because of one thing he said.¡±


    "What was that?" Kate always knew that Joseph''s parents loved each other very much. Her mother, Flora, was often full of envy; it was a pity that Leo''s heart was with another woman.

 Chapter 164 A Romantic Dinner at the Office

    "My dad told my mom that women¡¯s hands should be well protected. Men should do dirty things like washing the dishes," Joseph smiled.


    "Oh, my goodness! Your dad was a true romantic!¡± Kate exclaimed and looked at Joseph with a wide grin.


    "Are you going to say that I haven''t inherited it as his son?" Joseph questioned.


    Kate shook her head, "You are more romantic than your dad."


    Joseph was surprised by her words. He leaned over to her ear and asked softly, "Really? Do you like it?"


    His sudden approach caused her ears to burn for an instant. She moved a little away from him and said, "No, I don''t like men who are egotistical!¡±


    "I am serious."


    "You better start cleaning up that table,¡± Kate smirked as she sat down on the sofa to supervise Joseph''s cleaning.


    After Joseph was done cleaning, he washed his hands and sat down next to Kate. He put his arms around her and pulled her close.


    She moved restlessly and asked angrily, "Have you ever heard the saying that it is improper for men and women to touch each other?¡±


    "What?" He didn''t understand what she meant, "We are boyfriend and girlfriend. Hugs and kisses are normal emotional communication, and you agreed about that. If you disagree, though, of course, I will respect you."


    Joseph had no idea what Kate was talking about, so he could not give her that answer she was looking for.


    Kate finally said bluntly, "You were holding that lady''s hand earlier. And you asked John to change the table because of her. Will you change the elevator if it breaks down the next time she is in it?"


    Joseph now knew why she was angry with him. He could not help laughing, "Are you jealous?"


    "No!" She turned her head so he could not see she was lying, ¡°I just don¡¯t think that you need to hold her hand. You could have supported her arm.¡±


    The jealousy Kate was feeling was comparable to the way Joseph felt about Rowen.


    "I did not hold her hand, I..." Joseph wanted to explain, but he realized it would do no good when his girlfriend was angry. He paused for a moment and then said, ¡°What are you thinking? Do you really think that I am that kind of person? You should know that I am not interested in any woman except you.¡±


    "Regardless, your hands were touching. It doesn''t matter who was holding whose hand," Kate knew she only glanced at them and didn''t see everything, but she felt jealous and angry just thinking about it.


    "I was wrong," Joseph admitted rather than trying to argue with Kate.


    Kate felt that he was just apologizing to make her happy, so she snarled, ¡°If I didn¡¯t see you, you certainly would not have told me!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought anything of it, but now if you do that, I will think that you are trying to hide a relationship with her,¡± Kate snapped.


    Joseph did not know what she was thinking or how to ease her mind. He looked her in the eye and said, "She only works for me."


    When Kate heard Joseph¡¯s sincerity, she felt if she continued to be angry with him, things would only get worse, ¡°Well, I was just a bit jealous. I am okay now, and I believe that you are only colleagues. Don¡¯t transfer or fire her.¡±


    "You are so mischievous!" Seeing that she was no longer angry, Joseph secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, he promised, "I will watch my behavior if I am faced with another situation in the future."


    "Mr. Smith, will you think I am too mean? You obviously helped others out of kindness, but I..." She began to think about her actions.


    "My dear, it''s normal to be jealous. It means you love me and care about me. If you didn''t have any response when you saw that, I would think that I am not important to you," Joseph was thrilled about her reaction.


    "Although I may be jealous, I need to act rationally. I won''t wrong you or others," Kate lowered her head. She sighed and said, "We should be open to state our feelings. In the future, if we have something to say, we should just be direct."


    "That sounds like a great idea,¡± Joseph agreed and hugged her close. He looked outside, feeling content and noticing his exhaustion faded just being close to Kate. Joseph thought of a saying, ¡°Every moment spent with a loved one is treasurable, all unhappiness and fatigue will disappear.¡±


    Kate pulled away from Joseph. She smiled, ¡°I will go back to your house tonight.¡±


    "Really?" Joseph thought he heard incorrectly. He asked with hope-filled eyes, "Are you really willing to go home with me?"


    ¡°I just said go with you! I did not mention anything about sleeping with you,¡± Kate responded.


    "Okay, you can have the master bedroom, and I will take the guest room," Joseph was just thankful that she was willing to go home with him. However, he did add, ¡°If you are afraid or not used to it, I can sleep on the sofa in the bedroom with you.¡±


    Kate shook her head in disbelief; Joseph would come up with any reason to share a room with her. She refused his offer, "Although we shared the same bed for two years, we were not in love. Right now, we are at the stage where we are enhancing and testing our love, so please follow the rules, Mr. Smith."


    "Okay, you win!" Joseph approached her and whispered in her ear, "Can I at least have a kiss? When I tried to kiss you before, you turned away, and since you are not angry anymore, you should kiss me. Look at it as a sign of reconciliation?"


    Without saying anything, Kate leaned in and kissed his cheek, ¡°Enough?¡±


    "No," Joseph chuckled and pulled her close, clearly wanting more.


    There was no refuse him, so she put her hands on his face and gently kissed his lips. After a few minutes, she thought Joseph was satisfied and pulling away, but instead, he pushed her down on the sofa. Kate blushed and nervously asked, "You¡­what are you doing?"


    "Care to guess?" Joseph showed a sly smile.


    Kate knew that Joseph might get carried away, so she reminded him, ¡°You just agreed to comply with the rules between us. How can you¡­¡±


    Joseph passionately kissed her; she was unable to keep speaking. Thinking that he would start to caress her body, Kate wasn''t sure if she could control herself, but Joseph stopped. Even if he was enjoying it, he contained all of his impulses.

 Chapter 165 Cassie Finds Ou

    Kate lowered her head and tried to steady her breathing. She knew if Joseph hadn''t stopped, she might not have either. She quickly said, "Do you think that I am that conceited? I know I have given myself to you before, but now I will not."


    "How can you say that?" Joseph understood her thoughts very well. "Before you were forced to have sex with me. Now, we are in love, and we should respect each other."


    "Thank you, Mr. Smith," Kate leaned on his shoulder and muttered, "You didn''t get much sleep last night. You must be very tired, so let''s go home early, then you can get to sleep early."


    Kate wanted to go home with him because she was upset that he had been working day and night. She worried that he would go back to work after dropping her off at home. As his girlfriend, she felt it was her job to take care of him and not allow him to spend all his time at work.


    As they drove, Joseph agreed that he would rest when he got home rather than work. His only requirement was that Kate stay with him, or else he would not listen.


    Kate felt it a reasonable request, so she agreed immediately.


    As soon as they arrived, Amy trotted out to greet Lord Joseph, but when she saw Kate, her face instantly turned gloomy. Kate ignored her and walked up the stairs, hand in hand with Joseph.


    Amy was angry and heartbroken to see them together, but she was unable to say anything.


    Joseph was thrilled to have Kate spend the night and woke up the next morning feeling well-rested. However, Kate was not in the bedroom, and he began to feel a little uneasy cause she had made a promise to him.


    When Joseph went downstairs and saw that Kate was in the kitchen making breakfast, he smiled. She was so focused on cooking that she did not hear him slowly sneak up behind her. Joseph slid his arms around her slender waist and put his head on her shoulder.


    Kate blushed and asked, "Did you sleep well last night?"


    "Yes, very good with you next to me!¡± He replied.


    "Go to brush your teeth and wash your face. Breakfast will be ready soon!" Kate was happy and looked calm as usual, but her flushed face gave her away.


    Joseph rubbed her neck and asked, "Can you give me a good morning kiss now?"


    Kate looked to make sure there was nobody else in the kitchen; when she saw they were alone, she leaned in to kiss Joseph. However, at that very moment, Amy walked in and shouted, "Lord Joseph¡­"


    Shyly lowering her head, Kate turned around and pretended nothing was happening.


    Joseph frowned and asked unpleasantly, "What''s the matter?"


    "Uh... that... Lady Cassie is coming," Amy felt embarrassed to walk in on the situation, but she was happy and silently cursed Kate.


    ¡°Mom is coming?¡± Kate panicked and asked in a hurry, ¡°What should I do? Should I hide somewhere?¡±


    "It is not a matter of braveness. We lied to her!¡± Kate thought it did not matter if they confessed their love; she would still be upset for not telling her sooner.


    "What''s wrong with you, Amy? I ask you to get Joseph, why are you going toward the kitchen?¡± Cassie snapped.


    Amy was scared and stammered, ¡°Lord Joseph¡­ Lord Joseph¡­¡±


    "Hi, Mom!" Joseph greeted Cassie.


    Cassie walked into the kitchen, and when she saw Kate standing there, her jaw dropped, "Kate, why are you here?"


    "I..." Kate started to say, but Joseph interrupted, "Mom, let''s talk about it in the other room.¡±


    Cassie glanced at Kate and walked out with a sad expression. It seemed as if she was angry, so Kate rushed to turn off the stove and accidentally burnt her hand. Not wanting to keep Cassie waiting, she ran it under some water then hurried to the living room, enduring the pain.


    In the living room, Cassie sat on the sofa with a serious look on her face. Once Kate sat down, Cassie asked, ¡°What is the matter now?¡±


    Kate was about to speak up, but Joseph did first; he took Kate¡¯s hands in his and said, "Mom, Kate, and I have decided to work on our relationship. We have our worries, and that is why we didn''t tell you. We weren''t deliberately hiding it from you; we just wanted to be stable before we said anything."


    Cassie turned to look at Kate and asked her, "Is it true?"


    Kate nodded, "Mom, I begged him not to tell you right away..."


    She knew that Joseph wanted to shoulder all the blame and responsibilities because he feared Cassie might criticize her. However, Kate would not let him face the consequences on his own, not even mentioning it was her idea. When Kate looked at Joseph, he was glaring at her as if to tell her to stop.


    "If it''s what you wanted, I can understand. But, if it was Joseph¡¯s idea¡­¡± Cassie looked at him sternly, ¡°Then I won¡¯t forgive you for not telling me!¡±


    "Mom, why?" Joseph looked at Cassie suspiciously, "I have the same thoughts as Kate. We both wanted our relationship to be stable.¡±


    "Even if you tried to correct your past actions, don''t think that I will forget how you treated Kate before!" Although Joseph was her son, Cassie was angry about what he did to Kate in the past. She was happy to hear that they were together again, but she was also afraid that Joseph was acting on impulse and would mistreat Kate in the future. Cassie wanted to remind him to see if he was sincere about his relationship with Kate.


    ¡°Mom, I know that I wasn¡¯t good to Kate before and that I disappointed both of you. But this time, I truly am serious," Never before had Joseph made a promise to Kate in front of his mother, even if he knew he was wrong. He needed both Cassie and Kate to see that they didn''t need to worry, his actions were important, but he chose to make the promises.


    Kate looked over and smiled; his words moved her.

 Chapter 166 Blessings from Cassie

    Joseph heard how determined Kate was to make their relationship work; he squeezed her hand tighter and smiled.


    Cassie saw every little sign of affection the two had for each other. In fact, she had been thrilled from the moment she saw Kate in the kitchen. She made sure to keep a serious look on her face, though to test her son''s sincerity for Kate. Cassie was aware that most mothers would defend their son, but she wanted to make sure that Kate would not be hurt.


    "Don''t make any promises this soon. The days will be long, and there is no guarantee that you will be together for the rest of your life. I only hope that since you have chosen to try again, you should be responsible for each other from now on. I also hope that you will consider my feelings, my heart is not very strong, and I don''t want to see you¡­" Cassie didn''t want to say break up; she knew it might discourage them, so she turned her head away.


    "Mom, don''t worry about us. We will be okay, and we won''t give you a reason to worry about us anymore," Kate promised.


    Joseph quickly agreed, "Mom, I will love and protect Kate; after all, she was the perfect daughter-in-law to you. I know you don''t want your son to be a bachelor his entire life."


    Knowing Joseph said that just to make her happy, Cassie laughed, ¡°If you had been this insightful before, you wouldn¡¯t have made so many detours. If¡­ well, let¡¯s forget about the past. You two enjoy the present, get married soon and have a baby. I want to have a grandchild!¡±


    Joseph and Kate looked at each other when they heard Cassie now wanted a grandchild. Joseph replied, "Mom, I understand what you are saying but Kate and I are just falling in love. If you encourage that kind of commitment right now, we will feel overwhelming pressure."


    "Hit the iron while it''s hot! Haven''t you ever heard the saying?" Cassie questioned. When she saw Kate''s expression, she waved her hands in the air, "Kate, I am not in a rush. I want you to enjoy your own life first and then consider having a baby. I am just excited!"


    Kate appreciated Cassie¡¯s honesty and patience. She was aware that if she were any other mother-in-law, she might push the topic without realizing the consequences. Kate had felt pressured before to have a baby, but it was only because Joseph¡¯s status in the Smith family was threatened. With a huge smile on her face, Kate said, ¡°Thank you, Mom!¡±


    Joseph whispered in her ear, "Are we... going to work today?"


    "Mom, do you have any other plans today?" Joseph asked.


    "No other plans, I came to see you today. However, I didn¡¯t expect such a big surprise. I won¡¯t be doing anything else today but stay with you for a while.¡±


    Joseph said bluntly, "But your son and future daughter-in-law are going to work, so we can''t spend the day with you."


    As soon as Joseph finished speaking, Kate hurriedly buried her head in fright. His words obviously meant to drive Cassie away and though Cassie was not easily offended, Kate still worried that she might be angry.


    "What did you call Kate? I need to correct you right now; Kate is not my future daughter-in-law! She is my daughter-in-law, the only one!" Cassie snapped.


    Joseph was happy to hear this and hurriedly agreed: "Yes, Kate is your only daughter-in-law, my only wife!"


    "When did you become so casual? You seldom spoke before, but now you are so talkative. It seems that Kate has changed you a lot."


    Then, Cassie turned to Kate and said, "Kate, please help me teach my son. Remember that in love, both parties are equal. Don¡¯t let him bully you like before. If you encounter problems that you can¡¯t figure out, then come to me.¡±


    "Okay!" Kate nodded happily and raised her chin at Joseph, "Did you hear that? I have a strong backing. You can''t bully me!"


    "I would not dare to!¡± Joseph smiled.


    "Okay, I know that you are all busy, so I won''t delay you. Go to work and we will talk again soon,¡± Cassie said as she stood up. She walked toward Kate and kindly whispered, ¡°Discuss any problems with me. We are family!¡±


    Kate nodded and hugged Cassie.


    When Cassie left, Joseph offered to drive Kate to work. As she got in the car, she looked at the burn on her hand. She had been so nervous talking to Cassie that she forgot about the pain, but it had become really red.


    Joseph glanced over and saw the wound then immediately pulled the car over, ¡°Is that an allergic reaction?¡±


    She answered, "No, I just hurt myself when I turned off the stove."


    "Why didn¡¯t you tell me?" Joseph wrinkled his forehead with worry and anger.


    "Don''t be angry. It''s not a big deal," Kate was about to put her hand down on her lap, but Joseph quickly grabbed her wrist.


    His heart hurt when he knew she was in pain, ¡°It may not be important to you, but it is a big deal to me.¡±


    Quickly, Joseph did a u-turn in the road and drove in the direction of the hospital. Kate snarled, ¡°What are you doing? We are already late!¡±


    "Nothing is more important than you," Joseph said and dialed Cooper Brown''s number, ¡°Kate needs to move your meeting to 2:00 p.m.¡±


    "It''s unnecessary..." Kate tried to interrupt, but Joseph had already hung up with Cooper.


    "What if it was me who got burned?¡± He asked her.


    "You..." After thinking about it standing in his shoes, she understood his worry, "Okay."


    Joseph smiled after hearing her answer.

 Chapter 167 The Meaning of JK

    "It''s okay, I''ll have it tonight,¡± Joseph pulled her close, unwilling to let her go. He hugged her and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to do anything but keep you in my arms.¡±


    Acting as if Joseph was making her uncomfortable, Kate elbowed him, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be with you all day. It will get boring sooner or later.¡±


    "Boring?" He smirked and said, ¡°Okay, how about we find something interesting to do? Such as kissing as long as we can or we can lay on the bed¡­¡±


    "Joseph!" Kate interrupted and glared at him, ¡°When did you become so forward? What are you talking about? I don¡¯t want to play like this with you!¡±


    "I was going to say lay on the bed and stare at the ceiling without blinking, we could see who could last the longest,¡± Joseph suggested with a smile.


    Kate knew that he was teasing her, but she warned him, ¡°Don¡¯t forget what Mom said, if you make me angry, I can complain to her!¡±


    "Come on! I''m just kidding," He stood up with a serious expression.


    "It sounds as if you are terrified of your mother? You weren''t before," Kate laughed with a tone of pride in her voice.


    ¡°Come on! I just don¡¯t want to hear her nagging.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I think we are just wasting our time here. Go to JK to get some work done, or else you will be working overtime again tonight!" Kate told him.


    "Aren''t you curious about why I named the company JK?" Joseph was hoping she would ask, but she hadn''t, and he was excited to tell her.


    Kate assumed it was an abbreviation of some kind but nothing she thought of really made sense. She shook her head and said, ¡°I have no idea what it would stand for.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that hard if you think about it for a moment. Just narrow it down!¡± Joseph urged patiently.


    "Umm..." She thought carefully and pictured the two letters, then suddenly she clued in, ¡°It is Joseph and Kate! You named it after us?¡±


    Joseph nodded, "You are smart and beautiful!¡±


    Kate blushed, ¡°You helped me!¡±


    ¡°I want to manage it well so that JK will always exist,¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes were full of hope.


    ¡°When did you change the name? I thought it was JA before,¡± Kate was surprised.


    He immediately knew what she meant, and cautiously replied, "There was no name change; it was JK from the beginning."


    "That is impossible!" Kate didn''t believe what Joseph was telling her. It hadn''t been long since he started the company, but they weren''t together when he started it. The company was so important to Joseph, so why would he name it after them.


    She smiled and admitted, "After all, those letters are important!"


    Joseph hugged her and warned, "Don''t think that the things I do are random, and don¡¯t ever question my feelings for you.¡±


    In his arms, Kate smirked and shook her head, "No questioning, I have confidence that you love and not just because of the name of a company. I am only teasing you!¡±


    "Okay, you go to work but remember to take a break for lunch, and you are signing the contract this afternoon. Remember, if you have any questions, call me!" Joseph kissed her forehead.


    "I will."


    After Kate disappeared into the building, Joseph walked back to his car. He was not aware that the intimate scene between him and his girlfriend as recorded by the camera on the corner and that the person watching the recording was filled with jealousy.


    Just after Kate met with Cooper Brown to sign the contract, her phone rang, assuming to was Joseph, Kate jumped up to answer it. She saw Lisa''s number and quickly answered, "Hi, Lisa!"


    ¡°Are you busy tonight? I have a blind date and was hoping you could go with me?¡± Lisa asked.


    Kate was curious and very shocked at the request, ¡°Why a blind date? You are the one always talking about how love just happens? Who arranged it?¡±


    "My mother!" Lisa moaned and clenched her teeth, "I am only twenty-five, but she thinks I am getting old and need to settle down. She said that most of the good men are taken, so I need to hurry, or there will be nobody left but divorced, old men. She said that she didn''t want her friends commenting on how I am still single. If I don''t take a boyfriend with me the next time I visit, she won''t let me in!"


    "Why is your mom suddenly so anxious?"


    "It is all because of my cousin; she married well and now my mother is jealous of how the family talks," Lisa sighed, "She and my aunts have always been compared. Before this, my cousin and I were, but now we are uncomfortable around each other, and don''t talk."


    "Don''t be upset; I am sure if you talk to her that she will understand."


    "If she understood me, she wouldn''t treat me like this. I know her well enough, and that is why I saved the money to open the tea shop. If I didn''t do that, she would have driven me completely crazy by now!" Lisa complained.


    Kate knew she would not be able to persuade Lisa to explain to her mother, so she agreed to join her, "Send me the address, and I will meet you right after work."


    "Kate, thank you for helping me. I can''t handle it alone!" Lisa was happy; she had always been able to deal with Kate''s affairs, but could never deal with her own.


    Thinking about the last time she and Lisa were together, Kate realized they got drunk, so she planned to tell Joseph as soon as she left the office. The moment she got into the taxi, Joseph called her, though.


    ¡°Do you have any plans for after dinner?¡± he quickly asked.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± She assumed he was busy.


    "I just wanted to know, so I can arrange a time to pick you up.¡±


    "You don''t need to. I will get a taxi home. I will be joining Lisa on a blind date and unsure what time we will be done. However, I can promise that I will not be as drunk as last time," Kate assured him.


    "Don''t drink any alcohol," Joseph emphasized.


    "I won''t," Kate said with a smile.


    "Call me when it''s over."


    "Okay."


    As Kate''s taxi pulled up to the restaurant, she saw Lisa waiting out front. Lisa quickly ran over and pointed, "That man, there upstairs. I have been secretly watching him."


    ¡°What do you think of him?¡± Kate questioned.

 Chapter 168 Meet Weird Man in Blind Date

    ¡°Don¡¯t close any doors because he may be your Mr. Right!" Kate joked to lighten the mood. She could see that Lisa was trembling.


    ¡°I have my loved one¡­¡± Lisa whispered.


    ¡°Really? Who?¡± Kate was interested. After her heart was broke in college, Lisa never mentioned anyone else.


    Lisa ignored Kate and pulled her toward the stairs, ¡°Stop being so curious! Right now, we have more important things to do!¡±


    Lisa and Kate walked directly to the table by the window. Lisa held out her hand and greeted the man casually. Just as Kate thought Lisa could handle the situation and did not need anyone with her, she heard Lisa say, "Hello, Mr. Hughes! I am Kate Smith, and this is Lisa Green."


    The man stood up to greet them, "Hello, Ms. Smith! Hello, Ms. Green!"


    After saying hello, the man focused his eyes on Kate and then said kindly,  "Please sit down and feel free to call me Dave."


    Lisa saw that Kate was in a daze and elbowed her to sit down. Kate never expected Lisa to play such a horrible trick; she hadn''t even mentioned it.


    "Ms. Green, Ms. Smith, what kind of wine would you like to drink?" After the man ordered their meals, he asked their opinion about wine.


    "Wine?" Kate frowned and asked, "Why not another drink? I don¡¯t think we should have alcohol.¡±


    Kate originally intended to help Lisa find out if the man was worthy of her or not, but when he asked about wine, she became uncomfortable.


    "Sorry, I thought¡­¡± Dave wanted to explain, but he didn''t know what to say.


    Lisa cleared her throat and said bluntly, "Mr. Hughes, with all due respect, you are not the type that my sister would like. She does not like a man who drinks or smokes. Most people believe that if you order alcohol before you eat your meal, you might have an alcohol addiction?"


    Lisa''s comment flustered the man. He looked at Kate and eagerly explained, "Ms. Smith, don''t get me wrong. I only ordered alcohol out of politeness; I don''t usually drink. I just asked casually; I have no other intentions."


    "No other intentions?" Lisa blurted out, coldly, "I think you are trying to get us drunk so that you can do whatever you like to us!"


    Dave felt embarrassed and turned bright red. Kate wondered if Lisa hadn''t been so forward if he would have argued with her. After this confrontation, Kate understood why Lisa gave him different names; she could freely say how she felt.


    "Ms. Green, your friend, seems to be misunderstanding my actions,¡± he pleaded.


    Kate smiled faintly and replied, "Mr. Hughes, the reason my friend is with me is to see if you are who you say you are. Although her words may hurt you, it does not seem unreasonable."


    Kate felt that Mr. Hughes had been tested, so she picked up her fork to enjoy her meal. However, before she could swallow her first bite of food, Dave took a piece of meat off of the plate in the center of the table. As he put it on Kate''s as he apologized, "I am sorry that I may have said something inappropriate and caused a horrible misunderstanding. I hope that we can forget about it. I am a sincere man; I don''t drink or smoke, nor do I gamble. I am a good man in others'' eyes, and I am sure you will see that in the future. You can''t judge a person by one sentence, that is just not fair."


    It was apparent the man was eager to show Kate how much he liked her by giving her some of his food. He was unaware that the very action disgusted Kate, even if he did it out of care and kindness.


    Lisa''s stomach turned, and she blurted out, "Mr. Hughes, even though Lisa and I are best friends, I would never use my own utensils for her food. This is the first time you are meeting her; how can you do that? I do not think that we can sit here and have a peaceful meal."


    Thankful that she found a reason to leave, Lisa pulled Kate by the arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave!¡±


    Mr. Hughes jumped up and explained nervously, ¡°Ms. Smith and Ms. Green, I don''t want to drive you away. I am just so anxious; I want to be with you so much!"


    He watched them leave and thought about chasing after them, but he decided to stay and eat their meals when he saw the food on the table. He almost choked on his food when a man in a suit sat down across from him.


    "Who are you?" Dave couldn''t help feeling a little frightened when he saw the large man wearing sunglasses sit down.


    "Why were you with those two women just now?"


    Dave asked nervously, "Do you know them?"


    The man nodded and answered, "Yes, but they don''t know me."


    "Then why are you asking about them?¡±


    "I am the one asking questions. Tell me what happened just now.¡±


    "Okay..." Dave told him the whole story.


    The man in sunglasses asked Dave, "Do you know that the woman who was scolding you was actually Lisa? And the other woman..." The man stopped and smiled slyly, "She is Kate, Joseph''s girlfriend."


    "They lied to me!" When Dave heard the truth, his face turned red with anger. He had still been holding on to the hope that he might get to see Lisa again, but after knowing he had been cheated on, he could not hold back his frustration. He clenched his fist and snarled, "I will make the Green family pay!"


    The man sneered and asked, "Taking revenge on the Green family will not solve your problems or ease your anger. Why not just cause trouble for the two women?¡±


    Dave was puzzled, "What do you mean?"


    "Here is $100,000, and I will tell you exactly what to do!¡±


    **


    After leaving the restaurant, Lisa spread her arms open wide and took a deep breath, ¡°I rescued myself!¡±


    Then, she put her hand on Kate¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°Thank you, my dear. What happened tonight is more exciting than a movie!¡±

 Chapter 169 Bullied by That Weird Man

    "Did we?" Lisa replied as if she didn''t care. She continued, "He should have asked if we drink or not. Anyone polite would have asked! I noticed his suit too; it was all threads¡­ he is just pretending to be professional, but he failed. And, if he wanted to give you food, he shouldn¡¯t have used his fork and knife. I still feel sick just thinking of it!¡±


    ¡°You have great observation skills!¡± Kate chuckled.


    "After all, I changed from having the leading role to supporting," Lisa smiled and calmly said, "I planned to meet him, have a meal, and then text that I didn''t see it being a good match after I got home. However, he made me feel uncomfortable at first sight, so I didn''t want to wait."


    ¡°Let¡¯s just pretend it never happened. We can get something to eat before you need to talk to your mother.¡±


    "Oh, no! I forgot about having to face my stubborn mom!"


    After they had dinner and said goodbye, Kate planned to take a taxi to see Joseph. She didn''t want to trouble him, so she was just going to call on her way. As she waited, she heard someone call out, "Ms. Green?"


    Kate turned to see Dave Hughes walking toward her. She hadn''t expected to see him again; she frowned but politely said, "Mr. Hughes, what a coincidence!"


    "Ms. Green, can I offer you a ride home? I would like to visit your mother anyway.¡±


    "It''s late now; I can get a taxi home. Plus, my mother goes to bed early so she would be asleep by now. You can visit her¡­"


    "Ms. Smith. You are such a wonderful actress!¡± Dave suddenly interrupted Kate, and his expression became angry, ¡°Do you think you have the right to lie to me? You must be curious about how I found out!¡±


    He pulled out his phone and showed Kate the screen, "You are a public figure, and there are a lot of photos on the internet. How long did you think it would be before I found out?"


    Neither Lisa nor Kate thought that their true identities would be discovered. Kate quickly apologized, ¡°Mr. Hughes, we are sorry, but our intention was only to cope with the blind date. We weren¡¯t trying to upset or insult you, but¡­¡±


    "Don''t try to fix the situation with excuses. I remember every word both of you said to me," Dave continued to threaten her, "Will you go to see Mrs. Green with me to explain this matter or compensate me for my loss? Or should I just post your shameless behavior online?"


    "How much compensation do you want?" She couldn''t let this man go to see Lisa''s mom. Otherwise, Lisa would be blamed and scolded by her.


    "Compensation?" Dave sneered, "You cannot afford the cost of what you have done to me!¡±


    "Stop talking nonsense! Are we going to see Lisa¡¯s mother or not?" Dave lost all patience.


    "No!" Kate bluntly stated, "We have apologized for it and..."


    Before Kate finished speaking, Dave slapped her and cursed furiously, "You


    bitch! Even if I got you drunk, it is my right as a man. Don¡¯t you know how poor Lisa¡¯s family is? Do you think that she is rich just because she is your friend? Stop dreaming! She will never have money without marrying an old man!¡±


    Facing the crazy man in front of her, Kate looked at the traffic on the street and thought it would be best to call Joseph. She could not handle listening to Dave''s insults, but she did regret not recording him when he admitted to having bad intentions toward her and Lisa. If she had, she could use it as evidence when he tried to make trouble for Lisa and her family.


    Kate tried to call Joseph, but Mr. Hughes slapped her hand, and she dropped her phone. When she bent over to pick it up, he attacked and knocked her to the ground then stomped on her hand. Her hand was throbbing, and she was in horrible pain, but she tried not to let him see her anguish.


    Dave stood over her and snapped, ¡°You want to call for help? You need to escape from my control first!¡±


    He squatted down and pinched her cheek, ¡°I can let you go and forget this matter if you¡­¡± He looked around and then whispered in her ear, ¡°Sleep with me!¡±


    A wave of nausea hit Kate; she wasn''t sure if it was from the pain in her hand or the offer Dave made. As he leaned in toward her again, Kate punched him in the throat, then struggled to stand up and yell for help as she ran.


    A few people were walking across the street, and Kate immediately ran to them. Dave quickly grabbed Kate''s phone and turned to leave before he was caught. When she was safe, Kate decided to take a taxi to Joseph''s home; he had to be worried.


    The man with the sunglasses had been hiding in his car nearby and saw the entire situation. He was so angry that he slammed his fist into the steering wheel and cursed, ¡°Useless!¡±


    **


    Lisa had called Joseph to see if Kate had arrived because she wasn''t answering her phone. Joseph also tried to call her, and after half an hour, he called Lisa again.


    "Are you sure Kate said she would come here?" He sounded worried.


    "I am sure," Lisa looked at the time, "She was getting a taxi a while ago, and so she should be there by now."


    Lisa''s words made Joseph feel even more distraught. He hung up on Lisa and called Daisy, but she also said that Kate hadn''t returned. He couldn''t sit around waiting, and so he grabbed his car keys to go look for her.


    **


    In a taxi, Kate touched her swollen face and wondered how angry Joseph was going to be when he found out what happened. Lisa was right; it all seemed like a movie. As she laid her head back, the taxi suddenly slammed on its brakes.

 Chapter 170 Telling Joseph

    When Joseph was sure that it was Kate walking toward him, he ran up to her and pulled her close. He never noticed that Kate turned her head away so that he would not see the pain in her eyes. He anxiously asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡±


    Feeling safe and relieved in Joseph''s arms, Kate could not think of an excuse to give him. She whispered, "Let''s go home, and I will tell you about it."


    ¡°Okay,¡± Joseph kissed her forehead and led her to his car.


    The streetlamp did not cast enough light for him to notice her swollen and beaten face, and Kate didn''t want him to worry, so she stayed quiet. She remembered how he reacted when she burnt her hand earlier in the day. If he found out that a strange man beat her up, she did not know what he would do. At the crucial point, Kate planned to call, but she was out of danger, so she didn''t feel the need to worry him.


    "Was there a lot of traffic?" Joseph asked her.


    "Yes!" She was thankful that Joseph had found an excuse for her, but she would have to explain her missing phone.


    "Is your phone turned to silent?" Joseph asked again.


    "Phone..." Since she didn''t want him to worry, she lied to him again. Kate lowered her head and said, ¡°I lost it¡­¡±


    "Lost it? Was there anything important on it?¡±


    "I don''t think so," Kate said quietly. The most important thing she had was a photo of her and her mother, which was safe at home. To her, a phone was only a tool for communication. They hadn''t been back together long, so she and Joseph hadn''t taken any pictures together, and so she truly was not concerned about her phone.


    "That''s good. I''ll take you to buy a new one tomorrow."


    "Okay," She was glad that he was not upset about her missing phone, but she was afraid that Dave might figure out the password and call him. The more she thought of it, the dizzier she felt.


    Joseph noticed that Kate seemed to be in a daze, and so when they got out of the car, he picked her up.


    Kate immediately placed her hand around his neck and said, ¡°I am okay to walk. You do not need to carry me!¡±


    "But I can, so I will!" Joseph smiled before going inside. He did not put her down until he reached the bedroom. He laid her on the soft bed, then leaned down to kiss her.


    Joseph wasn¡¯t aware that Amy was watching them with envy and then turned red with anger. She cursed Kate as she walked back to the kitchen.


    He was too caught up in the kiss. Kate blushed but also tried not to cry out in pain. She was thankful when Joseph''s phone rang; she put her hand on his chest and said, "Answer the call."


    It was Lisa wanting to know if Kate arrived home.


    "Is that Lisa?" Kate asked, looking at him.


    Joseph stared at her face more closely, ¡°What is wrong with your face?¡±


    "Face?" She subconsciously stroked her face and answered, ¡°There is nothing wrong with it.¡±


    "It''s obviously swollen here," He reached out to touch it gently.


    Kate quickly dodged him and said with a smile, "Maybe I am just getting fat?¡±


    "Kate, I''m asking you seriously. Tell me the truth, you didn''t lose your phone, did you? Where is it, and why are you acting so strange? You are hiding something," Joseph interrogated her.


    "I..." Kate took a deep breath. She looked at him and said, "Please, don¡¯t be angry after I tell you the truth¡­¡±


    "Okay," He was not angry with her; he was just worried that she was hurt and would not tell him. After hearing about Lisa''s blind date, Joseph was furious and picked up his phone to call Lisa.


    Kate stopped him, "Joseph, Lisa doesn''t know about this. I ran into the man after dinner when I was waiting for a taxi. If you do anything, it will only make it worse for Lisa.¡±


    "You are always worried about others, but you never consider what you went through," He wanted to explode when he thought of what that bastard did to the woman he loved. But he calmly said, "Don''t worry, I will only ask Lisa for his contact information."


    When he had the information, Joseph called one of his men to investigate and then called the family doctor before putting an ice pack on Kate¡¯s swollen face.


    Seeing him upset, Kate apologized, ¡°I am sorry that I caused so much trouble for you.¡±


    ¡°Did he hurt you anywhere else? Or just your face?¡±


    "Here," She pointed to her back and said, "When I went to pick up my phone, he attacked me."


    Joseph''s face turned gloomy then with an extremely serious expression; he said, "Why did you try to pick up your phone?¡±


    "I... I was trying to call you for help, but I failed. I should have listened to my mother when she wanted me to learn taekwondo. If I had learned, then I could have defended myself.¡±


    "I should have picked you up." Joseph hugged her, feeling very guilty.


    "It''s okay as long as you don¡¯t get angry with me¡­¡± Kate smiled and hugged him closer.


    "Fortunately, it''s just a little flesh wound, if..."


    "If what?" Kate demanded.


    Joseph suddenly questioned, ¡°Is he going to come after you or Lisa?¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­just some threatening words.¡±


    Joseph clenched his fist and cursed, ¡°Bastard!¡±


    Seeing him so angry, Kate hugged him tightly and promised him, ¡°Joseph, I go out on my own. You can pick me up anytime you want, okay?¡±

 Chapter 171 Revenge

    After the doctor confirmed Kate did not have any permanent damage, Joseph was relieved.


    ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± He asked.


    Kate blinked eyes like a child and answered, ¡°Yes, a little.¡±


    Joseph walked over to the bed and sat down next to her, "I will hold you until you fall asleep, then I will go to my room."


    ¡°Okay,¡± She closed her eyes and listened to Joseph¡¯s heart pound as she laid her head on his chest.


    Joseph tried to stay calm when he was near Kate, but he was determined to make the man pay. He stayed awake and held her close through the night until his phone rang; then, he gently laid her on the pillow before going to the study to answer the call. One of his men was calling to say they caught the man who beat Kate, Joseph snapped, "I am on my way!"


    **


    When Kate woke up the next morning, it was nearly nine o''clock, and for a moment, she forgot about the previous night''s events. It wasn''t until she reached for her phone, and the pain in her back brought tears to her eyes, and her phone was gone that she remembered. She struggled to walk to brush her teeth and wash her face before going downstairs.


    ¡°Good morning, Lady Kate,¡± Amy greeted her reluctantly.


    Kate looked around to look for Joseph, but she did not see him.


    Amy snarled, ¡°Lord Joseph has already left.¡±


    Since Joseph wasn''t around, Kate planned to get Henry to take her home to change clothes. She wasn''t aware that Joseph had got her clean clothes, and Amy was too jealous to tell her.


    ¡°Lady Kate!¡± Amy called after her.


    "What''s the matter?" Kate asked, turning back.


    ¡°Are you serious with Joseph this time?¡± Amy asked with an angry expression.


    ¡°Is that any of your business? Do you have any right to ask?¡± Kate assumed she hadn¡¯t learned her lesson. She wondered how Amy had the nerve to question her.


    ¡°Yes, I understand it is none of my business. However, you should be aware of who Lord Joseph loved before. You only gained his love because Lady Anna lost her memory again, and if her lies were not exposed, you wouldn''t have a chance with him," Amy reminded Kate.


    "You said it before, but I don''t care about it, not in the past and not now. As long as we are together, no one has the right to gossip about us. Besides, you are just a servant here. Do you dream about being Lady Amy?" Kate snarled and stepped toward her.


    Amy was so frightened that she backed away and stammered, "I...I just tell the truth. You...you should know!"


    "The truth?" Kate grabbed her collar and asked coldly, "Well, should I tell Joseph how you offended me for two years? Tell him that when I had a miscarriage, you were beside Anna and cheering her on? And tell how you turned on Anna to protect yourself?"


    "I..." Amy was terrified.


    "Lady Kate, I have always wanted to get along well with you. But you know me so well that I am scared of you, so I have to..."


    "Don¡¯t give me your false excuses. Any honest person would not feel the need to prove herself,¡± Kate looked at her coldly, ¡°I only believe in what I see with my own eyes!¡±


    Kate turned and walked away, she was going to search the grounds for Henry, but she saw John''s car pull into the driveway.


    John called out the window, "Lady Kate, Lord Joseph, asked me to pick you up."


    ¡°Okay,¡± Kate still hadn¡¯t calmed down from her confrontation with Amy.


    John assumed that she was unhappy about what happened with Mr. Hughes, so he smiled and told her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lord Joseph took care of everything that happened last night.¡±


    "Last night?" Kate thought he had gone to JK Group, but didn''t realize that he went out early to deal with Dave.


    "Mr. Smith found the bastard who bullied you last night, and..."


    "And what?" She felt sick, ¡°Did he beat him to death?¡±


    "No, but he can''t walk, and Lord Joseph forced him to apologize to Lisa¡¯s family. He already had a wife and children, then still went on a blind date. Mr. Smith only broke his legs; the man is happy that he is still alive!¡±


    Kate never suspected that the horrible man had a wife and children at home.


    When she got to Joseph¡¯s office, Kate knocked on the door. Joseph opened it to see Kate standing there, then pulled her inside only to press her against the door with a passionate kiss. His actions were so quick and smooth that she had no chance to push him away; she only knew that he overwhelmed her.


    After a long exciting kiss, Joseph placed his hand on the back of her head and whispered, ¡°Whenever I think of the bastard who wanted to harm you, I want to kill him.¡±


    ¡°But you dealt with it rationally,¡± Kate put her head to his chest, ¡°I am fine, so don¡¯t be angry.¡±


    ¡°I want to take you with me wherever I go. I want you to be by my side all


    the time,¡± Joseph kissed her forehead.


    Kate could not help but laugh, "Come on! I''m not a tissue that can be kept in your pocket.¡±


    ¡°Kate, I have an idea¡­¡± Joseph began to say but interrupted by a knock at the door.


    They stepped back, and Kate opened the door.


    ¡°Lady Kate, Lady Lisa is waiting for you outside,¡± John told her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± She turned around to tell Joseph that she was going to see Lisa, but he was already nodding.


    ¡°Go ahead, but tell me if you go anywhere,¡± Joseph smiled.


    Kate felt like a child, but she agreed and rushed forward to find Lisa.


    ¡°Kate¡­¡± Lisa cried and hugged her, ¡°I am so sorry, Kate. I never thought he would cause so many problems. I can¡¯t believe that bastard beat you!¡±

 Chapter 172 Join Me

    ¡°I feel so bad for you and Joseph," Lisa cried, "This morning when I saw Joseph, he looked serious, and his eyes were red. I was so frightened that he was going to hit me."


    ¡°You are overthinking things! He doesn¡¯t hit women,¡± Kate tried to reassure Lisa.


    ¡°He said that if I weren''t your friend, he would have beat me. After all, you suffered because of me¡­" Lisa bit her lip, ¡°It is all my fault. I was only thinking of how to deal with the blind date and not the consequences. If I hadn''t lied and said that you were me, you would not have been hurt by Dave. I am so sorry; I will not forgive myself for this."


    Kate did not stop her; she knew Lisa had to express her feelings, "My mother also learned a lot; I guess she will not force me into another blind date anytime soon."


    Lisa continued to say, ¡°Dave is poor, but pretends to be rich. His child is only in primary school, and he was upset about us lying. If I had known, I would have beat him to death myself. When Joseph found him, his wife begged Joseph to let him go. What was the woman thinking about?"


    ¡°Lisa!¡± Nick called.


    Kate waved, and Nick walked over, "Lisa, are you okay? Why are you crying? Don''t cry; tell me what happened."


    Lisa wiped her tears and snapped, ¡°You hope something happened to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I only heard that you had a rough blind date, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it!¡± Lisa hugged her arms and shouted at Nick, causing her rage to ease a little.


    ¡°Nick, you keep Lisa company because I need to go change my clothes.¡±


    ¡°Then can we have lunch together? Bring Joseph,¡± Nick suggested.


    Kate agreed immediately and went to Joseph''s office to tell him the plan. He shut the door behind her, and she knew exactly what he was thinking; she moved quickly, and embarrassment flashed in his eyes. He frowned and said, "Why don''t you let me kiss you?"


    ¡°Have you never heard that no matter how delicious the food is, you won¡¯t want it if you eat too much? So, you can¡¯t eat it every day!¡± Kate chuckled.


    Joseph stepped back and said in a low voice, ¡°Are disgusted with me?¡±


    "No," She immediately denied, "I was making a comparison."


    "So..." Joseph bent down to kiss her again.


    "You didn''t get any sleep last night. Nap for a little bit," Kate suggested. She could see the tiredness in his eyes, and her heart ached for him. She pulled him down to the sofa and demanded, "Sleep for an hour now!"


    Amused by her serious look, he pulled her down on top of him and asked, "Will you stay with me?"


    Kate wanted to say that she had to go to Kate Group, but then she remembered Nick invited them to lunch. She decided to stay with Joseph, or else he would go back to work when she left. She nodded and sighed, "Okay!"


    "Okay, I''m here. Go to sleep!¡±


    An hour had passed, and neither Kate nor Joseph came out of the office. Lisa and Nick patiently waited, but it was lunchtime, and they were hungry.


    Lisa asked curiously, "Kate agreed to have lunch with us, right?"


    Nick smirked, ¡°They have been in there for almost two hours. Only the two of them, so obviously they are doing something personal.¡±


    "Then we don''t have to wait; we can go by ourselves. It would be embarrassing to disturb them," Lisa commented after hearing Nick''s comment.


    "Are you sure?" Nick questioned, ¡°How about we knock on the door and embarrass them?¡±


    Lisa giggled, ¡°You are horrible! In this case, I say we choose not to bother them. If we tease them, they may get upset. You can make a fool out of Joseph, but I won''t allow you to bully my best friend!"


    "Come on! I''m just joking! I don''t have the courage. If Joseph gets angry, he will hurt me!¡±


    Lisa nodded in agreement, "Yes, I can see from how he fixed Dave! That bastard!"


    "If anyone dares to bully Kate, he will punish them!¡±


    "Great, Kate finally has someone to protect her!" Lisa said happily.


    ¡°Then¡­Are we going to knock on the door?¡± Nick was very curious about what was happening inside.


    Lisa squinted and rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    When they turned around to leave, the office door opened, and Kate called to Lisa.


    ¡°Kate, you finally came out,¡± Lisa smiled.


    Nick behind Lisa said in a joking tone, ¡°Did we disturb you doing something?¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t working, just took a little nap!¡± Kate was so innocent she didn¡¯t understand what Nick was implying.


    ¡°Kate, I mean¡­¡±

 Chapter 173 A Quarrel

    Nick stop immediately and didn''t say anything more.


    As soon as they walked away, Nick grabbed Joseph by the shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Can you really enjoy yourself in such a short time?"


    Joseph pushed his hand away; staring at him with a straight face. He clearly did not want to engage in a conversation with Nick about his personal life.


    Nick did not notice the unimpressed look on Joseph''s face, and continued, "No matter what, you and Kate were married for two years before, and now that things are going great, you should get married. She could move into your house, then you don''t have to go back and forth between your houses!"


    Joseph suddenly stopped, looked at him and asked, "Do you know who you look like right now?"


    Nick stroked his upright hair confidently, and asked arrogantly, "Who is that?"


    "A geeky ass bitch!"


    Nick''s smile fell down immediately, "Am I that annoying?"


    As they walked out of JK Group, Joseph put his coat around Kate''s shoulders. He realized she was still wearing her dirty clothes from the night before, he had asked Amy to have clothes prepared for her so why was she wearing those.


    After lunch, Kate decided she was going to go home to change her outfit, Joseph refused to let her go on her own. He wanted to protect her, and because of the incident the night before, Kate didn''t argue.


    On the way to Kate''s, Joseph couldn''t help but ask, "Why didn''t you wear the clothes I had Amy get for you? Didn''t you like them?"


    "The clothes you got for me?" She looked at him confused, then looked down at herself, "I am wearing your coat now."


    "I mean the clothes that I asked Amy to take to you this morning," Joseph looked at her and said, "I noticed that your clothes were dirty, so I gathered some for you before leaving. You were still sleeping so I told Amy to take them to your room."


    "But she didn''t actually bring them to me," She didn''t have to tolerate that vicious woman anymore.


    "She didn''t give them to you?" Joseph asked, with a flash of anger in his eyes.


    He just thought she didn''t like the style he chose, he never expected that Amy didn''t do what he requested.


    "But I received your thoughtfulness," Seeing that he was silent, she added happily.


    "Kate, how much do you know about Amy?" Joseph always felt that something was wrong with her, but couldn''t find any mistake in her everyday work.


    "Okay, you want the truth?" Kate looked at his perfect side face.


    "Is that a question?"


    "She''s been looking down on me." Kate didn''t give him a specific example, just said, "I am sure you will notice now that I mentioned it!"


    "Then I will let go right away!" He was not going to employ someone who was unfavorable to his girlfriend.


    "I know what you mean."


    After Kate changed her clothes, Joseph drove her to Kate Group. As she was getting out of the car, she remembered a comment Joseph had made earlier, "You said that you have an idea. What is it?"


    "It is a long story. We need to have a discussion when you are free," Joseph rubbed her cheek, his eyes full of tenderness, "I''ll pick you up tonight."


    "Okay!" She leaned in to give him a kiss but Joseph grabbed the back of her head to stop her from escaping, and his kiss was so passionate that she couldn''t resist.


    Each time Joseph kissed her he was filled with lust, but he always stopped before it went too far. Yet, she could see the raging flames in his eyes and knew it had to be hard for him to endure. Kate quickly took the initiative to say, "I will go to your house tonight!"


    "Sure!" The desire in Joseph''s eyes changed to joy and excitement.


    **


    That evening a cool Autumn breeze was blowing outside the Smith home, but it was just as cold inside. Ever since Joseph left Smith Group, Vincent was constantly angry; the servants were cautious, for fear of offending him and being fired. The house used to be full of happiness and peace, a wonderful place to work, but it became tense and depressing.


    Cassie was aware that Vincent was dissatisfied with her, so she also tried to avoid him as much as possible to prevent conflict. He usually went to bed early, so Cassie would calculate what time she could sneak into the house and not see him. However, when she walked in the door, he was pacing in the main hallway. He had startled her but she acted causal, "Dad, you aren''t in bed yet?"


    Vincent grimly replied, "So many things going on here and there, I can''t sleep!"


    "Is something wrong? I don''t think there are any problems," Cassie knew that Vincent was going to get angry at her, yet she deliberately pretended not to know.


    "Cassie, you really messed up this time! As Joseph''s mother, you didn''t stop him but supported him instead. Did you even consider my feelings? Don''t forget that you are my daughter-in-law, you should have stood with the Smith family!"


    It was the first time Vincent criticized her since Joseph took over the Smith Group. Over the years, due to her son''s hard-work, her life had been peaceful. Once Joseph rebelled against him, all the anger in his heart was taken out on her. She took a deep breath, and then said, "Dad, Joseph is almost thirty years old. He is an adult with his own ideas and can make his own decisions. As his mother, what could I do other than support him?"


    "What else could you do?" Vincent was very unhappy with what she said. He shouted furiously, "You should have persuaded him to listen to me, support Smith Group!"


    "Dad, don''t you know what Joseph has done for Smith Group all of those years?"


    Cassie argued for her son, Vincent was only angry that Joseph didn''t want to listen to him, "You kicked him out of Smith Group, and he left without any complaints. Even though, everyone knows that the only reason Smith Group survived was because of Joseph!"


    Vincent stomped his crutch on the floor and asked angrily, "Are you looking for me to do something in return?"


    "It is not what I meant; I''m just stating the truth!" As soon as Cassie got excited, she talked tough, which was infuriated Vincent even further.


    "I really thought you were doing a great job by keeping this house serene. But, now I can see that I was wrong about you!" Vincent said hastily, his tone filled with rage, "I want you out of my house tomorrow! Just like your son who turned his back on me. It''s been a long time since my son died!"

 Chapter 174 Kicked ou

    When she married Erick, he told her that she would always be a member of his family, even if one of them died, she was not going to allow an old man destroy their commitment, Cassie was stubborn, she yelled, "The only way you are going to get me out of this house is when I die!"


    Vincent continued to attack her, "Oh yes, that is the Cassie I remember! I was wondering when you would appear! You want this house, just say it!"


    "So, in your eyes, being nostalgic is only for money and assets?" Cassie snapped. She thought it was so ironic that Vincent had been the one teaching his descendants to be kind and friendly when he only cared about money.


    "Don''t question me, you have no right!" Vincent was even more impatient with people who called him out on his actions. Before stomping away, he turned around and warned her, "You can stay here until tomorrow then I do not want to see you again!"


    Cassie just smiled at the old man coldly, she didn''t take anything he said seriously. She had said what needed to be said, and going on would only continue the pointless arguing.


    While Cassie was still wondering how to resolve the issue, his daughter, Gina arrived at the house. She had a large group of people that were carrying suitcases, as she saw Cassie coming down the stairs she asked with a smile, "Oh, Cassie, I expected you to be gone by now!"


    It was obvious that Vincent was determined to drive her out of the house because there was no reason for Gina to move in so quickly. When he decided Joseph was to be the one to take over Smith Group, one of his children had to leave the house, and Gina''s family was the one.


    Cassie knew Gina had always been jealous of her over the years, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was polite and respectful to Cassie, now with her son taking over Smith Group, she could stand up for herself.


    Gina was trying not to sound short-tempered as she said, "Cassie, if you have too much stuff, I have enough people here to help you."


    "Thank you for your kindness, but this is my home, where do you want me to move?" She smiled and questioned bluntly.


    "Dad told me that you were moving out so that we could move in. I was quite surprised. Do you know why he would say that?" Gina asked triumphantly, "I assume it is because my Samuel is successful, so Vincent wants to make up for the neglect our family has suffered over the years."


    Then, Gina ordered, "Move, take our things to the room that Vincent has designated!"


    "Madame ..." The servants were embarrassed.


    "Well, I guess we will have to request Vincent to join us!" Gina snarled, putting pressure on Cassie.


    Cassie knew what Gina was trying to do, she waited fearlessly for Vincent. He might speak to Gina later about the incident, but Cassie was not going to back down. If she didn''t hold her ground, they would think they could push her around and use her weakness to threaten her in the future, which would be very unfavorable for Joseph.


    After a while, Vincent stumbled in on his crutches, he glared at Cassie, "Didn''t I make it clear enough last night?"


    "Dad, do you not remember that you promised to leave this house to Joseph as comfort when Erick passed away? Yet, now you want me to leave. How could you turn your back on them?" She didn''t want to bring up his promise, but Vincent was not showing her any mercy, so she was not holding back.


    "I have done say that, but the requirement was that Joseph would work for Smith Group! He chose to fight against me, failing me!"


    "Well, even so, as Erick''s wife, I have the right to inherit everything that belongs to him!" Cassie argued.


    "Dad, don''t you understand what she is saying? She will not leave!" Gina moaned.


    "No way! I''ll show you who is the big boss of this house!" Vincent was impatient and ordered the servants behind him, "Go throw her and her belongings out! From now on, Gina is the woman of this house!"


    After hearing Vincent stand up to Cassie, Gina was relieved and proudly smiled.


    With the large men in front of her, Cassie had no chance to resist. Before she could say anything, someone had grabbed her from behind and held her back.


    Vincent glared at her, and warned, "Don''t blame me. You piece of filth!"


    "Dad, so shall I continue moving my things in?" Gina comment to deliberately push Cassie''s buttons.


    "Of course! You will replace her!" Vincent nodded.


    "Great!" Gina happily grinned and walked toward the stairs, but turned back for a moment, "Cassie, I have no choice!"


    "We''ll see!" Cassie shouted.


    Half an hour later, all of Cassie''s belongings were outside the house, and all the servants backed away from her as if she had the plague. Cassie was furious, but she hesitated to call Joseph. She knew if she called him, he would only become enraged and cause more trouble, he was not a weak man, but if Vincent attacked him with the power of Smith Group, she worried. She took out her phone and dialed Jenny''s number.

 Chapter 175 Fired!

    "What the hell is going on?" Jenny was shocked to actually everything Cassie owned on the front lawn when she arrived. She couldn''t believe it and whispered, "My dad?"


    Cassie sneered coldly, "In the Smith house, who else has the right to throw people out like garbage beside him?"


    "He is going too far!" Jenny was so upset, she was going to get justice for Cassie and started toward the door.


    Cassie grabbed her arm, "He''s livid at this moment and has no interest in listening to what you have to say. I don''t want to drag you into this!"


    "But he has gone too far! What he did will affect the entire Smith family. I thought he was the one who valued family honor? Is he afraid of being laughed at by the servants?" With each word, Jenny became more and more disappointed with her father.


    She had calmed down some but Cassie was still hurting, "This is reality. Once interests change, all the beautiful scenes of the past are painfully destroyed. Erick is gone; I have to deal with this on my own."


    Jenny saw some servants still on the porch, she ordered, "Pack up these things and move them to the East Yard!"


    "Jenny, I don''t know how I can ever thank you."


    "Don''t mention it! Is Joseph aware of what is going on?"


    Cassie shook her head, frowned and said, "Joseph has always been a good boy. If he knows that I have been kicked out, he will definitely go after him. No matter what Vincent does, he is Joseph''s grandfather. More importantly, he has just started his own career, I don''t want him to worry about me. It better not to tell him, until I have a plan."


    **


    Joseph demanded to speak to Amy the moment he and Kate walked in the door. He asked her about the clothing for Kate.


    "Lord, I''m sorry! I was busy making breakfast for Miss Kate, and I forgot all about the clothes," Amy never expected that Joseph would find out, she continued to try and deny everything.


    "So, that is your excuse?" Joseph''s tone and expression were emotionless.


    Amy was terrified and hurried to explain, "I am not making excuses, I know I was wrong. Can you deduct my salary as punishment?"


    Kate had kept quiet, she finally said, "You said you forgot, yet when I said I needed to go home to get changed, that didn''t trigger thoughts?"


    "I..." Amy was flustered and looking for a way out.


    "I know you do not care for Kate, but I am warning you if I find out that you had any alter motives to hurt her¡­"


    "Lord, I was wrong!" Amy fell to the ground in front of him, begging, "I will be more careful in the future. I will never make another mistake when it comes to Kate!"


    "Joseph, since she knows that she was wrong, just let it be. After all, I don''t live here, and we are only dating because Anna was caught lying," Kate was deliberately mocking Amy.


    "Did you say that to her?" Joseph snapped at Amy.


    With a trembling voice, Amy sobbed and crawled toward Kate, "I didn''t say that! Miss Kate, please forgive me. I know I was wrong and I am sorry if I offended you. I will not make any more mistakes!"


    "Forgive you?" Kate snorted coldly, "When Joseph and I were not on good terms, I did not care how you treated me. However, now Joseph and I are in love and you continue to ridicule and interrogate me every chance you get. What are you thinking?"


    Kate didn''t want to take advantage of the situation, but she couldn''t stand dealing with someone who lied so much any longer. It was clear that Amy was going to continue denying everything. Things would only continue to get messier in the future if things went on like they were. Kate wished Joseph had seen her actions and discovered them for himself, but Amy was not someone to cross, so the situation had to be dealt with immediately.


    "I..." Amy never thought Kate would target her. She had always kept silent about what she had done in front of Joseph, including her involvement in the miscarriage. She didn''t expect that such a simple encounter would be the reason Kate went after her.


    "Ricky, pay her salary and let her get out of here immediately!" Joseph demanded.


    Numb with fright, Ricky slowly nodded.


    "Lord, are you going to fire me just because of something so insignificant that Kate is saying?" Amy complained, "I took care of you from the bottom of my heart all of these years. I devote my life to you, yet you are just going to throw me out?"


    "Excuse me? Did I impose any excessive rules on you? Were you forbidden to leave the house or not to marry and have children?" Joseph was angry but also a bit insulted when he heard Amy''s plea.


    "No, you didn''t give me any rules. But did you know, that since the very first time I laid eyes on you, I fell in love with you? I came here to work as a servant, you hired me and I never even left to go to college¡­" Amy sobbed as she finally told Joseph her deepest secret. She knew that everything was over, so she told him everything.


    "That was nothing but your wishful thinking. I won''t show you any mercy either, let alone be touched by your confession or spare you for what you have done to Kate!" Joseph''s tone was firm.


    Kate was shocked to hear Amy tell Joseph how she felt. She had been right though, Amy was jealous of her and gave up so much for Joseph.


    "Why? Why would you not love me? You didn''t love her before, it is only because Anna lied to you and so she looked better. What are you find out that she is not worthy of your love?" Amy was still hoping Joseph could grow to love her.


    Joseph completely lost his patience and ordered Henry, "Get her out of here!"


    "Yes, sir!" Henry must have been aware that Amy bullied Kate because he didn''t show any sympathy for her as he pulled her out of the house.


    Ricky was terrified when he saw Amy being physically removed. He was thankful that Kate didn''t mention anything he had done in the past, or else he would be have been leaving with Amy.

 Chapter 176 The Best Gif

    "Why don''t you go to sleep?" She asked.


    Joseph put the files aside and gave her a box.


    "Is that a cellphone?" Kate asked, "But I''ve got mine, I don''t need another."


    "That asshole had the other one. I don''t want you to feel uncomfortable with it. So, just use this one," Joseph was kind but imposing.


    "Maybe it''s you who is uncomfortable," Kate chuckled.


    "You know it!" Joseph replied, and looked cautiously at Kate.


    "Fine, I''ll take it¡­" Kate installed the sim card from her old phone into the new one, "But, only because it is a gift from you!"


    "So, do you know what you want to repay me?" Joseph questioned.


    "Well¡­" she thought carefully but didn''t know how to answer, "I will tell you when I have an idea. I wasn''t prepared for this!"


    "You''re the best gift anyway," Joseph giggled.


    Kate misunderstood what Joseph was saying, she blushed and lowered her head. She shyly said, "Didn''t we promise that we should take things slow?"


    "What are you thinking about?" He made fun of her, "I mean you promised to be my girlfriend, that''s the best gift."


    "Huh?" She looked at him naively, and her face felt even hotter; she couldn''t even speak.


    Joseph knew how easily she became embarrassed, he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, "Don''t worry, I will keep the promise!"


    "Joseph, even though we were intimate before, don''t you think I am a little¡­ for feeling this way?" She asked him again, hoping he would ease her insecurities.


    "No," He answered firmly, "On the contrary, I think this is a real relationship. We were married quickly and both reluctant, it wasn''t because of love. Now, we are getting to know each other, everything is perfect!"


    He understood what she meant, and Kate buried herself in his arms, feeling at ease.


    Joseph sat thinking for a while, he frowned and cautiously asked, "Aren''t you curious about that gift you rejected so long ago?"


    "The rejected gift?" She did remember but instantly felt shame for acting childish, "Don''t be upset about that. I was determined to divorce you, so I had to refuse it."


    "Okay, I appreciate you being honest," Joseph sneered, "But tell me, when you were determined to divorce me, what were you thinking? Did you still love me?"


    "How could I?" Kate pouted, "I want to and hoped I could, but every time I thought of you or heard what other people are talking about, I felt sick to my stomach."


    Kate had finally been able to admit how she felt, Joseph stared at her, not saying a word. She didn''t understand why so she asked, "What is wrong?"


    "Do you know that your words broke my heart?" He squeezed her hands tightly.


    "Sorry¡­" Joseph pulled her close and whispered in a sincere and soft tone.


    "It is okay, I let go of the past! I have forgotten all about, all I see now is our present and our future!" Kate exclaimed.


    "Yes, we shall think about that!" Joseph agreed and hugged her tighter.


    "So, what was the gift that was I rejected?" Kate struggled free from Joseph''s grip, staring into his eyes.


    "Since you didn''t want it then¡­"


    She hurried to clarify, "I wanted and was curious. If it wasn''t so well packaged, I would have secretly taken a look."


    "Wait a minute, and I''ll show you," He gently smiled


    "Okay!" She looked like a child on Christmas morning waiting to open her presents.


    Joseph took the exquisite gift box and handed it to her, "Since it is a gift for you, I allow you to open it!"


    Kate was thrilled, she took the box from him. She was shocked to see colorful paper boats and handmade stars, "Don''t tell me you made these yourself?"


    Joseph nodded calmly.


    "Really?" Kate was so astonished that she felt as if she might cry. She never thought that the cold and quiet Joseph could be so patient. Suddenly, she remembered the meaning behind them, she once told him in her letters, that making crafts was something she did to ease her troubles. Kate would fold paper boats and cut out small stars, then connect them and hang them in the house.


    In all the letters Kate wrote, she shared her daily life with Joseph. She did think that he cared though, she wrote a lot of letters that talked about trivial things. When she never received a reply, she started to tell him about things that boys would like better, like joining the basketball team and watching sports instead of soap operas.


    Kate wanted to get him interested in her, she continued to sign up for more sports like swimming, track and field, badminton, just to get Joseph''s attention.


    Flora thought she was crazy but Kate understood it might be a long and difficult task to get him to possibly like her. Yet, the wonderful man was with her and all of the painful things that happened in the past didn''t matter, she was ecstatic with her life.

 Chapter 177 Youre Mine

    "Kate, what do you love me so much?" He hugged her.


    "I don''t know, my heart whispered to me that I love you. I couldn''t change it, even when I tried!"


    "Then listen to your heart," Joseph lightly kissed her forehead.


    Kate lied on his arm and asked with embarrassment, "Then can you stay me until I fall asleep like you did last night?"


    "I would even if you hadn''t asked," He picked her up and carried her to the bed, gently laying her down.


    Kate''s face flushed, and her breathing became rapid as her heart started to pound, "Staying with me means sitting next to me or holding me, not this. It is slight dangerous¡­"


    Joseph raised his eyebrows and asked calmly, "Are you worried about me? Or you? Are you worried we might violate the agreement between us?"


    She knew he was doing it on purpose. He was aware of how she felt, but yet he continued to ask her. Kate turned her head away, not daring to look at him, because she was afraid she might lose control and fall under his spell, and the agreement would be pointless.


    "Get some rest," He sat up and held her in his arms.


    She cuddled into Joseph''s chest, "You need to stay here."


    "I will, but Kate¡­" A sly smile appeared on his face, "Are you hinting at something?"


    "Hinting?" She exclaimed, looking up at his handsome face.


    Joseph''s eyes fell down on her, and he said in a gentle voice, "You wish that I would stay, do you?"


    Kate was so was dumbfounded by his sexy, seductive appearance that she was slow to respond. Joseph took it as a sign of approval and slid down into the bed to lay next to her. As they lay side by side, Kate didn''t know if she could move, Joseph''s smooth gesture was so affectionate.


    "What are you trying to do?" She asked.


    Joseph held her tightly and said, "Didn''t you agree that I could sleep here?"


    "No, I didn''t!" She pushed him away, but it seemed more playful than serious.


    Joseph was much stronger than her, he put his arms around her and gave her no chance to escape. In a sensual voice, he commented, "Stop moving around so much, or I may not be able to control myself."


    Kate understood exactly what he meant and immediately stopped moving. Her heart was trumping and her face was red, she nervously said, "Then¡­should we go to sleep?"


    "Yeah, we should go to sleep!" Joseph smiled with satisfaction.


    ***


    The next day, Kate woke up to find herself sprawled across Joseph. She quickly moved and then nudge him, in a lazy voice, "Joseph?"


    "Yes?" He replied sluggishly, with his eyes closed.


    Kate didn''t really want to get up, it was 6 a.m. and still dark outside. So, she looked at Joseph sleeping next to her, then put her hand around his waist and closed her eyes.


    "I didn''t think you slept well before?" He complained.


    "I didn''t sleep well before?" She didn''t realize, she asked uncertainly, "Did I sleep on you the whole night?"


    "Did you?" His voice was filled with perseverance.


    "Well, I''ll be more careful next time," Kate whispered, with Joseph on top of her in such an intimate position, her heart beat faster and her voice trembled.


    "Would you like to compensate me?" Joseph''s voice echoed in her ear.


    Kate knew that if she didn''t get up, they might go too far. She tried to negotiate with him, "You should get up!"


    "Why?" Joseph said playfully.


    "How can I compensate you if we don''t get up?" Kate asked, understanding that Joseph was impossible to deal with.


    "If I get up, what''s the reward?" He flirted.


    She didn''t plan to stop the quarrel, she leaned forward and nibbled on his ear, "Reward?"


    "Do you mean to ¡­?" Joseph frowned and sneered at her.


    Then he lowered his head and kissed her as the sun began to rise. Joseph covered Kate in sweet kisses and light touches.


    Kate remembered that Amy was gone, she quickly sat up and rushed to go to the kitchen. However, Joseph stopped her and pulled her back to the bed.


    "What''s the matter?" Kate asked.


    "Once you go to the kitchen, you''re mine," He grinned, "Why would you make me breakfast for no reason?"


    "But how about Amy? She cooked so many years for you, did she belong to you?" Kate uncomfortable after she asked.


    "That was her job, it was different," Joseph explained boldly.


    "So, where will I be yours?"


    "Anywhere and everywhere!" Joseph''s eyes wandered over her body and flirted.


    "Well, I guess we are different," Kate just wanted to change the topic. She giggled to herself though.


    "So, does this mean you are acknowledging that you''re the hostess of this family now?" Joseph continued to ask, he was not giving up without an answer.


    "Yes, yes, yes," Kate exclaimed.


    Joseph let out a sigh of relief, "Let''s go then!"


    "Don''t you want to catch up on sleep since you didn''t sleep well last night?" Kate pouted. "It''s my fault that you didn''t sleep well. Next time, you could wake me up if I am disturbing you."

 Chapter 178 Restless Sleep

    "I slept with a sense of panic and precaution when we married, even in my sleep. I was in a constant state of fear. You always seemed to be angry, like a furious beast, and then¡­" Every time she thought of the past, the memories upset her so much that she couldn''t go on.


    Joseph felt guilty, yet delighted, "The good news is that you are not on your guard with me anymore. It is easy to be with me."


    She was comforted, "Yes, that is exactly why I slept in a different position!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m willing to accept your different sleeping positions," He assured Kate.


    **


    As he drove Kate to work, Joseph was worried that she might not go back to his house that night. He deliberately hinted, "Now, that there is no maid at my place, how can I have you there for supper?"


    "Don''t worry, I will take care of it! Just go to work!" Kate told him.


    "Okay," He nodded and felt much better after her reply.


    Kate began to work the moment she walked in the door. The project with Cooper Group was going smoothly because of Joseph''s plan and efficient support. Each day she was becoming more and more confident in her abilities, and could calmly deal with different situations without hesitation.


    Both her professional and personal life were growing better by the day.


    **


    A few days later, as Thanksgiving Day was quickly approaching, Kate decided to call Cassie and invite her to dinner. However, Cassie turned down the offer, saying she had other plans. Kate was a bit confused but didn''t think too much of it until Noelle arrived home from school for a visit.


    "Kate, my mother and aunt warned me multiple times not to tell you and Joseph, but I need to tell you the truth. Aunt Gina and Grandpa, have kicked her out of the house. They treated her like trash, but I do not want you going to Grandpa''s house. I don''t like him either but there is nothing we can do!" Noelle complained.


    "How is she doing?" Kate tried to hold back her emotions. She knew Cassie would do everything she could for her son, even if it meant suffering a great deal. She treated people well and always showed Vincent great respect, so it must have been horrible to be kicked out of her home.


    Noelle explained, "Fortunately, she is staying with Aunt Jenny, or else things might have been much worse."


    Jenny had never desired the Smith family property and could see everything from an unbiased point of view. The relationship between Cassie and Jenny had always been good, but there was always a tension between them and Gina.


    She explained that even if Joseph was unfriendly to her, she followed him around, always feeling like he was a cold-hearted person with a kind heart, who would protect her.


    "Kate, are you going to tell Joseph about this?" Noelle was much concerned,


    "You know Joseph''s temper. If he found out, he would do something and nobody in any house would have a peaceful life. You know that Grandpa is not such a good guy!"


    "I will keep it a secret for the time being," Kate assumed that Cassie must have her own plan if she chose not to tell her son and therefore, Kate should respect her wishes.


    "Thank you! You know Grandpa''s temper. If we tell Joseph now, we will get nothing but anger from both of them," Noelle sighed.


    **


    Later that afternoon Kate and Noelle went to Jenny''s home. When they walked in, she and Cassie were having a cup of tea.


    "Hello! Guess who is with me?" Noelle exclaimed.


    Cassie and Jenny turned to see Kate, they were completely surprised. Especially Cassie, she felt rather uneasy to see her.


    "Hello, Aunt Jenny and Aunt Cassie," Kate greeted.


    Jenny got up to give her a hug and said, "We were just talking about you! What a coincidence!"


    "I had some free time, so I wanted to spend the day with Noelle," Kate looked at Cassie, "I wasn''t expecting to see you here though."


    Cassie felt her heart rate lower when she heard Kate''s comment. It turned out she had been worrying for nothing, Kate didn''t seem to know what had happened. Cassie quickly asked, "Kate, have you had lunch yet?"


    "Yes," Kate replied and pulled out a chair.


    "Cassie made the cake, have a taste," Jenny said and cut a piece for each of the girls.


    "Wow, it''s the best cake I''ve ever eaten," Kate said.


    Cassie was very happy that Kate loved her cake, "If you really like it, I would make it for you every day."


    "Really?" Kate blushed.


    "Of course, you''re not only Joseph''s wife, but also my daughter."


    "Yes, don''t forget about your son, just because you have a daughter-in-law," Noelle added.


    Jenny worried that Noelle might say something about Cassie staying with her, so she asked her to go to the kitchen to get some fresh fruit to go with the cake.


    "Thank you so much, Aunt Jenn," Kate said.


    "You''re welcome, my dear. I''m happy to serve you, nobody else appreciates my service!"


    Noelle added, "because we all like each other!"


    "What a sweetheart," Cassie sighed.


    "Don''t envy me, it should be me that is envious of you! You have such a wonderful son and considerate daughter-in-law, you are the true winner!"


    Cassie nodded to show agreement, then quickly asked, "Kate, will you and Joseph have a wedding? Even though you had one before, but¡­"


    "Jenny, what are the latest trends for weddings? I know you attended last week," Cassie rushed to say before Kate could reply. She was worried Kate might be sad about being divorce, even if she would probably remarry Joseph sooner or later.

 Chapter 179 Everybody has a Secre

    Joseph called Jenny, when she answered, Joseph immediately began to complain, "When did you become so mean? You only invited Kate to dinner and ignored your nephew?"


    "Nonsense, if you want to come, you are welcome at any time," Jenny was thrilled to have Joseph join them. However, Cassie was upset to hear her son would be there, she was afraid that he would find out her secret.


    Kate pretended she knew nothing and didn''t ask Cassie anything that might seem like she was prying. She most of the time chatting with Noelle unless she had to answer Cassie or Jenny.


    Not long after Joseph arrived, still wearing his work suit. Kate figured he would have come right from the office.


    "What a fine fellow my nephew is! Just as handsome as my brother," Jenny complimented with a smile.


    "Why do you keep praising him?" Noelle complained. She was a little impatient and she was unhappy that Joseph was a bit late so she was starving. She didn''t dare to look at Joseph, but said, "It is no use being handsome, a man should also be capable and talented."


    In Noelle''s eyes, Joseph was nothing more than a cold personality lately.


    "Noelle, you should watch what you say. Joseph is older than you," Jenny said.


    "Never mind, I do not take a child''s words seriously," Joseph laughed.


    "You are the child!" Noelle didn''t like being treated as if she was younger. She made a face and stuck out her tongue at Joseph. Then she took Kate by the arm and said, "I will not let you sit with Kate today!"


    Joseph frowned and turned to Kate as if he was asking for help. Kate pointed to the position next to Cassie, "Sit there."


    Joseph''s eyes flashed with uncertainty as if he was questioning not sitting next to her but he knew what Kate meant. She could sit with him every day but Cassie didn''t have that opportunity; it was the same for her and Noelle.


    Having her son next to her would hopefully lift Cassie''s spirits, Kate thought. As an insider, Noelle also understood Kate''s intentions. She naturally took the position with ease and had no intention of moving seats, leaving Joseph with no choice but to sit next to his smiling mother.


    "Joseph, how''s your work been going recently?"


    "It''s okay," Joseph couldn''t hide the happiness on his face though," With your future daughter-in-law by my side, everything is much easier!"


    "It''s the power of love!" Cassie grinned from ear to ear.


    "Oh wow! Someone really is a flirt no matter who is around," Noelle mumbled.


    Joseph looked over with warning, "Don''t you say whatever you want about Kate?"


    "Yeah, that''s me, and with Kate''s support, I could do whatever I wanted. Are you jealous?" Noelle was happy to be annoying Joseph.


    Joseph listened, squinting at her from time to time. His eyes were full of displeasure. Yet, Kate couldn''t stop smiling, she thought the stories were funny.


    After the wonderful dinner, Joseph said that he would take Kate home, he asked Cassie as well. She politely declined and didn''t even try to get them to stay longer like she usually did. Joseph assumed she had an argument with Grandpa and was not in any rush to get home herself.


    "So, we will see you tomorrow for Thanksgiving, right Mom?" Joseph asked Cassie.


    Cassie immediately started to panic, she quickly replied, "I have other plans tomorrow, so¡­"


    "That is okay, if you have other plans, we will take a trip to Phoenix!" Kate interrupted so that Cassie would not feel uncomfortable.


    "That''s great!" Cassie smiled as a thank you.


    Joseph was surprised by Kate''s comment but didn''t ask her why she suddenly decided she wanted to go away.


    Noelle added with a grin, "If you are traveling, are you going to take me? Don''t worry, I will be invisible, you won''t even know I am there!"


    Kate was amused by her, she promised. "Of course, we can be together tomorrow."


    "Well, I will prepare all of my travel essentials tonight!" Noelle beamed.


    Joseph glanced at her disgustingly, "Don''t you need to study hard for university? How do you always have time to join us?"


    "Kate, it''s late, you''d better go. That way you have time to enjoy your personal time," Noelle whispered then turned away from them. She didn''t want to listen to Joseph''s preaching.


    Cassie and Jenny just stood, laughing as they teased each other.


    **


    On the drive home, Joseph nervously asked Kate, "Why do you suddenly want to go to Phoenix?"


    "Well, don''t you like it there?" Kate mentioned casually. She hadn''t been there before, and she was curious. Plus, it wasn''t that far from Aubi City, so they could take their time.


    "I do like it!" Joseph answered, still a bit surprised, he said," Let''s go to the Phoenix tomorrow then!"


    "Really?" She was not sure if he would really go.


    "I will go anywhere with you," Joseph smiled.


    "Well, you don''t want to have Noelle come with us, do you?" Kate asked.


    Joseph frowned when he heard Noelle''s name. "Why did she want to come with


    us? Doesn''t she know that we need time alone?"


    "But she''s your sister, and she has worked hard to get us together. We should thank her," Kate had always been close with Noelle and would stick up for her no matter what.


    Joseph nodded in agreement.


    "Well, since Noelle is coming, why don''t we ask Lisa and Nick too? The more the merrier!" Kate suggested.

 Chapter 180 Road Trip

    "Don''t be so upset. We are together every day, and I promise that after this, I will be by your side, okay?" Kate comforted Joseph like she was talking to a child. She looked over at him and added, "I want to be with you every minute!"


    **


    The next morning, one of Joseph''s drivers took Kate and Joseph to meet Lisa, Nick, and Noelle.


    "Kate! Kate!" They shouted as they ran toward the black bus.


    With a disappointed tone, Joseph commented, "It seems that someone is going to steal my girlfriend today."


    "Come on! We are all going to be together, okay?" Noelle grabbed Joseph''s hand.


    After loading the bags on the bus, they were getting ready to leave when Lisa said, "Wait a minute, someone hasn''t arrived yet!"


    "Who else is going?" Kate asked since it looked as if everyone was there.


    Lisa replied with slight embarrassment, "Last night, Rowen and I were having dinner when you called. I was so thrilled that you invited me that I let it slip and sort of invited him."


    Kate wasn''t too worried; she smiled and said, "That''s okay! The more people, the better. We will wait!"


    However, Lisa noticed the apparent anger on Joseph''s face. Lisa quickly pulled Kate aside, "Will Joseph be upset?"


    "I don''t think so. Joseph knows that Rowen and I went to school together. And, Rowen knows that if he causes any problems for Joseph and I that we will no longer be friends," Kate was confident that everything would be fine.


    Lisa nodded, "Yes, I''m sure Joseph knows that you only love him! But he is jealous of Rowen because he loves you. It''s not a bad thing, yet he should see that you have no feelings for Rowen."


    A short while later, Rowen finally arrived. When he saw everyone waiting, he quickly said, "Sorry to make you wait so long!"


    Joseph became cold and unfriendly when he saw Rowen, and even more so when Kate smiled and replied, "It is okay, you didn''t keep us waiting. We will leave when everyone is ready!"


    "Thank you, Kate."


    "You are welcome."


    It was just an ordinary conversation between two people, but Joseph was furious. He put his arm around Kate, pulling her close to show his dominance.


    When Lisa saw Joseph''s reaction, she was worried that a war would break out between him and Rowen before they even got in the car. She rushed to Rowen''s side, took his hand, and said, "You sit with me!"


    "Okay¡­" Rowen had wanted to sit with Kate, even though he knew she was Joseph''s girlfriend.


    Nick looked nearly as cranky as Joseph; he touched Lisa''s hand and whispered, "I thought you said that you would sit with me?"


    "Did I?" Lisa pulled away from Nick but continued to hold Rowen''s hand.


    "Sit with you? You will sit with me, okay?" Kate smiled at Noelle.


    Joseph didn''t want to be away from Kate, but Noelle was family, and Kate wanted to spoil her, so he didn''t argue. He was thankful, though, when Noelle announced, "No, I have been a third wheel before! It is okay for me to spend time with someone else today!"


    After that, he turned to Rowen and asked, "Can you sit with me?"


    Lisa was anxious, but considering it was Noelle, she had no reason to refuse.


    "Sure!" Rowen replied.


    Kate was relieved; she didn''t want anyone to fight or feel left out. Because it was a four-hour drive, Kate was worried that Noelle might get motion sickness, so she asked Rowen to keep an eye on her.


    Joseph noticed that Noelle seemed to be flirting with Rowen. He said, "Noelle, behave yourself. You are only young!"


    Noelle sat up straight and kept some distance from Rowen, pretending to listen to Joseph''s concerns. However, as he walked away, she stuck her tongue out at him.


    Rowen looked over at Noelle, feeling a little awkward.


    Lisa was feeling frustrated as they took their seats. She invited Rowen to join them so she could get closer to him, but Noelle stole him away. She tried to plot how to get time alone with him later in the day; Noelle was no competition; she was a child in Lisa''s eyes.


    "Lisa, do you want a drink of water?" Nick offered when he realized she was focused on Rowen. He kept talking to her, trying to get her attention, but Lisa just elbowed him. Nick was hurt and whispered, "Okay! I get it!"


    Joseph was afraid that Kate would feel sick on the bus, so he wrapped his arms around the moment they sat down. He used his coat to cover her up and said, "Sleep if you can; the time will go faster that way!"


    "Do you object to me suggesting we take a bus?" She asked. Kate wanted to take the bus so that everyone could appreciate the view. In the past, if she had to travel alone, she always wore earphones to block out the noise, and looking out the window made her happy.


    "Of course not!" He kissed her forehead, "There is no reason not to fly!"


    "You are very reasonable!" Kate laughed.


    "Aren''t you afraid of getting sick, though?"


    She shook her head and said, "I won''t get sick when I am happy. Plus, I seldom travel with you; why would I waste my time sleeping?"


    Joseph smiled and kissed her forehead again, his eyes filled with love.


    "Oh my! Can you two not display your lovey-dovey love in front of us? I feel sick! I am so hot!" Noelle stated.


    Although Kate and Joseph were whispering, Rowen was sitting in front of them and could clearly hear everything. His heart broke to listen to their loving words. He realized he would see Kate showing affection toward Joseph on the trip, but he still wanted to see her. Even if he were near her from a distance, it would make him happy.

 Chapter 181 Fighting Due to Jealousy

    "Are you taking care of me?" Noelle teased. Rowen was a handsome man and seemed to be just her type. From the moment she saw him, she was impressed, and his concern for her made her smile.


    "It is what any man should do," Rowen answered politely.


    "Thank you!" She smiled.


    Four hours later, they arrived at their hotel. After checking in, Joseph suggested they all freshen up before meeting in the lobby.


    Nick enjoyed joking with Kate and Joseph. When he walked past them, he commented, "We only have one hour. You better not be so busy that you lose track of time!"


    Kate''s face turned red, and she rushed into the room. Joseph stayed in the hallway a moment and warned Nick, "Watch your mouth!"


    Joseph closed the door to their room. When he saw Kate unpacking, he walked over and put his arms around her, "How about we were matching coats?"


    "What?" She had no idea what he was talking about.


    "I remember that you said you fell in love with me when you saw me wear my beige coat. And you also said it is very attractive!"


    Her face turned red again, and she could not deny anything, "Yes, I did say that. But, I didn''t think that you would still have the same coat all these years later! You do know styles have changed, right?"


    "I like it because you like it. I like everything you like!" Joseph blurted out.


    Kate laughed at him, "Are you trying to confuse both of us?"


    "Anyway, we love each other."


    They unpacked and laid down on the bed for a rest. After a bit, Kate was softly snoring. Joseph took off her shoes and covered her with a blanket. He brushed the hair out of her face, then sighed, "A real natural beauty. Even with no makeup, she is more beautiful than any other woman!"


    **


    That same afternoon at Smith Group, Mayne was analyzing documents. He explained to Samuel, "JK Group is developing quickly. In the beginning, people were doubtful if it would be successful, but now it is becoming more attractive. Particularly, because those in the business know that Joseph is the owner, many intend to work with him. He may possibly seize our business."


    Samuel snarled, "These people are flattering me to my face, but then they support Joseph behind my back! Since they are betraying me, then they can''t blame me for my cruelness!"


    "According to the detective''s report, Joseph and Kate have traveled to Phoenix."


    "Why don''t you tell me that sooner?" Samuel was angry. He gritted teeth, "They are really together!"


    "I just prioritized work before them," Mayne was terrified at Samuel''s reaction.


    **


    Phoenix was a busy tourist city, so line ups for any attractions were long. Fortunately, Joseph had asked someone to purchase tickets in advance; they quickly began touring.


    The women were interested in having as many pictures as possible taken, and Nick, of course, was their photographer. He was always the most compliant to the women''s requests while Joseph and Rowen waited off to the side, with both of their focus on Kate.


    After Joseph noticed that Rowen was also watching Kate, he gently said, "Rowen, there are many flowers every season; you can pick anyone you like. Why just focus on one?"


    As a college professor, Joseph knew he would understand what he was stating.


    Rowen turned to Joseph, "If you are worried that I will take Kate from you, that means you don''t feel as if you have her entire heart. If that is the case, why would I give up easily?"


    "Whether I have her heart or not is none of your business. But, I am reminding you to watch what you say!"


    "Can I ask what I said wrong?" Rowen thought that Joseph was depriving Kate of the right to make friends, "Even though she has a boyfriend, she should still have the right to have friends, male or female. She is your girlfriend, not your personal property."


    Rowen''s attitude gave Joseph the impression that he was challenging him. He quickly refuted, "I meant that you should not have any unrealistic expectations about Kate. I am not trying to stop her from having friends."


    "You should be clear because it was obvious about how you treated her before!" At the thought of Joseph''s disrespectful attitude toward Kate when they were married, Rowen clenched his fist and hit Joseph.


    Not expecting the hit, Joseph was caught off guard and fell to the ground. He immediately jumped up and swiftly hit Rowen. The two began throwing punches at each other, and when the women noticed, they rushed over.


    Noelle screamed, "Oh, no! Joseph and Rowen are fighting!"


    "You are both handsome men. Why are you fighting?" A warm-hearted older woman stepped in between them.


    Kate saw cuts and bruises on their faces, and she felt horrible.


    Noelle touched Joseph''s cheek and asked, "Are you okay?"


    Joseph pushed her hand away and went to put his arm around Kate. However, Kate shrugged his hand away; she shouted, "Don''t touch me!"


    Rowen called out Kate''s name, but she continued walking away.


    "Don''t talk to her!" Joseph hit Rowen again.


    Noelle was trying not to cry as she shouted, "Joseph, what are you thinking? Your girlfriend is walking away, and you are here hitting him!"


    Suddenly, Joseph realized that Kate was more important than acting like a jealous fool. He ran after her but knew that she was furious with him so, he just walked silently behind her.


    After reaching the edge of the park, Kate took out her phone to call a taxi to take her back to the hotel. But Joseph wrapped his arms tightly around her and whispered, "Sorry, my love¡­"

 Chapter 182 You Never Trusted Me

    Joseph never said a word. After Kate calmed down, he whispered, "Don''t be angry, okay?"


    "Let go of me!" Her voice was cold.


    He didn''t look at her expression but could clearly tell how angry she was.


    Joseph was afraid of upsetting her more, so he let go of her.


    After she got out of his arms, she took a step back. There was only a small distance between them, but to Joseph, it felt like miles. His heart tensed up; the feeling of intimacy that they had established after such difficulty was gone because of one action. He was panicked and was about to explain.


    However, Kate spoke before he did, "I know you have always thought that something was going on between Rowen and me, and that is why you look at him like he is some kind of competition. It was the same situation with Samuel and me, but I thought you let it go after you insulted me. Maybe you did, and I know I tried. Yet, after what I just saw, I realized that you have never truly trusted me."


    She looked at him and frowned with disappointment, "The girl you believe is the one that wrote to you, not the one you hated for two years!"


    Not saying another word, or allowing Joseph to respond, Kate got into a taxi.


    Joseph was heartbroken to hear how much he hurt her; he didn''t know what to say, and then she was gone. He took out his phone, called the hotel to notify them that she would be arriving shortly, and if she didn''t contact him immediately.


    "Where is Kate?" Noelle questioned. She assumed she would find Joseph and Kate together, but it was only Joseph, looking lost.


    "Let''s just get back to the hotel!" Joseph was so worried because Kate had never been to Phoenix. He needed to make sure she was safe.


    When he arrived back at the hotel, Joseph rushed to their room, hoping to find Kate but she hadn''t been there. He asked the front desk, but the receptionist hadn''t seen her either. Joseph called Kate''s cell phone, but she wasn''t answering, he was starting to worry.


    "What do we do? Kate must be furious if she won''t answer our calls!" Noelle cried, staring at her phone.


    Joseph tried to remain calm in front of the others. He gently said, "Noelle, wait for her to come back. I will go look for her; if she comes back here, though, call me right away!"


    "Okay, you call me if you find her!" Noelle demanded.


    **


    From the very moment Kate got in the taxi, she began sobbing.


    The taxi driver looked back at her in the rearview mirror and asked where she wanted to go.


    After thinking about what she had said, Kate realized that she might have been a bit harsh, but she knew Joseph didn''t believe her. He was worried about her talking to other men, so it was like he didn''t trust her.


    Thinking about the fight with Rowen and the situation before with Samuel, Kate sighed. She thought if she went back to the hotel immediately, Joseph wouldn''t understand the importance of why she walked away, and the matter would not be resolved. It would be good for them to each have some time to think things over. But, she didn''t want to worry the others, so she sent Lisa and Noelle each a text to let them know she was okay.


    When she got out of the taxi, Kate looked around and saw a bench by a fountain. People were throwing coins in and making wishes; she took out a quarter and wished that she and Joseph could have a happy future, one with no misunderstandings, no fighting, and no breakups. However, she did feel that it might be a bit greedy to wish for all of that.


    After Noelle received the text message, she immediately called Joseph, "You can come back, we heard from Kate!"


    Noelle worried that maybe they would find Kate, and then Joseph would get lost out looking for her.


    "Where''s Kate?" Joseph asked, running down the hall to meet Noelle.


    Noelle said calmly, "There is no reason to rush! Why don''t you think about things before you do them? You need to speak and do things calmly and patiently. But look at what you are doing?"


    Joseph was impatient and didn''t want a speech; he asked again, "Where is Kate?!"


    "Kate told us not to worry about her. She will be back in a while."


    "Show me the message!" Joseph didn''t believe her; he reached to grab her phone out of her hand.


    "Wait! I nearly beat that level!" Noelle shouted, but Joseph had her phone.


    After reading the text message Kate sent, Joseph stood frozen.


    Noelle took back the phone from him and asked nervously, "Joseph, are you okay?"


    "Noelle, am I a jerk?"


    "What?" Noelle had never seen Joseph acting like that. He was usually so serious, but he looked so vulnerable. She finally saw that his love for Kate was so great, yet it made him weak and left him doubting himself.


    "Sit down and think before you act!" Noelle ordered. She didn''t have the heart to blame him, but he had to see how he was acting.


    "Noelle, can you please ask Kate where she is, and I will pick her up?" Joseph was worried about her being in the city alone.


    "I will, but you have to promise me that you do not make her even angrier," Noelle wanted to respect Kate and also thought that people should calm down before trying to work out their difference. If not, minor problems could become much worse and lead to devastation.


    Joseph waited silently for Kate''s reply. She had thrown her coin in the fountain and then wandered off to a small boutique to buy something for Noelle and Lisa.


    When she stepped outside, she received the text from Noelle; she told her where she was, knowing that Joseph wanted the information.


    Kate questioned herself about the anger she had toward Joseph and if he had learned his lesson. She knew she had to go back to the hotel at some point because not only Joseph but her friends would be worried.

 Chapter 183 Apology for Making a Terrible Mistake

    About ten minutes later, Joseph arrived to see Kate sitting by the fountain.


    She was sure that he would be coming to find her, so she deliberately sat somewhere he could find her. The moment she saw him, her heart began to pound. Kate wanted to run to him and tell him that she never wanted to fight again, but he already had his arms around her before she could.


    "Sorry, I was wrong," Joseph whispered. He held her tight for several minutes, not saying a word.


    After calming down a little, she looked at him and said, "Let''s go back to the hotel. I don''t want anyone to be worried about us!"


    "Okay," Joseph nodded and picked up Kate''s shopping bags.


    **


    Back at the hotel, the four others waited in the lobby for Joseph and Kate to return. Rowen had a few cuts and scratches but seemed to be doing fine.


    Lisa said, "Rowen when they get back here, don''t look at Joseph like he is your enemy. Otherwise, Kate will be embarrassed and upset. You are her friend and Joseph is her boyfriend. She doesn''t want anyone of us to be unhappy around each other."


    Rowen nodded; he felt terrible for what he had done.


    After half an hour, Joseph and Kate walked into the hotel.


    "Kate!" Lisa ran towards her. She took her hand and asked, "Are you all right?"


    Kate shook her head and then turned to Rowen, asking with concern, "Are you okay?"


    "Don''t worry, Nick and I have already taken him for an examination. There is only a slight flesh wound, so no major problems," Lisa commented and then looked at Joseph, "How are you doing?"


    Joseph shook his head as if it was unimportant.


    Kate was aware that Joseph had a few injuries and wanted to take care of him, but she didn''t say anything.


    "Since everyone is okay, let''s all go back to our rooms and get some rest. I will have room service deliver our dinner; then we can get together for drinks later in the evening. How does that sound?" Nick suggested. He sensed there was still some tension between Joseph and Rowen; meeting later in the night would give them more time to calm down. Plus, that it would also give Joseph and Kate time to work things out and makeup.


    Lisa nodded in agreement, "Rowen, I will go to your room with you and help you apply your ointment."


    "What are you talking about, Lisa?" Nick snapped, "You and he can''t stay in a room alone? Let me do it!"


    Lisa glared at Nick and reluctantly handed the medicine to him.


    "Let''s go back to our room and get cleaned up," Kate sighed.


    Joseph wanted to talk to Kate so that they could relax, "Okay."


    "Rowen, you¡­" Lisa chased after Rowen, thinking he was going to hit Joseph again.


    Joseph stopped but did not look back. Everyone was tense and watching as if they were moving in slow motion.


    "I''m sorry!" Rowen bowed at his back.


    Except for Joseph''s cold expression, everyone''s jaw dropped; they were in shock. Rowen then turned to Kate and apologized, "Kate, it was my fault. I should not interfere with the relationship between you and Joseph. I was the one who spoke inappropriately and hit Joseph. I aggravated him, and I am very sorry."


    Lisa could not believe that it was Rowen who threw the first punch. She thought it was Joseph who had attacked Rowen, judging by who looked worse. Kate had also thought Joseph started the fight, which was part of the reason why she was so angry with him.


    "Since this misunderstanding seems to have been cleared up, maybe you could shake hands and be friends?" Nick said cautiously.


    However, neither of the two men moved a muscle. Noelle stepped forward and took Joseph''s hand, then said, "Rowen, shake hands with Joseph."


    "Yes, still friends," Lisa commented and took Rowen''s hand to shake Joseph''s.


    After shaking hands, Joseph said to him, "Anyway, the competition should have been fair. I shouldn''t have to warn you about your thoughts. Instead, I will use my actions to defend what I need to!"


    "It is my honor to have such a great enemy. I appreciate an opponent like you," Although Rowen apologized, it didn''t mean that he was going to give up on the opportunity to pursue Kate. Their conversation hadn''t been a peaceful surrender but more of a subtle declaration of war.


    The air became tense, and the reason for the fight was clear to everyone.


    Joseph took Kate''s hand and led her to their room. The atmosphere made Kate''s heart pound again.


    "Still angry?" He pulled her to the bed and sat down; his deep gaze fell on her delicate face.


    Kate shook her head and apologized, "I''m sorry; I misunderstood what happened."


    Joseph hugged her and said honestly, "If I feel anxious because other people like you, it means I have no confidence in myself. I do trust you, and I didn''t handle the situation well."


    "No matter who likes me, it doesn''t mean that it changes my feelings for you. You should have confidence in yourself and believe in me," Kate reminded him.


    "Okay, I will," Joseph said and held her tighter. He was relieved that things could go back to the way they were.


    "Lisa gave me some ointment. Let me put some on your cut so that it will heal faster," Kate said, gently touching Joseph''s face.


    He nodded and let her apply the ointment.


    About seven o''clock, the group met in the lobby to go to the hotel''s bar. Nick, Noelle, and Lisa danced and laughed most of the night. Joseph and Kate cuddled close together and giggled, watching the others making fools of themselves, while Rowen sat in the corner alone drinking his beer. Lisa had tried to get him to join them, but he refused each time.

 Chapter 184 Fight Again

    "Why?" Joseph snapped.


    Kate squinted at him and questioned, "Do you forget what we said in the room?"


    "Okay, go ahead," Joseph sighed, "I need to remember that you only have me in your heart, so I don''t have to worry!"


    "See, you do remember! Don''t worry, I know what I need to do," Kate kissed him and walked toward Rowen.


    Kate looked at the five empty beer bottles sitting on the table. She frowned and said, "Rowen, you will get drunk if you keep drinking this much."


    She called the waiter over to pick up the bottles and took away the half-empty one in his hand.


    Rowen was feeling a little tipsy and smiled, "Kate, don''t be so silly! Give that bottle; I am not drunk yet. I can still drink more. Don''t you remember that graduation party? Some boys were forcing you to drink, but I stopped them and helped you drink it!"


    He belched proudly at the thought of the memory. The gentleman Kate knew was different than the one in front of her.


    "That is the aftermath of drinking too much beer!" Rowen chuckled.


    Kate shook her head and insisted, "Rowen, you can''t drink anymore."


    Rowen watched her for a long time before saying, "Okay, I will listen to you. I won''t drink."


    He then stood up from his seat and stumbled around. The waiter rushed to help Rowen, "Sir, do you need help getting back to your room?"


    "Okay," He nodded; he had a long day and needed to rest.


    Kate was relieved after he accepted the help, but suddenly he grabbed her hand.


    Joseph had been watching everything from across the room. He had no objection to her speaking with Rowen, but Joseph could not stay calm the minute he touched her.


    "Kate," Rowen seized her wrist tightly.


    Kate was taken aback and quickly pulled away, "You drank too much, Rowen!"


    "I did drink too much, but I know what I am saying. I want to tell you that I¡­"


    "Take him back to his room now!" Joseph ordered and put his arms around Kate. He warned Rowen, "The so-called far competition does not mean you can put your hands on my girlfriend! If you do it again, I will not let you get away so easily!"


    Rowen looked at Joseph and suddenly sneered, "Fair? If you did not force Kate to marry you, she wouldn''t have suffered so much! You said you would just rely on her love. If you really love her, you should have cherished her before!"


    Kate froze when she heard Rowen''s confession. Lisa had told her that he cared for her, but she ignored Lisa''s comments. Even when he and Joseph fought, she denied that she was the reason. She was afraid that if she admitted to knowing that their friendship would be affected and that she couldn''t face him.


    As the situation began to worsen, Kate realized that she could not go on pretending like everything was normal because Rowen was an extremely persistent person.


    Lisa rushed over to try and diffuse the tension. She pulled on Rowen''s arm, "You had too much to drink!"


    "Lisa, you were hurt when Kate was bullied by Joseph before. My heart hurts just as yours did. You are afraid of him, but I am not!" Rowen shouted as if he was declaring war.


    However, Joseph remained calm, with his grip on Kate never loosening as Rowen continued to ramble.


    "Rowen, that is all in the past! Kate and Joseph are happy now. We should bless their relationship. Please don''t embarrass Kate, okay?"


    The flames of anger that were extinguished earlier in the day were burning hot again. Fortunately, Nick was strong enough to pull Rowen to his room with Lisa following them.


    Ten minutes later, Lisa found Kate, who was still in shock, "He drank a lot. He fell asleep, so you don''t need to worry!"


    Joseph nodded and said to Noelle, "You and Lisa go back and have some more fun. I will take Kate back to our room."


    "Okay," Seeing Joseph''s worried expression, Noelle did not dare make a joke.


    Lisa lowered her head with guilt, not wanting to face Joseph. If she hadn''t invited Rowen to come, none of the fightings would have happened. She had been selfish when she asked him to go, never considering the conflicts between Rowen and Joseph.


    After returning to the room, Kate took the initiative to hug Joseph and asked, "Are you angry?"


    "Why would I be angry?" He wanted to comfort her, but she seemed to be comforting him.


    "Over what Rowen just said," Kate whispered


    "More guilty than angry," Joseph sighed.


    "Promise me; it is all in the past. No matter what others say, you cannot take it to heart. We are together now and should only cherish the present," Kate assured him. She had angrily accused him and tortured him before, and he apologized for more than once. Their current situation was completely different; if they continued to live in the past, then it would only make it harder for their relationship to grow.


    "Do you want to go back to dance with Lisa and Noelle?" Joseph asked, feeling guilty because Kate had a rough day.


    She shook her head, "It doesn''t matter where I go, just as long as I am with you!"


    Joseph loved having her in his arms. He lifted her onto the bench by the window, "Open the curtains!"


    "Huh?" With curiosity, she pulled the curtains open to see the night sky and city lights, "Wow! It is beautiful!"


    "Over there is a well-known mountain range. At night, when all the lights are shining, it lights it up. That is the reason I chose this hotel, so we would be able to see it!"

 Chapter 185 Going Home

    "Of course!" Joseph replied.


    "I have to text them and tell them to look out the window!" She exclaimed.


    The rest of the evening was quiet, but everyone agreed that they should cut their trip short and go home.


    **


    The next morning when they met in the hotel lobby, Lisa informed the others that Rowen took an early morning bus home. She didn''t even try to stop him because of the confrontation the day before.


    Joseph and Rowen were direct rivals and were both extremely jealous people. Lisa had assumed Rowen was in love with Kate, but until he announced his feelings in front of everyone, he was able to show his face. He held on to his wishful thinking that he might have a chance. However, after his drunken confession, it not only distanced him further from Kate, but it made her friends uncomfortable.


    Nick was thrilled that Rowen left early, that meant he had Lisa to himself. Even though he had tried to get her attention and to do everything he could to please her, Lisa was impatient with him and focused on Rowen the entire day. As he helped the drunk Rowen back to his room, Nick thought about beating him but couldn''t with Lisa there to take care of him. His jealously made him feel as if he was losing his mind; he hit a wall on the way back to his room. With his rival gone, Nick felt as if he could take on the world.


    "You don''t need to hover around me!" Lisa snapped impatiently at Nick.


    Nick pouted and said, "I just want to make you happy."


    "Getaway!" Lisa was unhappy about Rowen leaving.


    Lowering his head, Nick tried not to upset Lisa any further. He looked up and saw Kate coming down the stairs. He ran over to greet her, "Good morning, Kate! You look as if you slept well!"


    Kate looked at Nick, he was acting strange, "I slept okay¡­"


    "Just okay?" Nick''s eyes opened wide, and he grinned, "You weren''t satisfied with Joseph''s performance last night?"


    Kate flushed with embarrassment and spoke honestly, "We didn''t do anything last night. And why is that any of your business? You need to stop thinking about our personal life so much!"


    "Nothing happened last night?" Nick was surprised. He shook his head, "You two are alone in the room and in love! Something should have happened! That is so not right!"


    Not knowing what to say, Kate just stared at Nick. She was thankful when Joseph walked over and said, "What is the matter?"


    "Nothing, I''m going to have breakfast," Kate was afraid that Nick would continue on about their intimate lives, so she quickly walked away.


    Joseph began to follow Kate, but Nick grabbed his arm and whispered, "Joseph, Kate said nothing happened with you two last night. Is that true? How are you so calm about things?"


    Finally, understanding why Kate''s face was so red, Joseph punched Nick in the stomach.


    Joseph smiled and walked over to the table that Kate was sitting at. There was a plate waiting on the table for him.


    Kate looked up and smiled, "Do you like it?"


    "You ordered me breakfast, of course, I like it!" Joseph said, very naturally.


    Noelle heard their conversation and began choking on her eggs. She pointed at her glass and mumbled, "Water! Water!"


    Kate swiftly handed her a glass of water and patted her on the back, "Feel better?"


    After Noelle drank the water, she could breathe again, "Can you not speak so lovingly in front of me? You made me choke!"


    "Really?" Joseph raised his eyebrows and asked back, "Do you still want to be the third wheel?"


    Noelle was speechless. She knew Joseph liked to tease her; she had to let it stop bothering her.


    Kate also knew that Joseph was joking, "Noelle, don''t listen to his nonsense! He did compliment you yesterday!"


    "I know he is always joking with me. If I get angry with him every time, I must be the crazy one," Noelle laughed.


    When everyone was done breakfast, they took some time to buy souvenirs before returning home.


    Kate knew that Cassie didn''t want Joseph to know that she had been kicked out of her home by his grandfather. So, when they arrived back in town, she asked Noelle to give Cassie the items they picked up for her.


    "Don''t worry. I promise I will pass on your loving gifts to my aunt and my mother," Noelle smiled.


    In Kate''s eyes, Noelle had always been energetic and optimistic. She smiled back, "When you get back to school, make sure you take care of yourself. We will get together on your next break!"


    "I am counting the days until then!" Noelle beamed.


    Joseph stood to the side, watching the two women reluctantly say goodbye. Then before leaving, Noelle proudly said to him, "Kate loves me more!"


    "You are sincerely spoiled, Noelle!" Joseph yelled after her.


    "Do you know while we were married, only your mother, your aunt, and Noelle were kind to me? Our friendship has passed the test of time!"


    "She is so innocent, just like her mother. She had never been greedy about the family property. It is a good thing!"


    "We should remember their kindness to us," Kate was also very grateful for everyone helping Cassie in her time of need.


    "Of course!" Joseph put his arm around her, "Let''s go back to my place and get a good rest!"


    "Okay," She nodded, "First though, we need to go to the supermarket for some food. We are going to make our own supper tonight!"


    Joseph was eager to spend time alone with Kate. He did offer to have supper made for them so that they could relax.


    Kate told him, "You seldom eat homemade meals. Amy used to cook a lot, but nobody ate it! It was a waste of time and food!"

 Chapter 186 A New Produc

    "You can''t cook on your own?" Kate tilted her head at him.


    It was not the answer Joseph had hoped for. He was surprised at her comment.


    Kate looked at him even more suspiciously, wondering why he looked upset, "You do know how to cook, right? Can you live without Amy being there for you?"


    Joseph thought Kate was talking to him like a mother would speak to a child. Before, he would have been angry, but he took the opportunity to whisper in her ear, "Actually, I want you to move in and live with me!"


    Feeling her face get hot and red, Kate pushed him away, "Before we are married? I have my own house!"


    "Okay, it didn''t hurt to ask¡­" Joseph frowned.


    Kate immediately surrendered, "Okay, okay! I will compromise with you; as long as I have the time, I will go to your house to cook for you, do your laundry, and the other chores!"


    It sounded as if Kate was becoming his servant and not his girlfriend. Joseph seriously asked, "Do you think that I am asking you to be my maid and do things for me?"


    "If not, why do you want me to live at your house?" Kate questioned.


    "I want to see you the moment I wake up!" Joseph blurted out. He suddenly pulled the car over and turned to her, "Kate, I can now see that you are a crucial part of my life. When you are not there, I feel as if I have lost a part of me. I know you are in my heart, even when we have misunderstandings. I have said I love you many times, but you reject me and act as if I am lying. I really do want to be with you forever¡­"


    Kate suddenly felt a rollercoaster of emotions; she was excited, anxious, happy, confused all at the same time. She never thought that Joseph felt so passionately about her. She was caught up in her thoughts when Joseph pulled her close and kissed her; she knew nothing needed to be said when she kissed him back.


    After picking up items to make supper, they laughed and teased each other while cooking. Then sat close while they ate, feeding each other like a newlywed couple before going to bed.


    **


    The next day, each went to their own office smiling and feeling on top of the world.


    Kate finished all of her work, then decided to catch up on the latest in the business world. She scrolled through the website; nothing got her attention until she saw the letters, JK. There was negative publicity about the company, but Kate didn''t understand how. She knew that their latest research and development project was still in the verification and confirmation stage. There was no information on the market yet, so she couldn''t comprehend the destructive comments unless someone was trying to discredit Joseph''s company deliberately.


    "I''m not worried, just curious why rumors are being spread when the new products are not even on the market," Kate explained.


    "This is great! You have made such huge progress lately," Joseph praised her and then answered, "In fact, it is a foolish act. Samuel thinks that he can stop me from starting my business with Smith Group''s strength and reputation. He is so na?ve," Joseph laughed, making Kate feel more relieved.


    One of the qualities she found so appealing about him was his ability to be calm and optimistic no matter what difficulties he faced with work. He filled her heart with pride, "So, it was Smith Group who is trying to smear your name?"


    "Samuel would certainly be anxious when he found out my new project was about to debut on the market. After all, his actions since he took over for me have not been the most remarkable. I believe that Grandfather will definitely put pressure on him, which will be amplified by the fact that Samuel has always regarded me as a rival. He will take every chance he has to spy on me and try to shut me down. I am sure of it. What he doesn''t know, though, is that I don''t care because the more panicked he is, the more mistakes he will make!" Joseph stated confidently.


    He knew that he could control everything without much effort, but Samuel was the complete opposite. With Samuel spending his time and energy tracking Joseph and his company, it would leave Joseph with an advantage over his family''s company.


    Kate believed in Joseph, but she had to consider the entire situation, "You need to consider Smith Group''s strength; it should not be underestimated. If they can have harmful news broadcast without justification, they have the means to push you. You can''t take this too lightly, Joseph."


    "If he really wants to slander me, then let him do so. Anyway, it is going to be a while before the new product enters the market. Before it does, I am prepared to advertise," Joseph tried his best to ease Kate''s fears, "Don''t worry, nothing will happen."


    "Of course, I believe in you. I just don''t trust those evil people," Kate didn''t want to put any pressure on Joseph, so she quickly said, "But, I think in the end you will win, and they will lose!"


    "Yes. I have seen this happen many times in the business field. It is a common phenomenon, but..."


    "But the person who is going after you is your family, so you are feeling a little conflict? Maybe a little disappointed, right?" Kate finished his sentence for him.


    Joseph remained silent; he agreed with what Kate said. After a few moments, he told her, "I have no intention of hurting them, but if they mistreat me, I will have no sympathy for them. I will not offend anyone who has not offended me first."


    **


    At Smith Group, Mayne triumphantly walked into Samuel''s office. He waited for Samuel to look up from his documents before reporting, "Joseph has not taken any drastic measures to stop the news from spreading. Now that it has gone through the entire business community, I suspect that there will be no sales when the product is launched. We have succeeded!"


    Samuel said coldly, "Joseph is still one step ahead; he had so many ideas. If he isn''t preventing the news from getting out, it doesn''t mean he is weak. He has to be waiting for a time to counterattack!"


    The smile on Mayne''s face quickly turned to a frown, then he respectfully said, "I will follow up closely on this. Once I find something, I will immediately take the next step to prevent his new products from being launched smoothly."


    Samuel nodded with satisfaction, "We must remain highly vigilant, only success and no failure this time."

 Chapter 187 New Product Launch

    **


    After a week, the damaging information was still a hot topic on business websites. Kate checked each and every day to see if anything had changed; she knew Joseph had a way of dealing with it, so she never mentioned it again. As they ate the supper she prepared, Kate did her very best to find something else to talk about.


    Samuel thought Joseph would have acted after a day or two, so when he didn''t, Samuel let down his guard and began to move on to the next step of his plan. While Joseph developed products, Samuel worked on creating the same ones. Then once, the negative publicity destroyed Joseph''s reputation, Samuel began to launch the new product under Smith Group, defeating Joseph.


    Just as Samuel was becoming overly confident in his abilities to harm Joseph''s reputation, John was advised to take the countermeasures he and Joseph planned. As his assistant for many years, John was able to get positive comments out to the public immediately; it was the exact same as what Samuel did with his slander campaign.


    Their retaliation against Smith Group was simple, but it won the support and approval of most companies. However, a few people were afraid of Smith Group''s strength and felt obligated to stand by them. The ones who looked at the comments with a proper perspective supported Joseph.


    Joseph was not failing; he had a vast payout, meaning Samuel was dealt a heavy blow.


    After the Smith Group launched their product, Joseph took the time to redefine his item and make any changes so that they were no longer the same, attracting many consumers'' and vendors'' attention. Handling the negative criticism with a constructive attitude and promoting the product well, Joseph''s business associates felt that it was a natural step in the right direction to praise him after the launch.


    Kate finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the wonderful reviews people were leaving about Joseph and his company. However, her good mood changed slightly when Lisa called as she was about to leave the office.


    Lisa explained that her mother still felt terrible for what had happened on the blind date. Kate had been so busy that she had forgotten all about it, but when Lisa mentioned it, she was slightly upset. Lisa''s mother wanted to apologize in person and invited Kate to dinner.


    As Kate got out of the taxi, Lisa''s mother ran over to her, "I am so sorry, Kate. It was so very kind of you to help Lisa. I feel horrible for you being bullied by that bastard, even after Mr. Smith has taught him a lesson. I just wanted to apologize to you!"


    In Kate''s head, Lisa''s mother was always a rude woman, so she was amazed by her kind words. The apology was not nearly as necessary as the lesson Lisa''s mother could learn from the situation; she needed to stop casually arranging blind dates for Lisa.


    Smiling, Kate said, "You do not need to apologize. I am fine, and it is in the past, so let''s not mention it again."


    "Lisa, you just need to promise your mother that you will be open to love and seize the chance when you meet the right man," Kate laughed. After she said it, she realized Lisa had commented that she liked someone but never said who it was. Kate was determined to find out more information the next time they were alone.


    "See, Mom, did you hear what Kate said? She never blamed you; you were just overthinking," Lisa said, hoping her mother would feel better and not speak any further of it, but her mother had other plans.


    "Kate, I heard that after that bastard was beaten, he has been lying in bed. One of his children is in school, while the other is just a baby and his wife has no job. He is the only person who can make money, but he is paralyzed. Their life has become extremely difficult."


    "Mom, what are you talking about?!" Lisa interrupted her, "Don''t tell me that you are here pleading for that bastard!"


    Kate and Lisa were both stunned when they heard what Lisa''s mother said. Neither said a word, so she added, "Kate, what he did to you was horrible, but he has learned his lesson. He will never be able to cheat anyone else, and you don''t need to worry that he will seek revenge."


    "You need to leave, Mom!" Lisa was furious and pushed her mother. She honestly believed that her mother just wanted to apologize to Kate; she never thought that she would beg for the man who treated them like dirt. Lisa knew that he was the nephew of her mother''s friend, but it had nothing to do with her or Kate. The thoughts of his real intentions and actions that night made Lisa even angrier.


    "Don''t push me!" Lisa''s mother shouted at her before appealing again, "I know you and Lisa have been good friends over the years. She has always told me how kind you are, so I am hoping that you can forgive him for the sake of his wife and children. I hope you will help them."


    Lisa turned to Kate, "Do not worry about my feelings! Refuse her!"


    Then she turned to her mother, "I don''t have any objections to you making friends with that bastard''s aunt. However, he is immoral, and if Kate and I did not see through his scheming, we would have been drunk. I don''t think I need to explain to you what would have happened then, do I?"


    Knowing that Kate would be too uncomfortable to turn her mother down, Lisa snapped, "You know that because of your plans, he hurt Kate. Yet, you are standing in front of her begging her to help him? As kind as she is, she would not show that bastard any mercy!"

 Chapter 188 Lisas Temper

    "Don''t push this any further, Mom! I had to start my own business, just to have an excuse to avoid you for all these years. It has been difficult, but I would not change a thing to keep you out of my life! I thought you had changed, but now I realize that I was na?ve. The only thing you did change was the fact that you became more unreasonable. Now you are trying to make me and my best friend feel bad for what happened to a creepy old man. I want nothing to do with you!" Lisa shouted.


    Lisa''s mother was frightened by her words. She wanted to explain, but Lisa pushed her again. After a few minutes, she laughed helplessly, "I have always known that I am not a great mother. But do you know how hard it was to raise you?"


    "I do, and that is the only reason why I still speak to you. Otherwise, I would have cut ties with you years ago¡­" Lisa did not want to cry, but she was so angry and upset she could not hold back, "I try my best to be kind to you and obey your wishes. When you are not satisfied with me, you cry and threaten to kill me, even over that blind date. I disagreed with you, then you¡­"


    Suddenly, Lisa stopped crying and laughed, "Holy shit! If Kate and I do not give in to your demands to help that bastard, will you try to have us killed?"


    Not giving her mother time to answer, Lisa grabbed Kate''s arm and warned, "No matter what you are planning, neither Kate nor I will give in! I will not obey you as I did before!"


    Lisa pulled Kate away, leaving her mother stunned.


    Once they were around a corner and far enough away from her mother, Lisa stopped. She was so upset that she could barely speak; Kate put her arms around her, letting Lisa cry.


    Kate had been aware of the pressure Lisa grew up with and the fact that she had been fed up with her mother for a very long time. However, she never spoke a word of it until her mother stood up for a man who beat her best friend. Kate held her until she was done crying then passed her a tissue.


    After wiping the tears, Lisa said with a smile, "I don''t even know why I am crying about this. I have grown accustomed to her attitude!"


    Kate comforted her, "You can cry whenever and wherever you want. Just be happy!"


    The familiar phrase made Lisa laugh out, "That is my saying!"


    "Yes, but you always tell me to be happy when I am sad. I know you are only trying to comfort me, but it isn''t that easy, is it?"


    "Because we are thinking of others, we neglect our own feelings. It is exhausting!" Lisa wiped her eyes and laughed, "I need a drink! Let''s go get one!"


    Kate shook her head, "No, that will do you no good! Drinking will only make you feel worse; it will not solve any of your problems."


    "You are just afraid that Joseph will get angry," Lisa teased.


    "Yes, I need to. She cared more about others rather than her own daughter; why would I apologize to her?" Lisa snarled.


    Kate knew that Lisa was just hurt and that she did care about her relationship with her mother, or else she wouldn''t have been so obedient her entire life.


    "It is better to resolve your conflicts, or in time it will be even more uncomfortable," Kate urged.


    Lisa knew that Kate was right, but she was angry and didn''t want to admit to anything, so she changed the subject, "Are you hungry? How about we get something to eat?"


    "Okay!" Kate agreed.


    After a dinner filled with casual conversation and laughing, Kate and Lisa prepared to go their separate ways. But before she left, Kate reminded Lisa, "Talk to your mother. Be patient and tell her that I will help that disgusting man."


    "Are you kidding? He hurt you! How can you help him? Don''t let my mother''s comments make you feel bad."


    "I don''t want to help him, but I think that his wife and children are innocent and they are suffering," Kate smiled. She had thought about it while she had dinner and made her decision. She was uncomfortable when she thought about his family, so if helping them made her feel better, she would do it. She quickly added, "The help will be anonymous though; that way, it won''t cause any problems."


    "Okay," Lisa nodded.


    "Now go and apologize to your mother," Kate reminded her.


    "Thank you, Kate."


    Kate knew that Joseph would still be working so she went to a cafe to get some coffee. She realized that there would be others working, so she also picked up pizza.


    At JK group, Joseph and Alisia were analyzing data from the newly launched product when Kate arrived. John quickly jumped up to help Kate with the food.


    "Thank you!" She asked John in a low voice, "Is Joseph still busy?"


    "He is having a discussion with Alisia about the new product. Do you want to join them?"


    "No, I don''t want to disturb them. I will just sit here and play on my phone. You go back to work!" Kate pointed at the coffee, "If Joseph is available though, take him his coffee so he can drink it hot. It is delicious!"


    "Okay," John nodded to the pizza box, "And with this?"


    "That is for you and Alisia! I just hope you like the toppings!"


    "I am sure we will! Thank you!"


    "You are welcome," Kate replied and sat down on the sofa.


    Half an hour, then an hour, and then two hours went by before Joseph came out of his office. Kate was so tired that she fell asleep waiting and never even stirred when Joseph picked her up to take her home.

 Chapter 189 Your Suppor

    Joseph smiled, "You are awake?"


    "Yeah," She mumbled and asked, "When did we get back? And why didn''t you wake me up?"


    "It was almost


    midnight."


    "Midnight! What time is it now?" Kate exclaimed


    "About two o''clock," Joseph sighed.


    Kate looked at the papers sprawled across his desk. She asked out of concern, "Do you need to finish reading all of that tonight?"


    Joseph his work aside, then turned and pulled Kate on his lap, and asked, "Do you want me to come to sleep next to you because you can''t sleep without me?"


    "No, that is not it!" She shook her head honestly, frowned, and said, "I just think that staying up late is bad for your health."


    "I would have been happy if you had said yes," A glimmer of disappointment flashed in his eyes.


    Kate quickly corrected herself, "Yes, yes! I am so used to you holding me until I go to sleep that if you are not next to me, I will suffer from insomnia!"


    "Really?" Joseph laughed.


    She raised her hand to swear, "It''s true! Your girlfriend is in your bed, but you are working overtime to let her sleep along?"


    "I want to be next to you always," Joseph kissed her forehead, "So if you will sit here with me for a while, and when I finish work, I will hold you in bed. Is that okay?"


    It was apparent to Kate that Joseph had urgent work to be done, and if she forced him to go to bed, he would only get up after she fell asleep. She didn''t want him feeling pressured, so she suggested, "My dear, don''t forget that I am also a business manager now. I am able to help you solve work problems."


    He immediately understood what she was saying; he teased, "Girls can''t stay up late, though."


    "But I''m not a girl anymore!" She snapped back.


    "Who said you are not? You will always be my girl!"


    "Oh my! Why are you so sickening?" Kate laughed, "Where did you learn all of this from?"


    "Go to sleep!" He urged gently.


    However, she continued to hold his neck without letting it go, "I want to wait for you to finish your work and then go to sleep together."


    "It will take a while," Joseph moaned. He was swamped with work since the product hit the market.


    "It''s okay, I will be with you," Kate got up from his lap and said enthusiastically, "Mr. Smith, I am your support. With me, you will not be alone or tired. But hurry up and do your work while I go make you a cup of coffee!"


    She knew that being here would only disturb him and waste his time, so Kate decided making him coffee would help him the most.


    As he worked, Joseph urged Kate to go to bed. However, she would not listen so, he lied and pretended to fall asleep. Once Kate began to snore softly, he got up and went back to his desk.


    When Kate woke up the next day, she wasn''t sure how to feel. She was upset to see Joseph asleep at his desk, but at the same time, she understood. She walked over and covered him with a blanket, then kissed the top of his head.


    She could feel a strong sense of security surrounding him; it made her feel safe and loved.


    Joseph lifted his head and squinted at Kate, "How did you sleep?"


    "I have a little bit of a headache, but I am okay," She had stayed up late and only slept for about three hours.


    "Go back to sleep then," Joseph got up and carried her to the bed.


    With his gentle hypnotic voice and her lack of sleep, Kate had a hard time keeping her eyes open. She whispered, "What about you?"


    "I have sent all the documents to John, and he will do the follow-up work," Joseph''s tone sounded much more relaxed.


    Kate was happy to hear he was done working. She gripped his arm and said, "Then you can stay home and rest today?"


    "You can too!" Joseph smiled.


    "No, I can''t do that! I have to go..."


    "You have to sleep now! You didn''t sleep well last night; get some rest today!" He ordered.


    "But I can''t miss work. I am the manager; I have to set a good example for others. I need to go to work!" Kate shook her head.


    Joseph knew he wouldn''t be able to stop her, "Then sleep for an hour, then I will drive you to the office!"


    "No," Kate sighed, "Why do you need to act so toughly? You need your sleep so..."


    Before they could say anymore, Joseph kissed her lips. Soon, his eyes were closed, and Kate snuck out of bed. She took a quick shower, then made breakfast and soup for Joseph, and went to the office.


    About halfway through the morning, Kate''s phone rang. She saw it was Joseph and answered.


    "Excuse me, future Mrs. Smith, you are not very obedient," He scolded.


    Kate smiled and replied, "If I didn''t lie to you, you would have kept talking and not got any sleep. It would have been pointless and a waste of time. By the way, I made you breakfast and some soup for lunch. Did you see them?"


    "You made breakfast?" From his comment, Kate knew he was still in bed.


    She laughed, "Are you awake?"


    "I was dreaming. I dreamt that you suddenly disappeared. I searched for a long time and couldn''t find you..." Joseph sighed.


    "So, you were scared to wake up?" She felt a sudden warmth in her heart. She comforted, "Don''t worry, I''m in your heart, and I can''t run away."


    "But, you are not by my side now." He complained.


    Kate couldn''t help laughing, "You are like a kid who can''t live without his mom!"


    "Mom? You mean, you are my mom? Do you want me to tell my real mom?" He teased.

 Chapter 190 Back to Smith Group

    Joseph laughed when he heard Kate trying to sound tough, but he knew she couldn¡¯t say anything mean. He smiled, ¡°I am kidding! Besides, even if I told my mother, she wouldn¡¯t help me, you are the one she likes!¡±


    "That is right!" Kate smirked triumphantly, "Get up, wash your hands, and go eat!"


    "Okay, thank you, dear."


    It was the first time Joseph said dear when he spoke to her. After she hung up, she held on to the phone for a moment, her face was hot, and she was thrilled. Other people used the term before, but it didn''t make her feel like that; it had to be because it came out of Joseph''s mouth.


    ¡°Kate, future wife, dear¡­¡± Kate sighed to herself. She repeated the intimate comment over and over out loud and smiled.


    **


    As soon as Joseph finished the soup that Kate had made, Ricky came over and reported, "Lord Joseph, Mr. Smith is waiting for you in the living room."


    Joseph frowned, got up without saying a word to Ricky, and stormed toward the living room.


    Mr. Smith was sitting on the sofa, his crutches leaning next to him. He wasn''t happy by the serious expression on Joseph''s face; he coldly snapped, "You have done very well after leaving Smith Group."


    Joseph hated the sarcasm but calmly replied, "I have grown up being on my own!"


    His grandson¡¯s words shocked him, ¡°Are you really going to continue to be angry with me?¡±


    "Angry?" Joseph asked, "Do you think it''s just as simple as angry?"


    "I know I''m too strict with many things, but it was for your own good after all. If you had different opinions, you could bring them to me¡­¡±


    Calming raising his hand to stop his grandfather from saying more, Joseph replied, "Grandpa, we have been at this point before, so you do not need to bring it up again. Now that Samuel has taken over Smith Group, you can mold him. He is more obedient than I am. He will save you a lot of worries, and as for me, I am enjoying every moment."


    Joseph was aware that after his grandfather calmed down, he would ask for him to go back. However, when he left Smith Group, he had no plans ever to go back. He did not want to be controlled nor be caught in his family''s drama. Even if there were no pressure on Samuel, he would always consider Joseph an enemy.


    No matter what Samuel did, he would not satisfy the family; it was better for Joseph to be away from the situation.


    Mr. Smith burst into anger at Joseph¡¯s outright refusal to return. He snarled, ¡°As a member of the Smith family, you can stand on your own. But you are working against us, taking advantage of your name. We are losing because of you! How can you be so cruel? Don¡¯t you feel sorry for your dead father?¡±


    "Shut up!" Mr. Smith shouted. He had never had anyone stand up to him, and he knew deep down that he was too harsh on Erick.


    Joseph was accustomed to his grandfather interrupting when someone said something he didn¡¯t want to hear. He just shook his head and commented, ¡°Since you won¡¯t let me speak, we have nothing more to talk about. Please leave!¡±


    "How dare you?" Mr. Smith was so angry that he was trembling with anger. He yelled, ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t raise you very well, and now you are as defiant as she is. Since you are both so determined to cut ties with the Smith family, then I will make sure that from now on, neither of you is to step foot in my house!¡±


    "What do you mean? My mother lives there?¡± Joseph questioned.


    "What do I mean?" Mr. Smith was fuming, his words were harsh and to the point, "Your mother disobeyed me, just like you have. She thinks she is such a strong woman, but she must be feeling very depressed."


    "What?" Joseph''s expression changed suddenly. If the person in front of him weren''t an old man, he would have hit him. He needed to control his temper.


    Mr. Smith knew that Joseph would be angry, so he hummed, "If you don''t want your mother to work for the rest of her life and end up with nothing, then you must respect me. Go back to Smith Group as president, otherwise¡­¡±


    "Otherwise, what?" Joseph thought his grandfather was acting like a senile old man, "You really think that my mother and I are unable to survive without the Smith family? You are absolutely crazy!"


    Mr. Smith knew what the outcome would be for Smith Group without Joseph, so he pleaded with Joseph to work with his family again, ¡°Regardless of the condition of Smith Group, you should consider this for me, as my grandson. After all, I am too old now and do not have the energy to manage the company. Samuel was just eager to get the position, but he is not qualified. I am not sure if I can leave Smith Group to him.¡±


    Knowing that Joseph might be persuaded by reason but would not be forced, so instead of being harsh, his attitude and tone changed. He hoped that he would persuade Joseph with gentle words.


    However, Mr. Smith was na?ve to Joseph''s persistent personality. Both of them were stubborn and did not want to give in to the other.


    Although Joseph did not have a close relationship with Samuel, he wanted to stick up for him. He was obedient to their grandfather; Joseph smirked, "You know there are many reasons never to hire someone that you don''t trust."


    ¡°Of course, I know that! But I can now see that Samuel is incapable. Ever since he took over as president, he has caused many problems and not any triumphs. He is lucky that I haven''t fired him," Mr. Smith moaned.


    Joseph did not want to hear his complaints. He only said, ¡°You appointed him as president, so you have to accept your decision, whether it is good or bad. You cannot get rid of him because of a small loss. After all, he''s your grandson."

 Chapter 191 Joseph Finds out About Cassie

    ¡°I am not going to cause trouble about what you did to my mother because you are old, and you are still my grandfather. However, I have to warn you that you should not continue because I will lose all respect for you. And, then you suffer the consequences.¡±


    Joseph turned to Ricky, ¡°Get Mr. Smith out of here!¡±


    The old man was stunned as Joseph walked out of the room. He wanted to say something but knew there was no way he would be able to convince him to go back to Smith Group. He didn''t take the warning from Joseph seriously; nothing was more important than Smith Group; without that, he had nothing. Everyone in the Smith family respected the old man, except Joseph.


    **


    When Joseph walked out of his home, he went directly to his aunt¡¯s house. He saw Cassie sitting in the yard reading a book.


    Cassie was startled, ¡°Joseph, why¡­why are you here? Shouldn¡¯t you be at work?¡±


    Joseph could see her nervousness in her eyes, ¡°I heard Noelle had some books she left here. I wanted to get a few for Kate. I am surprised to see you here.¡±


    She smiled reluctantly, ¡°You could have called and had your aunt send them to you. Why come all the way here?¡±


    When Joseph didn''t answer after a few moments, Cassie nodded her head, "I see; since they are for Kate, you need to pick them up yourself. We all see that she fills your heart, and we believe that you will treat her well."


    Seeing his mother trying her best to pretend that nothing had happened with his grandfather, Joseph felt a little sad. In the past, she often told him things, and he was usually impatient with her. Yet, when he knew she kept such a big secret from him, he seemed to be even more frustrated. He couldn''t understand why she didn''t want him to know she had been kicked out of the Smith home.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡± Cassie asked in a low voice.


    "Are you busy in the next little bit?¡±


    "Not really," Cassie wondered why he suddenly cared about her.


    "Then come stay at my house for a while?" Joseph knew that his mother was strong and would never tell him. She had to have been concerned about the situation, so he wanted to respect her wishes. When she was ready to tell him, she would.


    "No, no, I heard from Kate that she is staying with you. With her there to take care of you, I can rest assured. I am not going to disturb two love birds. Besides, there are so many people to talk to, and I like living here," Cassie said with a smile.


    Joseph kept silent for a long time. It was evident that Cassie didn¡¯t even realize what she had said.


    "Joseph, is there something wrong?" Cassie was concerned about how he was acting.


    "No, nothing! I am going to leave now,¡± Joseph shook his head.


    "I won''t bother right now. When Noelle comes back, she and Kate can talk."


    "That is true! She may not like what you choose!" Cassie tried to sound calm, but she was worried that Joseph knew the truth, which was why he was there.


    On the way drive to JK Group, Joseph was sad. He thought about when he mentioned going to Smith mansion to see Cassie for Thanksgiving, but Kate interrupted him and mentioned going away. He thought it was strange, yet he would never have thought Kate was helping to cover up the truth about Cassie being kicked out.


    He suddenly turned the car around, when he realized that Kate and Noelle were good friends so they both must know.


    Just as Kate was about to pick up the phone to call Joseph, he appeared at her office door. She smiled; it was nice that he showed up when she needed his help. She said, "Wow! We really do have a connection! I have something to ask you!"


    Kate got up, walked over, and took his arm to pull him to her computer. She pointed at the screen, "Take a look at this. Do you know how to solve it?"


    Joseph focused on the computer screen and entered the correct formula without saying a word. He then continued on to finish the rest of the work on the page.


    After he solved her problem, she told him, "Besides you, I always feel inferior. You are so much smarter than me!"


    Still not speaking, Joseph turned off the computer screen then turned to face Kate. His now usual gentle expression seemed to have some coldness to it.


    Kate cautiously asked, ¡°What is wrong with you? What is going on?¡±


    "Kate, didn''t we say that we shouldn''t hide anything from each other?" Joseph said with an accusing tone in his voice.


    ¡°Joseph, I am not hiding anything from you,¡± Kate frowned.


    "Aren¡¯t you?" Joseph snapped. He was agitated and didn¡¯t want to fight, so he tried his best to speak gently, ¡°You didn¡¯t suggest going away just to hide the fact that my mother was kicked out of Smith mansion?¡±


    Kate was shocked; she quickly took his hand, "Don''t be angry. I did hide it from you, but your mother didn''t want us to know. I didn''t dare tell you because I knew you would be furious. Noelle told me in confidence."


    "I just went to see my mother," He felt very hurt thinking that his mother was forced out of her home.


    "Did you ask your mother?"


    "I didn''t ask her. I pretended not to know, and she pretended to be okay," Joseph lowered his head, "I am sorry Kate, I spoke a little harshly, and I don''t mean to blame you. I just don''t like it when you think you need to hide things from me; I will be reasonable. I, of all people, know exactly what my grandfather is like. I will not go against him."


    ¡°He is your family. You would feel bad,¡± Kate whispered.


    ¡°I may have in the past, but not now. Grandpa¡¯s only concern is Smith Group, not his family. For the better of the company, he would not hesitate to hurt or take advantage of his family. The so-called blood connection is long gone.¡±


    "Then, what shall we do next? Are you going to ask your mother to come to your house? We can¡¯t let her stay at your aunt¡¯s house forever. Although your aunt doesn¡¯t mind, I think your mother will start to feel bad,¡± Kate questioned.

 Chapter 192 Merging Two

    "Then we have to find a way to persuade her to stay at your house,¡± Kate suggested.


    "It''s useless. She has such deep emotions connected to the Smith mansion. After my dad died, it was the only thing she felt she had left of him. If she cannot go back, she will feel as if she lost him all over again¡­" Joseph paused, then admitted, "She also thinks that since I am the eldest grandson, and she is the eldest daughter-in-law, that she should stay there, she should be the head of the family.¡±


    Cassie wouldn''t usually be a person who attached any great importance to status. However, when Samuel returned, and his family began to compare themselves with her and Joseph, she felt pressured. Once they started acting jealous and mistreating her family, she was determined not to give up. Plus, she had been the one to deal with all the Smith mansion affairs throughout the years; she deserved to feel safe and comfortable in her home.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how she is feeling about all of this. She is keeping it all to herself,¡± Joseph whispered.


    "Don''t worry; we will talk to Aunt Jenny first and see what she thinks," Kate assured him. It would be up to Joseph on how he dealt with his grandfather, but both Kate and he had the same goal, to make Cassie happy.


    Joseph cupped her face and said, "Kate, thank you for your understanding. I just blamed you, though."


    "Blame me? No, you didn¡¯t,¡± She smiled, ¡°I understand that you were upset. If I was in the same situation, I don¡¯t think I would be as calm as you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home! It is time to leave work behind for the day!¡± Kate took Joseph¡¯s hand and walked away from her computer. She pouted, ¡°I have racked my brain with those problems this afternoon, then you come along and figure it out in a few minutes. I am useless!¡±


    ¡°Remember, if you have problems in the future, you can call me,¡± Joseph urged.


    "Oh, I get headaches every day from looking at the documents and data. But I have no choice now that I have decided to run the company. I just need to deal with it,¡± Kate moaned.


    Joseph hated seeing her so worn out; he looked at her sincerely and said, "I have an idea, but I don''t know how you will feel about it. You might be offended."


    "Offended?" Kate blinked and questioned, "What the hell kind of idea do you have?"


    "Merge the companies?" Kate''s eyes suddenly lit up, "I think this is a perfect idea. You are so smart! I truly believe that you could take Kate Group and create it into something bigger and better. More importantly, the merger of the two would do no harm; it would only be more beneficial for both the JK Group and Kate Group."


    Joseph was shocked to see Kate so excited. He hesitantly asked, ¡°So, you agree with this idea?¡±


    "Yes, and then..."


    "Then our companies would become a legal couple?¡± Joseph suggested.


    "No, no, no!" She snapped bluntly, "Then since the name JK Group is named after us, we don¡¯t need to think of a new name!¡±


    "Are you not afraid that I will cheat you and your company?" Joseph didn''t think that was what she was thinking; he was a little disappointed.


    "Oh, even if you try to steal it, I could get it back!¡±


    "Why are you so confident?"


    "Because your mother will help me!¡± Kate said boldly.


    Joseph shook head helplessly, "Sure enough, in your heart, my mother has first place.¡±


    "I honestly believe that you will not try to steal my company. I figure you will try to trick me into marrying you first,¡± Kate laughed.


    Joseph smiled and squeezed her hand, ¡°I¡¯m happy you know it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to your house; we can talk more on the way."


    ¡°Our house!¡± Joseph corrected her.


    ¡°Okay, go to our house!¡± Kate beamed.


    **


    The next day, Joseph took the initiative to merge Kate Group into JK Group. Kate fully understood that the purpose of the merge was to ease her workload. Plus, both companies would operate better if they worked together.


    A week later, when all of the legal paperwork was completed, news about the merger of the two companies spread throughout the business community.


    Smith Group always regarded JK Group and Kate Group as opponents, so they immediately felt very intimidated by them merging. Samuel was so angry that he threw a glass against the wall then swiped all of the papers on his desk to the floor. He snarled, "Joseph really is shameless. He scammed Kate, pretending to love her, only to advance his own company by taking over hers."


    Mayne didn''t understand why Samuel was so angry. She bent down to start picking up the files off the floor but not daring to step toward Samuel. Her voice trembled as she said, "President, there have been many comments made about the joining of the companies. But most say that Joseph took over Kate Group to help his girlfriend and so that the two companies could grow together. With this union and Joseph''s ability, they will catch up with Smith Group very soon¡­"


    Samuel spun around and glared at Mayne. Her words were like a knife twisting in his chest; he shouted, "Get out!"


    "Uh..." Mayne dropped the paperwork on his desk and rushed out of the office.


    Samuel clenched his fists with anger. He whispered, ¡°Joseph, you are deliberately causing trouble for me! I will not let you get away with it!¡±


    **


    On a sunny afternoon, Kate and Lisa met at a small caf¨¦.


    ¡°How have things been going? Did you talk things out with your mom?¡± Kate asked when they sat down.


    Lisa sighed, "She is certainly a fussy woman, and I cannot stand her. I wonder if she is even my mother sometimes!¡±


    Kate touched her hand and said, ¡°Everything will be fine. You two just need time.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that unhappiness, tell what is happening with you. You and Joseph merged the companies? It is all over the news!¡±


    As they drank their coffee, Kate explained everything to Lisa.


    ¡°It is a good idea! Joseph has such talent! Kate Group will certainly develop quicker with his help," Lisa assured Kate. She sighed, "I really do admire you. I want a boyfriend who will do everything for me, as Joseph does for you!"

 Chapter 193 Lisa is in Love

    Lisa, who was usually carefree and would tell Kate anything, suddenly became shy. She replied quietly, "Oh that! I like him, but he doesn''t like me, so it doesn''t matter."


    "Unreturned love for him?"


    "Yes," Lisa whispered.


    "Does he know you like him?" Kate asked.


    "He doesn''t know yet..."


    "Come on! You should bravely pursue your love! You know all about the detours I went through because I was not brave enough to tell Joseph how I felt. You cannot follow in my footsteps," Kate reminded Lisa. Although, in the end, she and Joseph made their way to each other, many people close to them had their lives affected.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be nervous, but I found out he doesn¡¯t have feelings for me before I even had the chance to say how I felt. So, it really doesn¡¯t matter if I tell him or not.¡±


    "Is he married?" Kate quickly asked. She was curious and was not going to give up until Lisa told her who the man was.


    Lisa knew Kate was determined, so she had to tell her the truth. She lowered her head and took a deep breath, "Actually, the person I like is¡­Rowen."


    Not knowing what to say, Kate sat silently.


    ¡°Do you think I am stupid? I know he likes you, but I still like him,¡± Lisa asked with a small smile on her face.


    "No, I don¡¯t think you are stupid at all," She shook her head, "How long have you felt like this?"


    "If I told you that since we were in college, I had feelings for him, would you be upset with me for being insincere?¡±


    Kate was confused; Lisa always seemed to be trying to get her and Rowen together. She was not upset but felt terrible for not noticing all along her friend had feelings for the man she kept asking about. She finally said, "You always mentioned him, was that a test to see if I liked him or not?"


    "Kate, don''t get me wrong! I am not jealous of you, and I would never take advantage of any situation. You are my best friend; even if I liked him and you did as well, I would give you my blessing. I would not give up on our friendship because of him. We will be best friends forever!"


    The truth was that Lisa always wanted to tell Kate that she like Rowen. But she was afraid that Kate might misunderstand. And, since Rowen publicly confessed he had feelings for Kate, Lisa knew there was little chance of her and Rowen being together. She didn¡¯t want to talk about it, so she never told Kate.


    "I didn''t misunderstand," Kate smiled and said, "I just think I am blind for not seeing it! The first few times you invited Rowen along, I didn¡¯t know why. I couldn¡¯t understand why you would after knowing that he and Joseph didn¡¯t get along. Now, I understand!¡±


    "I wasn¡¯t referring to that. I only meant that you invited Rowen to do things with us in the past. I don¡¯t blame you, don¡¯t take things to heart.¡±


    Lisa pouted, "It was also because of the incident while we were away that Rowen had the courage to tell you the secret he had been keeping for so long.¡±


    Kate said nervously, "Lisa, you¡¯ve always known who I was in love with."


    "Of course, I knew. Now, I just have to accept reality,¡± Lisa whispered.


    Kate didn''t know what to say. After all, nobody had answers when it came to love. Kate would be there for Lisa, but in the end, Lisa had to face things on her own.


    "Kate, I know you are going to feel bad. But don¡¯t, I have always been optimistic. If Rowen and I are destined to be together, then we will be together, sooner or later,¡± Lisa smiled.


    "Lisa, either way, I hope you will be happy. No matter what you do, I will support you, just like you always supported me,¡± Kate understood that being sincere with Lisa was the most important thing she could do.


    Lisa bit her lower lip and tears filled her eyes, "Kate, all of these years, I always told you that I just never met the right guy. It was because my mind and heart were always thinking of Rowen. Even when he was overseas, I would check the internet to see what he was doing. Including his return, remember I was the first one to tell you? I hoped that he would pay attention to me and care for me¡­"


    "Do you feel any better after telling me how you feel?¡± Kate asked.


    "Yeah!" Lisa nodded her head and chuckled.


    "Why were you afraid of telling me? Even if Rowen liked me, it was only wishful thinking on his part. My heart has always been with Joseph. You know that, and so does Rowen. You don''t have to worry about me, so if you like him, pursue him!"


    "Okay!" Lisa reached out and squeezed Kate¡¯s hand, ¡°I feel more confident with your support!¡±


    Kate''s phone beeped, it was a text from Daisy. She said, "Kate, you haven''t been home for a long time. Are you busy tonight? If you aren''t, can you come to the house, please?"


    She hadn¡¯t realized that she wasn¡¯t home for a few days. Kate knew Daisy must have been bored and wanting to know what was going on with Kate Group, so she immediately replied, ¡°I will be there shortly!¡±


    After saying their goodbyes, Kate and Lisa went their separate ways.


    As soon as Daisy saw the text saying Kate would be home, she began to prepare dinner.


    Seeing Daisy in the kitchen, Anna crept over and stood behind her, "Sister Daisy!"


    "Ah!" Daisy screamed and threw a half-cut potato in the air, ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±


    Anna stepped back quickly, clasping her hands together. She lowered her head with shame, "Sorry, Sister Daisy. I didn''t mean to scare you; I just think that it is fun¡­"


    Daisy glared at her and warned, "Go back to your room! Don''t come out and cause trouble for me. If you don¡¯t listen, I will tie you up so that you can¡¯t move!¡±


    "No, no..." Anna dropped to her knees, begging over and over, "Sister Daisy, don''t tie me up! I will listen to you!"


    "Get out!" Daisy usually didn''t talk to Anna or even see her. She often let Anna go to the kitchen after she finished eating. But for some reason, she was out of her room, which thoroughly annoyed Daisy.


    Anna walked away silently.


    Daisy let out a sigh of relief when she saw her leave. She whispered under her breath, ¡°She is such a haunting nuisance. I should have forced her to go with her mother!¡±

 Chapter 194 Daisy’s Hurtful Words

    The moment Daisy heard Kate¡¯s voice, she ran toward her, ¡°Kate, you are back!¡±


    Kate hugged her, pointed to the dish on the table, and asked, "Too much to eat!¡±


    "Not too at all! You are seldom home now. So of course, I wanted to make all of your favorites," Daisy said, "I am thinking you must be hungry. Go wash your hands, and then come eat dinner!"


    Kate didn¡¯t see Anna around, so she looked toward the stairs and asked, ¡°Where is Anna? Why hasn¡¯t she come down for dinner?¡±


    "She¡­" Daisy paused and then smiled, "I guess she is sleeping. Don''t disturb her. We will eat, and she can heat the leftovers later."


    "Sleeping at dinner time?" Kate wondered.


    Suddenly, Anna ran downstairs and shouted happily, "Sister Kate, you are back!"


    "Yes, come down to have dinner," Kate didn''t feel nearly as awkward around Anna as she had before. The bad memories were the past, and she was so happy with Joseph. She had become more tolerant of Anna and her previous behavior.


    "Remember, you need to eat on time. If you have nothing to do during the day, you can spend time with Daisy. Don¡¯t stay in your room all day,¡± Kate reminded her.


    "But¡­¡­"


    "Wash your hands!" Daisy interrupted.


    Anna gave Daisy a fearful glance, "Yes..."


    Seeing Anna''s frightened look, Kate pulled Daisy aside and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be so stern when you speak to her.¡±


    Daisy said embarrassingly, "Kate, I don''t want to treat her this way either. But when I saw her, I got upset. Then I couldn''t control how I said it."


    "She doesn''t remember anything, so everything is unfamiliar to her. She will not harm us, and we cannot continue to judge her for her past actions. It will cause her to rebel, and then something bad may happen."


    "Sister Kate, let¡¯s have dinner!" Anna stretched her hand out to grab Kate¡¯s hand.


    Kate looked at her and took her hand, "Thank you, Anna."


    "You''re welcome!" Anna smiled happily.


    Daisy looked at the two smiling at each other. Suddenly her face sank, and she sat across from them without saying a word.


    Kate filled a plate for her and Anna, then said, "There are a lot of dishes here. We must try our best not to waste them."


    "Okay!" Anna said as she gobbled it up, "It''s so delicious. It''s been a long time since I had any food."


    "What?" Her words aroused Kate''s curiosity.


    Daisy was so scared that she interrupted Anna quickly, "Eat your meal, don''t talk. Otherwise, you can¡¯t eat at this table!¡±


    Anna was so frightened that she quickly dropped her fork.


    "Go on and eat," Kate whispered to her.


    "Thank you!" Anna said with her head lowered.


    After dinner, Anna took the initiative to wash dishes.


    Completely shocked by her actions, Kate stood back and watched. She had never seen Anna wash dishes, but she didn¡¯t complain and seemed delighted to be doing them.


    Daisy said, "Kate, don''t feel sorry for her. We are much more merciful than she was in the past."


    "So, you told her to wash dishes?" Kate realized that she would not have rushed to clean the table immediately after eating if Daisy hadn''t told her.


    Daisy did not deny anything; she replied, "She doesn''t do anything. Washing dishes is not a hard job."


    "Daisy, do you know that your attitude toward her is horrible?" Kate asked.


    ¡°I just think about the past, and then I am so angry¡­¡± Daisy said, her voice trembling.


    "I¡¯ve told you that she has lost her memory and not to take advantage of the situation. If you choose to mistreat her, there is no difference;  you are now doing what she did to us in the past. You are not that kind of person."


    Daisy bit her lip, lower her head in shame.


    "Daisy, I do not mean to blame you. I just hope you can forget the unhappiness before and cherish your life now and in the future. Looking back will only make you unhappy."


    There was a long pause, but Daisy finally said, "Kate, you have changed¡­"


    Daisy''s comment hurt Kate. They had gone up together; they were sisters, she didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    Daisy pointed to Anna, washing dishes, and growled, "Her mother killed your mother. That pain cannot be erased, no matter how hard you try. But it seems like you have forgiven her. You have really changed. You may have been kind in the past, but you could still see the difference between right and wrong.¡±


    ¡°But now? You are in love with Joseph. The happiness that love brings you has caused you to forget the pain that Anna and her mother inflicted upon you. And, you forgot about the sacrifices your mother made to establish her company. Now, all you care about is love. You don¡¯t even want to manage the company that your mother worked so hard for! You just gave it to Joseph!¡± Daisy snapped.


    "Daisy, you..."


    Daisy wouldn''t let Kate speak, "Yes, I know what I said will hurt you. As an outsider, I also know that I have no right to tell you how to live your life. But Kate, your mother was kind to me, and I can''t let everything she did be destroyed by you. So, I asked you to come here tonight, to remind you about your mother, her death, and not to throw away your mother''s hard work!"


    Hearing Daisy called herself an outsider broke Kate''s heart. Although Flora adopted Daisy, in her heart, Kate always considered them to be sisters. Kate reached out to touch Daisy''s shoulder and said, "Daisy, you should calm down. Let''s sit and talk peacefully."


    Daisy pushed Kate¡¯s hand away.


    Anna stopped washing the dishes and looked nervously at the two.


    "Kate, tell me now! Me or Anna, who do you choose?" Daisy pointed to Anna, "Since the day she and her mother joined this family, my life has been horrible. They tortured me; they beat and insulted me, ordering me to do everything!" Daisy yelled.


    ¡°Now she pretends to be crazy so that she can live a leisurely life here. I still have to serve her. She is spoiled! She has done so many horrible things, but it is as if nothing has ever happened because she can''t remember. If it''s that simple, if I was to stab her to death, then pretend to be insane, would I be forgiven?" Daisy snarled, her eyes full of anger.

 Chapter 195 Argument Amongst Sisters

    "Anna, stop!" Daisy shouted.


    Kate turned to look at Anna, who was trembling and terrified. She gently said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Tell me what is going on.¡±


    Daisy''s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to step forward to stop any from speaking, but if she did, she would be admitting what she had done.


    "Sister Daisy sends me to my room at mealtime. I can only eat leftovers, and there is never any meat. The food was so good tonight; I ate a lot, so now I am delighted," Anna sobbed, which was out of character for her. In the past, if she were wrong, she would have vented her anger on everyone, but now she seemed to be suffering.


    Kate was angry and turned to scold Daisy, "Is what she said true?"


    Daisy, instead of feeling guilty, was still angry. She mocked, "Compared to what her mother and she did to me, what I have done is not even worth mentioning!¡±


    "Daisy, you¡­" Kate never expected that her kind sister would say and do such cruel things.


    Kate had not forgotten about the pain and suffering brought on by Leo, Dora, and Anna, but they received their punishment. Anna now had amnesia, and there was no point in bullying her. And Kate thought, the more they continued to bring up the past, the more misery it would bring to their lives. She hoped that Daisy could forget about the past and live her life.


    ¡°I finally understand now, Kate. No matter how deep the friendship between us goes, it can¡¯t compare to the blood relationship between you and Anna. You are half-sisters, even if she has done so many evil things that I can''t even count. You can forgive them and continue to be her sister," Daisy''s expression was cold, and her words stabbed Kate in the heart.


    Kate looked at Daisy, who was acting like a complete stranger. She was terrified of Daisy but said, ¡°You are saying I changed! I think it is you who¡­¡±


    "Yes, I have changed!" Daisy shouted, and then added, ¡°Perhaps this is just the real me!¡±


    "What do you mean by that?" Kate questioned her.


    "Kate, even if your mother is dead, and your life is not as good as it was before, you had a childhood. You were protected and loved by your parents; you were a jewel in the palm of their hands. I was nothing more than an unwanted orphan. I was sold as a discounted item since I was seven years old, from one stranger''s house to another. I can''t even remember how many times I was passed around for money. I went to school, and other kids would push me and make fun of me. Can you even imagine how painful that was?"


    Tears ran down Daisy''s cheeks, flowing like the resentment she had accumulated after years of abuse. She looked at Kate and said, "If it weren''t for my perseverance, I would have been bullied to death by them or forced out of here. Can you imagine feeling unconditional love and then turn around to be mistreated?"


    Kate was speechless after hearing Daisy''s heartbreaking story. She always knew that Daisy had a painful life before living with them. But with Flora and Kate''s help, she grew into a caring, warm person. Kate never realized that she felt so unsafe and hurt.


    "I genuinely appreciate what your mother did. She gave loved me as if I was her own daughter. But compared to what you had, I had nothing. Her love for me was out of sympathy and charity. How can that be compared to how she loved you?¡± Daisy asked Kate.


    Daisy smiled coldly and said mercilessly, "Kate, do you pity me, an orphan? Do you honestly look at me as your sister?"


    Kate shook her head, "I have never felt bad for you and always regarded you as my sister. And my mother''s love for you was not out of sympathy!"


    "My mother would often speak about you so highly. When we both got our school marks, you were always praised. When she bought gifts, she bought two. When she went for walks on the grounds, she took you. A lot of the time, she would ask me to care about you more, saying that we are sisters and that we need to take care of each other," Kate could not allow Daisy to misunderstand the way things were growing up or how Flora felt about her. The moment Kate started thinking of her mother, her heart broke again. However, to ease Daisy''s mind, Kate had to explain it all.


    Daisy clenched her fists and sneered, "So what? She did that out of sympathy and gave me handouts! She was rich and could take care of me!"


    Knowing that trying to explain would just be useless, Kate closed her eyes, letting the tears flow down. She hoped that she could release the pain that Daisy¡¯s words caused her.


    ¡°Kate, I don¡¯t want to argue with you, but you are a stranger to me. Since you and Joseph became a couple, you are hardly ever home. You leave me here with this insane woman and ask me to take care of her so that you can be with your love. And you gave away your mother''s company for love. You really¡­"


    Daisy shook her head in disappointment and laughed, "¡­disappoint me!¡±


    Kate wiped away her tears, and bluntly asked, "What is your reason for arguing with me? Are you afraid our relationship is fading, or that you will lose this home and Kate Group?"

 Chapter 196 Meeting at the University Gate

    Kate looked her in the eyes and said, ¡°You said all of this because you are angry that I have forgiven Anna and merged Kate Group into JK Group. I can understand about Anna, but I don''t know why you are so angry about the company merger. It will not affect development and operation. Instead, I can rely on Joseph''s abilities to better develop Kate Group. You are accusing me of giving my company to Joseph when I haven''t. We have lived together for so many years, you should know me by now!"


    Seeing Kate angry, Daisy smiled, "Don''t be angry, Kate. I may have misunderstood before, but now you explained everything, so I am not angry anymore. I believe that you will not ruin your mother''s life accomplishments. I just¡­"


    ¡°Enough!¡± Kate did not want to hear any longer. She was irritated by what had happened and didn''t want to go over it again and again. What made her saddest was not Daisy''s accusations, but that Daisy thought she and her mother only loved her out of sympathy.


    Kate knew they needed time apart, but before leaving, she turned to Anna, "I am sorry. Starting tomorrow, I will have a servant look after your food. Please go rest. I will talk to you soon."


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Anna called after Kate.


    Daisy sat on the sofa, still feeling angry.


    Kate walked out the door and down the street as fast as she could, letting the wind blow on her tear-stained face. She thought if she could walk fast enough that the unhappiness would fade away. However, the faster she walked, the sadder and angrier she felt. She felt out of breath but would not stop; Daisy''s words were haunting her, reminding her that what just happened was real and painful.


    Before she knew it, Kate had reached the center of town. People were busy going into stores and restaurants; she felt like an outsider there and in her own home. She pulled her arms in close to her chest and continued walking, ending up at her old university.


    She stopped and looked up at the doors where students walked in and out, laughing and smiling. She looked all around, thinking of when she and Daisy studied there together. They would walk home, happily talking about their day; it seemed like it was just yesterday. However, the good memories fade quickly, and the reality of the night''s events took over.


    It turned out that happiness could be ruined in an instant. Kate always regarded Daisy as her sister, but when Daisy told her that it was nothing more than wishful thinking, she was crushed.


    As Kate stood at the gate, lost in thought, a tall man came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around and was shocked to see that it was Rowen.


    ¡°What are you thinking about? I called your name several times, but you didn¡¯t answer me. I was wondering if it was actually you,¡± Rowen smiled at her.


    ¡°Why are you here? It¡¯s late,¡± Rowen asked, ¡°Are you visiting to relive your university memories?¡±


    He felt a little silly after asking her; he didn''t know her in university after all. Even if she had come to think about her time there, it would have nothing to do with him.


    He quickly tried to change the subject, but Kate smiled again and replied, ¡°I am stuck in an office all day. It is good to get out and walk at night.¡±


    Even though she smiled, Rowen could see by the expression on her face that there was more going on. He said, "This is the university where you studied. You must have a lot of feelings about it. Let''s go in; I will take you for a visit."


    "I¡­"


    "Kate, if you feel like you need to keep your distance from me because of what I said, you don¡¯t have to. I like you, but I will never force you to like me. Besides, I know the only person you ever had feelings for was Joseph.¡±


    Kate still felt awkward, ¡°Rowen, there are so many good women in the world. You¡­¡±


    "I have become a teacher, and I understand how it works. I just need time to get over you. After all, I did like you for a very long time,¡± Rowen interrupted.


    "I know that love can''t be forced. I have always liked Joseph, but Anna was the only one in his eyes. We finally became a real couple after dealing with all of the misunderstandings that came between us," Kate said, trying to comfort him but realized she didn''t know what to say. She wanted to explain that she understood the pain of liking someone, but he had to move on.


    Rowen knew what Kate meant. He smiled bitterly, "Well, you don¡¯t have to comfort me, a rejected person. We can¡¯t be lovers, but we can still be friends. Don¡¯t take it to heart. As long as you live a happy life, I will bless you."


    His words comforted her, which made Kate feel much more relaxed. She thought of the secret Lisa told her and thought maybe she should tell Rowen. But she fought the urge after thinking for a moment; it was not her place. Plus, Rowen said he still like her; telling him might only hurt him.


    After taking a few steps inside the gate of the university, her cell phone rang.


    She took out the phone and saw that it was from Joseph. She politely said, "Excuse me; I need to answer this.¡±

 Chapter 197 The Female Students

    "Where are you?" Joseph''s voice was extremely calm.


    "I..." Kate wanted to say at the gate of the university. But Rowen was there. She was afraid that Joseph would be jealous again, so she lied, "At home."


    "Home?" Joseph didn''t believe her, "Then why do I hear so many cars? Are you on the side of the road?"


    She was indeed on the side of the road, and the traffic was very noisy. She was not good at lying, ¡°I¡­¡±


    "Where are you?" Joseph¡¯s tone suddenly became serious.


    Kate had to tell the truth, "At the gate of the university."


    "With whom?" he asked.


    She could understand his concern for her. But his sudden serious tone made her feel very uncomfortable. Kate snapped, "Must I be with someone? Can''t I be alone? Besides, if I say anything, we will only fight, and you will go after him. Instead of having you misunderstood, it is better to lie¡­"


    Kate realized what she had said and prepared herself for Joseph¡¯s reply.


    "So, you are with Rowen?" he said slowly, but his voice was getting colder.


    She knew he must be angry and did not deny, "Yes."


    Joseph remained silent for a while.


    Kate didn''t care to have another argument, so she said, "I will hang up then!"


    "Wait for me at the tea shop next to the school gate. I am on my way to pick you up,¡± Joseph ordered.


    She didn''t tell him no and felt better after hearing he was on his way. She regretted sounding angry with Joseph since he was not the one who upset her.


    Rowen took a step toward her when she hung up the phone. Kate apologized, "Joseph is coming to pick me up right away, so I won''t be able to go inside. Thank you, though."


    The polite words suddenly seemed to create more distance between Rowen and her. He liked Kate, so he respected her. Even if he felt unhappy, he nodded and then took off his coat to put around her. He smiled and said, "It is cold out; I don''t want you to get sick. I am going to go, so be careful."


    "Rowen, I don''t need your clothes..." But before she could say anything more, Rowen walked away. She took his coat off to prevent an argument with Joseph.


    Although she and Rowen were innocent, she still didn''t want Joseph to be jealous. She was already hurting and didn¡¯t want to inflict any more pain upon herself.


    After a while, Joseph walked over to her. It was nearly eleven o''clock, but the tea shop was open later since it was near the school. As young female students walked in and out of the shop, they admired Joseph.


    Kate couldn''t help but think of when the female students at the school chased Rowen. She wondered if the same thing would happen to Joseph. As she watched him walk toward her, Kate saw a few girls take the initiative to ask him, ¡°Are you the new teacher? What do you teach?¡±


    Joseph glanced at her, then said with a blank expression, "I''m here to pick up my girlfriend!"


    Kate couldn¡¯t help but smile when he called her his girlfriend.


    "Girlfriend?" The girls looked around curiously, looking for a beautiful model.


    "Who is your girlfriend? Is she beautiful? And are you a teacher at this university? You are so handsome. We will all go to your class!"


    "Yes, yes, we all go; we all go!" The other girls responded positively.


    Joseph''s face was cold, and his brows furrowed. When he was about to speak, one of the girls exclaimed, ¡°I think he is more handsome than Professor Rowen!¡±


    "Oh no! Don''t compare him with Professor Rowen. This man is an iceberg; Professor Rowen is warm and caring. They are two entirely different people!"


    "He is more handsome than Professor Rowen!"


    "Professor Rowen is more handsome!"


    With a cold expression, Joseph walked around the arguing girls and went over to Kate.


    As she saw Joseph walking toward her, Kate lowered her head and looked at her tea.


    "Was that a good show?¡± His soft eyes smiled at her.


    Kate''s face turned red, and she pretended to be dumb, "I just didn¡¯t want to disturb you."


    Joseph didn¡¯t want to talk about the girls. He asked, ¡°Do you want to order something else?¡±


    As soon as he finished asking, Kate hiccupped. She raised her head awkwardly and looked at Joseph for fear of being teased. She held his arm and ordered, "Don''t laugh at me!"


    "Okay, I won''t laugh," Joseph sat straight with a serious expression on his face.


    Kate couldn''t help laughing; he certainly was a funny man in her eyes.


    "Let''s take the tea home," he assumed by her hiccup that she had dinner.


    A few female students followed them to the car. After they were inside, Kate finally let out a sigh of relief, "It seems that you are not able to be around a place with a lot of girls!"


    "Why?"


    "Because you are so attractive to women!" Kate deliberately teased him.


    "But I just want to attract you," Joseph flirted.


    Kate looked out of the car window and said nothing.


    "What happened? It seems that you are in a bad mood,¡± Joseph asked.


    "Nothing, I''m just tired and don''t want to talk anymore," She was very annoyed at the thought of the quarrel with Daisy, though it eased a little after seeing Joseph.


    Seeing that she was not as happy as usual, Joseph stopped the car, "We made a deal that we should tell the other person anything that happens so that they will not worry.¡±


    "I did say anything," She commented impatiently.


    "Look at me," He reached out and turned her toward him.


    Kate didn''t dare to look at him. If she looked at him, she knew she couldn''t hide what happened with Daisy and Anna. It was her business, and she didn''t want to tell Joseph. It would be pointless, and she would only be annoyed with him too.

 Chapter 198 Disappear Out of Anger

    She held it in her hand and answered truthfully, "Rowen''s, he said it was windy, and he let me¡­"


    "The tea shop has heat," Joseph interrupted her.


    Seeing his expression change, Kate got very upset and said, "Yes, there is heating in the store. So, I should not accept his concern?"


    She didn''t want to take his coat, but Rowen insisted on giving it to her.  She tried to give it back, but he was already out of sight. Out of fear of arguing with Joseph, she held it and didn''t wear it. Yet, still, he saw it.


    "Why take it?" He became angry.


    Kate knew another fight was inevitable. The questioning tone made Kate even angrier. She snapped, "I just took it, okay? What do you want me to say? Either you take me and his coat or break up with me?"


    When Joseph heard Kate say break up, it was as if he was struck by lightning. The pain kept him silent for a long time.


    Kate thought his silence meant agreement for break up. She opened the car door, jumped out to get a taxi, unsure of where she would even go.


    Joseph reacted and immediately got out of the car to stop her. But it was still too late; it was as if the taxi appeared out of thin air to whisk Kate away. He jumped back in the car, intending to catch up to Kate, but there was so much traffic that he was unsure of which taxi she was in. Filled with despair, Joseph pulled over to call her.


    When Kate¡¯s phone rang, she looked at it but did not answer or hang up. She waited for it to stop ringing, then she turned the power off on her phone.


    Holding his phone, Joseph tried to call again, but it went directly to Kate''s voicemail. He knew she turned it off, and now he had no way to reach her. Joseph was not only worried about her, but he regretted the way he talked to her.


    Originally Kate had planned to go to Joseph''s after her quarrel with Daisy. However, since she was fighting with him, Kate didn''t know where to go. The taxi driver had already asked her where she was going numerous times; each time, she told him just to keep driving.


    Kate finally decided to go to Lisa¡¯s house.  As soon as she got out of the taxi, Lisa ran to her, "Kate, you scared me to death! Joseph has been calling me saying he couldn''t reach you. Then I called you, and it was going to your voicemail. I was just about to go to your house to see if you were there!"


    Seeing that Lisa was so worried about her made Kate feel guilty but loved at the same time. She reached out and hugged her.


    Lisa was shocked by her behavior. While calming her, she gently asked, "What''s wrong? Did you get in an argument with Joseph?"


    "No," Kate said; she let go of Lisa and walked inside.


    "I feel like that is a bit of an exaggeration," Kate sighed.


    "Kate, although you are my best friend, I have to take Joseph''s side on this," Lisa commented, "You can be angry with him, but you can''t just disappear for no reason. If he can''t contact you, he will be distraught."


    Even though she was still upset, Kate knew Lisa was right. She nodded her head, ¡°This is my fault.¡±


    Kate was about to turn her phone back on when Lisa¡¯s phone rang.


    "Look, he''s calling again!" Lisa laughed.


    "I guess he went to my place and found that I wasn¡¯t there. So, now he is calling you again.¡±


    Joseph''s first words were that Kate wasn''t at the white mansion. Lisa quickly told him, "Don''t worry! Kate is okay; she is here with me."


    "I will come to pick her up then," Joseph felt relieved when he heard that Kate was safe.


    "Joseph, why doesn¡¯t Kate stay with me tonight? You two can work things out tomorrow?¡± Lisa was afraid that Kate was still too upset and that they would only continue to quarrel if he picked her up.


    "Hmm..." Joseph clearly hesitated.


    "Don''t worry; I will take good care of her. I promise to return a happy Kate tomorrow!¡± Lisa assured him.


    "Okay," Joseph agreed, then asked, "Can I talk to her, though?"


    "Why you don¡¯t believe me?" Lisa said before handing the phone to Kate. She nudged Kate¡¯s arm, ¡°Say something! He doesn¡¯t believe me!¡±


    Kate stared at the phone for a moment, then took it from Lisa, "Go home! I am fine!¡±


    "Kate, I''m sorry," He apologized.


    Hearing him say he was sorry, she bit her lower lip, panicking. Obviously, she lost her temper with him, but he was apologizing to her. After hanging up, Kate went to lay on the sofa without saying a word.


    Seeing her uneasy, Lisa sighed, "Since you want to go there, why not just ask him to pick you up now? Then all your problems will be solved!¡±


    "Lisa, do you want to know why we quarreled?"


    "Why?" Lisa had an idea but didn''t want to say it.


    "I..." When she was about to say it, Kate suddenly thought about the fact that Lisa liked Rowen.


    "Why?" Seeing her hesitating, Lisa said impatiently, "You don''t need to hesitate in front of me!"


    "Because of a trivial matter. Also, before bickering with Joseph, I had a very heated confrontation with Daisy. She said a lot of hurtful things.¡±


    "You and Daisy? Why? What happened?" Lisa knew that Kate and Daisy were closer than most biological sisters. If they were fighting, there had to be a good reason. Lisa sat quietly as Kate told her every detail.


    "I never expected that someone who is always so kind and caring could have a vicious side, just like Anna!" Kate shook her head, "I don''t know if what I have done changed her, but I truly never thought of her as an outsider. I was nice to her because I care for her, not out of pity. I only hope that she can let go of the past hurt and accept the love in front of her."


    "I understand, you are right about that," Lisa could understand Daisy''s feelings but knew how much Kate loved her, "Her life was unstable since she was born, and she suffered a lot. When your mother passed away, you were the only sense of security she had. She looked at you as her only family, and now she feels like you don''t care for her. Plus, you allowed Anna into your home, so Daisy''s heart broke. She couldn''t take anymore and broke down."


    "But I don''t understand. What does this have to do with my company merging into JK Group? And Anna has amnesia now, so I can''t leave her to live on her own. Anna is like a child; why can''t we just let her into our lives?"

 Chapter 199 Reconciliation

    "I know,¡± Kate sighed. She rubbed her eyes and looked at Lisa, ¡°Let¡¯s wash and then get some sleep. It has been a long day.¡±


    "Yes, sleeping will help you with your worries. When you wake up tomorrow, it will be a new day!¡±


    "That''s right!" Kate got up and gave Lisa a big hug. "Lisa, thank you for letting me stay here tonight."


    "It''s okay! I''m thrilled to have you here. Having someone to talk to doesn''t make me feel so alone," Lisa explained.


    While Kate was in the washroom, Lisa picked up the coat that Kate laid on the sofa. She looked at it and was confused; she was sure it was Rowen''s coat, just assumed it was Joseph''s but knew it wasn¡¯t she took a closer look. Lisa realized that was what Kate was hesitating to tell her; she figured they argued about Rowen. However, Lisa never thought it was because Rowen and Kate were together.


    Feeling depressed, Lisa slumped down on the sofa. She was not jealous of Kate or upset with her, she was angry that Rowen knew he couldn''t be with Kate, yet he continued to pursue her. But, like a fool, she was doing the same thing with him.


    **


    Early the next morning, there was a knock on the door. Lisa heard it, but she would not get up; she pulled the covers back over her head. She had tossed and turned most of the night, thinking of Rowen''s coat, and hadn''t fallen asleep until the sun was coming up.


    Kate jumped up and went to the door, then whispered, "Who is it?"


    Joseph replied, "It''s me."


    Hearing Joseph''s voice, Kate''s sleepy eyes flew open. She remembered what had happened the night before. She realized she was wrong and immediately opened the door to let him in.


    Seeing that Joseph was still wearing the same thing he had the night before and looked exhausted, Kate knew he hadn''t slept. His usually styled hair was messy, his clothes were wrinkled; she smiled and said, "You¡­"


    "Look like a mess?" Joseph unconsciously stroked his hair.


    "You didn''t sleep last night?" Kate said, looking at his bloodshot eyes.


    If he told her that he had spent the night outside of Lisa''s apartment building, then she would have told him he was crazy. He quickly said, "I had to go to the office to do paperwork and make some amendments."


    Kate¡¯s face turned cold, and she snarled, ¡°What plan was so important that you had to stay up all night? You could have slept and did it early this morning. Why did you need to say up so late?¡±


    A warm feeling took over Joseph when he heard the concern in Kate''s words. He didn''t mention anything about the night before; he just smiled and, with his gentle tone, said, "Let''s go and change our clothes."


    "What''s the matter?" Because of the height difference, he looked down at her. Even though his eyes were tired, he couldn''t hide his gentleness.


    Kate stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and passionately kissed him.


    Her kiss caught Joseph off guard, Kate had never initiated a kiss like that, but he responded enthusiastically with even more passion. After a long kiss, Joseph let go of Kate. She had to admit that Joseph''s kisses would leave her lost.


    Back at Joseph''s home, Kate took a hot bath then walked back to the bedroom, drying her hair.


    Joseph was lying on the bed, watching her. Then as she was about to go to the closet to get clothes, he grabbed her from behind.


    She trembled, turned around, and looked at him. She blinked her bright eyes and asked, "Aren''t you sleepy?"


    "I miss you..." His soft voice whispered in her ear.


    The simple three words immediately captivated her. Kate giggled, "I''m right in front of you!"


    "Kate, when you are not in front of me, I am lonely; when you ignore me, my heart is empty, and I panic..."


    "So last night, you had insomnia?" She assumed that he couldn''t fall asleep, so he went to work.


    Joseph stared at her, "Do you seriously believe I went to work overtime last night?"


    "Didn¡¯t you? Your eyes are so red that you couldn¡¯t sleep because you missed me?¡±


    "I was downstairs in front of Lisa''s building last night."


    Kate didn''t speak for a long time. She wanted to tell Joseph how silly he was but wasn''t sure how to say it.


    Joseph thought she was angry again. He hugged her quickly and explained, "I''m afraid that you wouldn¡¯t forgive me, so I want to apologize to you at dawn."


    "Am I that unreasonable?" She asked, feeling horrible for making him worry.


    "Promise me, no matter what happens in the future; you won''t hang up on me again. If you do, I will be worried,¡± Joseph begged.


    "Okay," She promised, and then said, "Even if we argue, we shouldn''t ignore each other. If there is a problem, we can either talk it over immediately or agree to take some time apart. We can''t just walk away without saying something."


    Kate explained, ¡°I am sorry. The last time we fought, I also ran away and wouldn¡¯t speak to you.¡±


    "I don¡¯t mind it because you are my girlfriend?" Joseph said.


    Kate couldn''t help but smile, "Yeah, you are my boyfriend; I can vent my anger on you. You have to take it, though!"


    "It''s okay; I am willing to take anything from you!¡± Joseph grinned.


    Kate hugged him, ¡°Mr. Smith, I promise that I will work on this bad habit in the future!¡±


    Joseph said gently, "As I said, I am fine with anything, but I need to know you are safe!"


    She put her hand on his chest and asked, "Do you know why I ran out of my house last night?"


    Since she told Lisa everything, she figured she should tell Joseph. She had calmed down, and so she told him about her argument with Daisy.


    Joseph frowned, "Why didn''t you tell me about something so serious?¡±


    "See, I knew you would be upset after I told you. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything!¡± Kate moaned.

 Chapter 200 Self-Control

    "She is Daisy! I will not be angry my sister!" Kate snapped.


    "But I will! No one should upset you!" Joseph said stubbornly. He did understand though why when he went to the White mansion to look for Kate, Daisy was angry. He just assumed that she had been lying for Kate, but it turned out they were fighting.


    "I didn''t tell you last night out of fear that you would act like this. I only told you because I thought you might not overreact today. I truly hope you will forgive Daisy."


    Forgive her? Impossible! Joseph thought to himself. He knew that Kate was so kind that people would take advantage of her, he never expected Daisy to be one of them though.


    "What are you thinking about?" Kate touched his cheek when she saw him deep in thought.


    Joseph blinked and then looked gently at her, "Since you worry about me getting upset, why do you get into these situations all the time?"


    "Don''t be silly!" Kate put her arms around his neck and said with a big smile, "I love that you worry about me! I am happy that you care so much!"


    When Joseph didn''t respond, Kate laughed, "Okay, let''s forget about it. Look at your eyes, you are exhausted. Go get some sleep!"


    "And you..."


    "Okay, I will lay down with you," She replied.


    Immediately after she agreed to go to bed, Joseph carried her to the bed, then bent down over her. Kate held her breath and didn''t move.


    Seeing her nervousness, he smirked, "What are you afraid of?"


    Kate''s face flushed immediately. She turned her head away and pretended to be calm, "Nothing!"


    "Really?" Joseph cautiously started to unbutton her pajamas.


    Her body trembled. She turned aside and stared into his eyes, warning, "Joseph, you promised me!"


    Joseph then bent lower and whispered, "I know!"


    Then he moved to the bed beside her, and held her in his arms. Before Kate knew it, he was softly snoring, she looked at his handsome face and could not take her eyes off of him. She bravely touched his face, his lips, and his chest.


    "You don''t want to touch any lower?" Joseph opened his eyes slightly and smiled.


    Kate was frightened and immediately pulled her hand away, "I¡­ you¡­ Ummm¡­"


    She stuttered and before she could answer, Joseph rolled on top of her and gently began making love to her. It felt natural to Kate, she did not reject him but melted into his arms.


    They spent the rest of the day and night making love and holding each other.


    She tried to quietly get up out of bed, frustrated with herself. However, Joseph pulled her back into his arms.


    Kate playfully pushed him away, "I have to get up!"


    "Are you angry with me?" Joseph asked gently.


    "Angry?" Kate was confused.


    "I did not control myself and broke our promise," Joseph stated.


    "It''s not only your fault, I was involved. I did not control myself, either."


    Joseph promised, "Believe me! I''m not an irresponsible person."


    "I know that!" Kate thought his words were sweet and comforting.


    Suddenly, Kate grabbed her stomach trying to keep Joseph from hearing the rumbles.


    Joseph laughed, "I am hungry too!"


    Kate got out of bed to get dress but pulled the covers over her so that Joseph wouldn''t see her naked.


    Reaching over Joseph yanked the blanket out of her hand, "Why are you still acting so shy?"


    "I...I''m not," She denied and turned to see Joseph was getting dressed as well. She asked, "Are you not going to the office today?"


    Joseph finished putting his t-shirt on and replied, "I am way too tired for that today. I am spending the day at home to rest."


    "Are you so weak?" Kate teased.


    "Am I weak?" Joseph emphasized the word weak, "Do you want to find out again if I am actually weak or strong, my future Mrs. Smith?"


    "No... No..." Kate waved her hands at him.


    Joseph said, "Go get cleaned up. I will go downstairs and make you breakfast!"


    "You will?" Kate planned to cook breakfast for him.


    "You don''t believe that I can make breakfast? I guess I have to prove myself to you!" Joseph beamed with confidence.


    In Kate''s eyes though, there was nothing that Joseph couldn''t do. It was as if he was invincible to her. As she thought of how wonderful he was, she washed her face and saw that her neck was full of red marks. She quickly grabbed her make-up to cover them before heading downstairs.


    Joseph was in the kitchen already cooking breakfast, when she walked in and smiled. It was picture perfect to see him wearing an apron and frying eggs. Kate hugged him from behind and said, "I''m so fortunate to have such a handsome and gentle husband!"


    Inside Joseph was ecstatic to hear such kind words from her.


    "You must not be very particular to have a girlfriend like me, right?" She asked to see how he would respond.


    "Maybe," Joseph replied restraining his smile.


    "What?" She let go of him and put her hands on her hips, "Really? You mean I am not beautiful? Why you¡­"


    Joseph leaned in and kissed her passionately.

 Chapter 201 My Little Piggy

    "Your words are so profound, I think..." She stared at him blankly.


    He smirked at her confusion, then squeezed her cheeks, "You don''t need to understand. Let''s go eat breakfast! You are hungry!"


    "Okay," She took his arm and said happily, "My boyfriend made me breakfast, all by himself!"


    "Try it first and see if it even tastes good," Even if it was horrible, Joseph wanted Kate''s honest opinion.


    Kate deliberately ate it elegantly to show off that she was carefully tasting it.


    Joseph couldn''t help but smile, and said, "Just eat as usual! Don''t pretend to be elegant, just be yourself!"


    "Okay," Kate knew that she was not the most sophisticated person when it came to eating. She rolled her sleeves up, brushed her hair back out of her face and shoved a large bite of omelet into her mouth. She smiled the told Joseph, "It is very delicious; one of the best omelets I have ever eaten!"


    "Your performance is a bit exaggerated!" Joseph was satisfied with her evaluation.


    After swallowing the food in her mouth, Kate said sincerely, "I really think it''s really delicious, and the least bit not greasy!"


    "Then eat more," He sat across from her and watched her eat.


    Kate had a bite of omelet on her fork, she put it to Joseph''s mouth. He said, "It is good. I also made soup, but it will be a while longer so you can finish this first!"


    "Still making soup?" Kate didn''t expect that Joseph could cook so well.


    "Don''t be so surprised! During the two years I was overseas, I lived alone. I had to cook or I would have starved!"


    "Yes, I forgot about that," Kate said, "So, this means you can cook all of the meals from now on?"


    "No problem!" Joseph enthusiastically promised.


    She frowned and asked, "Do you think since I have no married you yet, you need to lie to me to make me happy?"


    "Am I lying to you? When have I lied to you?" He said seriously, then bluntly stated, "Cooking for the love of my life brings me happiness. It is something meaningful!"


    Kate loved hearing his sweet words, she blushed every time.


    "Even if a handsome man like you was lying to me, I would still be happy!" She replied foolishly.


    Joseph glanced at her, "Do you just love my face?"


    "Do you want to hear the truth?"


    He looked at her and looked forward to her answer, "Of course, the truth."


    "I like everything about you!" Kate smiled, then jumped up to rush out of the room.


    Normally he would go after Kate, but he just sat at the table smiling from ear to ear.


    After Joseph finished cleaning the kitchen, he walked out to see Kate sitting on the sofa. He sat and put his arm around her, "Why did you run out of the dining room?"


    Kate had time to calm down and recover, but as soon as Joseph spoke, her face turned red again. She smiled, "I guess I just ate too much!"


    He squeezed her tighter, Kate nestled into his arms and closed her eyes, "I just ate so much, and now I am sleepy."


    "Take a nap, then wake up and have some soup?" Joseph suggested.


    Kate grinned, "You make it sound as if I am a pig!"


    "You are my little piggy," Joseph teased.


    "You are so different now, but I do miss the cold Joseph from before," Kate complained and turned her head away.


    "What do you mean?" Joseph touched her face and turned it so he could look at her, "You don''t like me being nice to you? This is me! I love you, so I want to give you everything!"


    "It is just strange, you were so mean and hateful before," Kate frowned then squeezed his nose, "You say I am your little piggy, but I think you are my little piggy!"


    Joseph lowered and giggled when she touched his nose.


    "Joseph, Kate..." Cassie stammered as she walked into the room. She wanted to surprise them but she was shocked to see them sitting on the sofa flirting. She had never seen them so intimate.


    Cassie turned around hurriedly and apologized, "I didn''t see anything."


    After hearing Cassie''s voice, it was as if Kate was electrocuted, she jumped up from Joseph''s arms.


    "It doesn''t matter what you see, but you scared Kate." Joseph calmly said, worried about Kate.


    Cassie felt bad, "I am sorry Kate. I just wanted to surprise you, I never thought I would frighten you."


    "You didn''t, I just think we were sitting so close. We should not be so intimate," Kate was in a panic trying to explain.


    "No, no, you should be like this! You are lovers," Cassie nodded strongly, and then commented, "I wish you could be so intimate all the time! And live happily ever after!"


    Hearing this, Joseph teased, "You came here out of the blue to say that to us?"


    Cassie squinted at him, "Of course not."


    Kate said, "Mom, please sit down. I will go to the kitchen to get some coffee and snacks for us."


    "Alright," Cassie smiled, it felt wonderful to have Kate feel so comfortable in Joseph''s home.


    "Let me do it. You chat with mom for a while," Joseph ordered with a grin.


    "It''s okay! It will only take a few minutes. You can talk to your mom," Kate replied and walked out.


    "Okay, then be careful. Don''t cut your fingers off!" He yelled after her.


    "Don''t worry!" Kate shouted back.


    Seeing her son and Kate so in love, Cassie was over the moon. She had a huge smile on her face, "That''s right! Be a good man who loves his wife!"


    "Are you thinking about moving here?" Joseph asked.


    Cassie waved her hand, "No, I don''t want to bother you. Besides, I also need my own space. If I miss you, I''ll just come over to visit."


    "But you have been living at my aunt''s house. Are you that comfortable there?" Joseph bluntly asked.


    The smile on Cassie''s face turned to a frown and she said, "It isn''t forever."

 Chapter 202 A Baby

    Cassie knew that if she did not agree, her son would always worry about her, "All right."


    "Perfect!" Joseph''s biggest worry was that she wouldn''t let go of her worry about the Smith mansion.


    Cassie smiled helplessly, "I have no choice but to accept your offer."


    "Don''t worry. After you move into a new residence, I will get all of Dad''s things delivered to you. You two will still be together. You have to remember that Dad is with you, no matter where you go," It was the first time Joseph had talked so softly and patiently with his mother.


    Cassie was overjoyed, tears filled her eyes, "Yes, I know your dad doesn''t want me to be alone. I also think he wants to go with me. I stayed in that old house all of these years, only to feel close to him. There are so many memories there between him and me¡­"


    "I have coffee and fresh fruit," Kate heard them talking so she waited for Joseph to comfort his mother before she walked in.


    "Thank you, Kate!" Cassie smiled at her, and praised, "She is beautiful and righteous. Joseph, you were lucky to meet Kate!"


    Kate was embarrassed, she blushed and lowered her head.


    "Yes, I''m very lucky!" Joseph took Kate''s hand and pulled her on to the sofa next to him, "With her around, I don''t stay up late to work overtime!"


    "That''s good!" Cassie said excitedly, "Kate, I have told him many times about his bad habit of staying up late and working overtime. But he doesn''t listen to me, at least now I can rest assured since you are around to supervise him!"


    "Thank you," Kate was relieved to hear that Cassie trusted her to care for Joseph.


    Joseph smirked, "Don''t you wonder why I am not staying up late with Kate around?"


    "Because you listen to her."


    "Wrong!" Joseph smiled.


    "Wrong?" Cassie was confused.


    Kate immediately knew what Joseph was joking about. Her face burned and she hit him, "Don''t make jokes about that in front of your mother!"


    "Why not?" Joseph shrugged disapprovingly, "I am only telling her the truth!"


    Cassie had no idea what they were talking about, she frowned and looked back and forth between the two.


    "Mom, sit and rest. I will make dinner," Kate told her.


    "Kate, it is still early. Can you sit down and chat with me?" Cassie asked.


    Joseph let go of her hand and said, "Talk with Mom and leave the dinner to me."


    "Are you okay?" Although she had tasted the dishes he cooked and praised him highly, Kate wanted him to spend time with his mother since she rarely visited.


    "Well then," Kate agreed, looking at Joseph and said, "Be careful not to cut your fingers off when you cut the vegetables. And remember there are only three of us, so don''t cook too much."


    Cassie was very happy to see that Kate''s eyes were full of concern for Joseph.


    "Kate, you and Joseph seem to be so in love. I think you should consider getting married," She wanted a grandchild, but it seemed inappropriate for her to say that so bluntly. Cassie thought she should at least encourage them to get married.


    Kate blushed, "Joseph and I agreed that we will not rush into marriage."


    "Yes, when the time is right though, you will get married?"


    "Yes, of course!" Kate replied. It had only officially been two months since they confirmed their relationship.


    "Are you and Joseph living together now?"


    "Yes¡­" Kate said rubbing her neck with embarrassment.


    Seeing her uncomfortable, Cassie explained, "I didn''t mean anything by that. I only hope that you two grow close. However, if I was to have a grandchild¡­"


    Kate didn''t know what to say. It turned out Cassie''s real reason for visiting was to urge Kate to have a baby.


    **


    After a quiet dinner, Cassie left and Kate helped Joseph clear the table. She didn''t say a word the entire time, Joseph was a little worried. He touched her hand and asked, "What is wrong?"


    "Nothing, I am alright."


    "Did my mother suggest that we get married or have a baby as soon as possible?" Joseph questioned.


    "Did you hear us talking?"


    There were a few rooms between the kitchen and the living room. He should not have been able to hear it. Kate thought to herself.


    "I know my mother very well," Joseph reminded Kate.


    "Oh¡­"


    "Will you feel guilty if we don''t listen to her?"


    Kate shook her head, "It''s not that I don''t want to have a baby. It''s just¡­ I am worried and think about the baby that I lost. I am afraid."


    Although it was because of Anna''s action that she had a miscarriage, her negligence also played a role.


    Joseph put down the bowl in his hand and rushed to her side. He put his arms around Kate, "Don''t worry. I am here and always will be!"


    Kate was grateful that he was gentle, "Thank you!"


    **


    While Kate was enjoying being in love, Lisa was struggling with her personal life. She contemplated over and over whether or not she should reach out to Rowen. Finally, she gathered enough courage to dial his number and when he answered she said, "Hi Rowen! Do you have class today?"


    "Not until late. Why? What is going on?" Rowen replied.


    "Well, I am going to stop by your house," Lisa told him.


    "Stop by my house?" Rowen quickly rejected the idea, "No, that is not appropriate!"


    Lisa commented, "I am the one who should be panicked. What are you afraid of?"


    Fearing that Rowen may not let her stop by, Lisa hung up the phone then grabbed his coat that Kate left behind. She folded it carefully, and place it in a bag to return to him. Before leaving, she took one last look in the mirror, tidied her clothes, and walked out the door.


    As she got closer to Rowen''s, her heart began to pound harder. Although she kept reminding herself there was no reason to be nervous, she could not control her anxiety. She thought she was going to pass out as she rang the doorbell and waited for him to answer.

 Chapter 203 Both Were Poor Guys

    Rowen waved his hand in front of her face, and Lisa snapped back to reality. She smiled and said, "Am I bothering you?"


    "No, not at all," Rowen said and opened the door for her to step inside. He handed her a pair of slippers to put on.


    "Oh, thank you," She was filled with excitement and the shyness of a little girl until she noticed that it was a pair of female slippers. She curiously asked, "Do you live alone?"


    "Yes," Rowen replied immediately without clueing into why she was asking.


    "The slippers?" She pointed to her feet.


    Rowen understood and smiled back, "My mother comes to visit occasionally. They are for her."


    Lisa let out a sigh of relief. She thought it was nice that he offered her his mother''s slippers.


    "Please have a seat," Rowen pointed to the sofa. He had put snacks out on the table, "When you said you were stopping by, I thought I should offer you something to eat. I know girls like fruit, so I went with that."


    Lisa looked at the snacks on the table and said, "Thank you, Rowen. You are so considerate."


    "You are welcome! We have been old friends for so many years."


    "Okay," Lisa nodded. She would have been much happier if her old friend could turn into her boyfriend. However, it was just a wish since Rowen was in love with Kate.


    "So, why did you come to see me?" Rowen wondered.


    "Oh," Lisa put down the napkin in her hand and passed him the bag beside her, and said, "If I remember that right, this coat is yours, right?"


    "Mine?" Rowen was puzzled. He took the bag and opened it, when he saw the neatly folded jacket inside, and instantly understood. He asked quietly, "Kate asked you to give it back to me?"


    Rowen frowned and wondered if she hated him that much that she didn''t want to see him at all.


    Seeing him depressed, Lisa worried that he might misunderstand the situation. She hurried to explain, "Kate doesn''t know I am returning it. She left it at my house when she went home yesterday. I remembered seeing you wear it, so I wanted to give it back to you."


    Perhaps Rowen felt that she was ruining the chance for him to see Kate again. If she had the coat at her house, she would have found time to give it to him. Then he would get to see her again, but now there was no chance.


    "What''s the matter?" Lisa asked nervously when Rowen didn''t speak.


    "Nothing," Rowen shrugged off his disappointment and smiled, "Is there anything else? If not¡­"


    "Rowen!" Lisa interrupted, realizing he was going to ask her to leave. She looked at him and asked, "Can''t I stay a little longer?"


    Lisa''s heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest as she waited for him to reply.


    It was obvious, but in order to be alone with him for a bit long, Lisa chose to ignore it.


    They sat in silence for a long time until finally, Rowen took the initiative to ask, "Lisa, tell me the truth, did Kate ask you to return this coat?"


    Rowen could sense that Lisa was hiding something from him.


    "No, no!" She waved her hands in front of her, "Kate left it at my house! When I woke up and saw it, I called her. She didn''t answer the phone though so I guess she was busy."


    "Okay," Rowen moaned.


    "Rowen, you still love Kate, don''t you?" She felt dumb for asking. He had been in love with Kate for so many years, it wasn''t like his feeling were going to disappear overnight. She was able to vouch for that.


    "Don''t you think I am like Kate?" Rowen gave a sad smirk.


    "Like Kate?" She didn''t understand.


    "We both love someone and our feelings have never changed," Rowen meant that he loved Kate, and Kate loved Joseph.


    Lisa felt uncomfortable when she realized what he meant. She gave him a reluctant smile, "Yes, and I am the same."


    "You?" Rowen asked curiously, "Do you like someone?"


    Lisa did not answer him, she just lowered her head.


    After a short while, Rowen added, "Don''t misunderstand me. Everyone has the right to love someone. I just never thought that an outgoing girl like you would secretly like someone, I assumed that you would say something.


    "I''m outgoing...It is true." She smiled embarrassedly, "In your eyes, I''m just like a boy who will not hide his love, right?"


    Rowen could not deny it, he feared Lisa might think he was being rude so he added, "I like your personality. You say whatever you want rather than hiding it. It is a good attitude to have, it won''t upset you."


    "You are wrong. I can say anything I want, except my love for others. I am just as shy as you, probably even more than you."


    Rowen frowned with a face full of doubt, "Does the person you like have a girlfriend?"


    She shook her head.


    "Does he have a family?"


    She continued to shake her head.


    "Then why don''t you tell him you love him? Maybe the other person likes you too!"


    Rowen''s words made Lisa laugh helplessly, "He doesn''t like me!"


    "How can you be so sure?"


    "He likes someone else," Lisa whispered. She worried if she spoke about her true feelings that they would no longer be friends. Even if they could be friends, it might be awkward. After all, her friendship with Kate felt immediately strained when she told Kate she had feelings for Rowen.


    Rowen reached out to touch her hand. Lisa was stunned and not sure what he was doing but she put her hand on his.


    "We are both suckers for love," Rowen said with a smile.

 Chapter 204 Daisy Insulted Anna Again

    "But Lisa, the person you like hasn''t got married yet, so you still have a chance, right? Don''t be discouraged, you have to fight for what you want!" Rowen urged her, "As the saying goes, all efforts will pay off in the end."


    Lisa so confused, she wanted to say something more but stopped. She had to keep her love for him a secret. She worried that if she told him they would never see each other again.


    "What about you? Will you give up on your feelings for Kate?"


    "Give up?" Rowen smiled bitterly, and asked, "Why would I?"


    Lisa felt a pain in her heart as if she was pricked by a needle. When he confessed his love for Kate and she rejected him, Lisa hoped he would give up and move on.


    "Do you think I am insane? Obviously, she won''t leave Joseph, but I can still get to her," The smile on Rowen''s face gradually disappeared when he realized what he was saying.


    Lisa felt sad to hear he was so obsessed with his love for Kate, she felt sad for both him and herself.


    "No, you don''t have a chance," She smiled half-heartedly, "It is very difficult to forget one you have loved for many years. "


    She could deeply sense his sorrow as she was experiencing the same feelings. Falling in love with someone who didn''t love you back was completely heartbreaking.


    As she left a short time later, Lisa''s heart was crushed. She walked aimlessly along the road with the image of Rowen''s hurting expression running through her mind. She didn''t know what to do, he was not going to give up on his love for Kate, and Lisa would not give up on her love for him- another thing in common.


    **


    Since the argument between Kate and Daisy, Kate hadn''t been back to the White mansion. Daisy went about her own daily life and was not affected by the situation. In the past, she had to be nice, work hard and serve the family, acting obediently to keep a secure position as part of the family. But with nobody home, she no longer took so much on and became arrogant.


    "Come here!" Daisy called when she saw Anna walking downstairs. Daisy was laying on the sofa eating a bowl of fruit and watching TV. She turned her head to Anna, "From now on, you will do all of the chores!"


    "Yes ma''am," Anna nodded her head. She was afraid of Daisy, so she never dared to look directly at her.


    Daisy was thrilled with the feeling of asking others to do things for her, not to mention that the one person she was asking was Anna. She had bullied her for years, now Daisy felt it was her turn for revenge.


    "It seems that we will be the only ones here in the future. From now on, I will be the owner of this house, so you must listen to me, or I will kick you out!" Daisy snarled coldly.


    "Sister Daisy, please don''t kick me out! I will listen to you from now on," Anna pleaded.


    Daisy smiled triumphantly, "It depends on your performance around here. If you do well, of course I will let you stay. If not, you will be gone!"


    "I will behave perfectly and do what you want!" Anna panicked as if she was begging for her life.


    Seeing that Anna was really afraid of her, Daisy was satisfied. She sat up from the sofa, looked at the pomegranate in her hand, and said, "I don''t want to peel this. You can do it for me!"


    "Okay," Anna knelt in front of the table and peeled the pomegranate obediently.


    Daisy was overjoyed, she never dreamed that she would be able to retaliate for the awful way Anna and Dora treated her.


    "Sister Daisy, the pomegranate is peeled," Anna reached out her hand.


    Glancing at it, Daisy shook her head and then opened her mouth, signaling to Anna to feed her.


    After understanding Daisy''s gestures, Anna picked up a spoon and patiently fed her the pomegranate.


    "I don''t want to eat anymore. You can have the rest," Daisy felt she was being kind for leaving her some.


    Anna down and smiled, "Thank you, Sister Daisy!"


    "Don''t pretend to be pitiful! I will not buy into it as Kate did!" Daisy exploded with anger.


    Anna was so scared that her hands trembled, and the bowl holding the pomegranate in her hand accidentally fell to the ground. She quickly bent down to pick it up.


    Upon seeing this, Daisy became even more infuriated. She kicked Anna, "Did you throw it on the ground on purpose? Why can''t you hold on to a bowl?"


    "Sister Daisy, I didn''t mean to. It was an accident! I will get the carpet cleaned up immediately!" Anna started to cry.


    Seeing her down on the floor, cleaning the carpet like a maid, Daisy grinned, "How pathetic you are now! Times are definitely different! You are no longer the apple of your mother''s eye. Your egotistical and domineering mother is in jail, and nobody is here to support you. You can''t count on your father anymore either. You are no more than an orphan just like me!"


    Anna put her head down even further and continued to wipe the carpet vigorously. Her scattered hair stuck to her tear-streaked face.


    Daisy stood over her, insulting her further, "No matter how clever, your mother was, you two still lost the battle in the end! You are now insane and abandoned like a little girl nobody wants! No one cares about you!"


    Ignoring Daisy''s hurtful words, Anna cleaned up the mess then went to her room.


    **


    Kate had finished lunch and all of her work was done. She was about to relax when the front desk called to say Daisy was there to see her.


    She thought for a moment and then agreed, "Let her come in."


    A few minutes later, Daisy appeared in front of her. There was still tension in the air so neither said anything for a long time.


    In the end, Kate broke the silence between them, "Did you have lunch?"

 Chapter 205 You Choose One

    Kate nodded and pointed to the sofa behind her, "Please have a seat."


    She then handed Daisy a glass of water. Daisy took it in both hands, "Thank you."


    Before the fight, Daisy and Kate were both so comfortable with each other, but now the distance between them felt unmeasurable.


    As Kate sat at her desk, she looked over at Daisy and asked, "Is there some kind of problem at home?"


    "I..."Daisy hesitated to speak.


    Since taking over the Kate Group, Kate became much calmer. No matter the size of the problem, even if it was something close to her heart, Kate was able to remain calm. She smiled and said, "If you have something to say, just say it."


    "Are you really not going to come home?" Daisy looked at her and asked, hoping that Kate could answer no.


    "I didn''t say I would not go home," Kate replied.


    Daisy smiled insincerely, "I thought you didn''t want it because you are angry with me."


    The sarcastic comment felt as if it was another cheap shot at Kate. She thought Daisy was there to mend their relationship, but it turned out she was there to cause more problems.


    "That''s my home, why would I not want it?" Kate was confused.


    Daisy looked at her and mocked, "Since you fell in love with Lord Joseph, you have regarded it as nothing more than a hotel. It is normal, but you are more and more relaxed about Anna. Don''t your worry about her regaining her memory and taking everything from you?"


    Kate could understand Daisy''s dissatisfaction with Anna. But Anna was well behaved and respectful toward them, so she could not understand why Daisy was still so upset. She took a deep breath and said, "Daisy, do you know that if someone has been wronged for a long time they will eventually explode? Anna is suffering from amnesia, she is not a fool. She will remember everything you are doing to her."


    one person who has been wronged for a long time will finally explode. Anna just Kate only hoped that Daisy and Anna could live happily under the same roof. She wanted them to be kind to one another.


    "What about me? Should I forget all the things she and her mother did to me before?" Daisy barked, "Kate, you can stick up for Anna, but please don''t try to force my beliefs. I can and will do whatever she did!"


    Shocked by Daisy''s warning, Kate gently questioned, "You mean, you want to retaliate against her?"


    "Yes!" Daisy didn''t even hesitate or try to deny Kate''s accusation.


    Kate stared at her in disbelief, "The Daisy I knew in the past was warm, kind, and generous, but now¡­"


    "Kate, people will change as their environment changes. In the past, we were like two ropes that were twisted together to become stronger. We never fought and helped each other, but since Anna came back, you changed. You focus on her and that hurts me a lot!" Daisy confessed.


    Daisy could feel Kate''s anger building, but still insisted, "Yes! You need to choose one of us. It is either her or I?"


    When Daisy put Kate on the spot, she wanted to test Kate''s feelings about her. She wanted to know she still held a spot in the family but never thought about how childish it sounded.


    "What if I don''t choose?" The atmosphere in the office suddenly became much colder.


    "Kate, why is it so difficult for you to make a choice between her and me?" Daisy scorned, "I won''t stop you from being a good person, but why can''t you find somewhere else for her to live? She is living in our home, we have been there since we were children, she is an outsider."


    "Daisy, I don''t know why you have suddenly started acting like this. I do want to say you have been generous. However, when you say she is an outsider, you are no different than Anna or Dora," Kate thought that without Dora in the house, it would be happier. She did not expect that Daisy would follow in her footsteps and make life miserable again.


    "Let me say this, my hatred for Dora and Anna is deep inside me. It can''t be erased, I don''t want to live under the same roof with her. Therefore, you must make a choice!"


    Kate clenched her teeth and said after a long time, "Go home for now! I will think it over and give you an answer."


    "Don''t dismiss me. I need your answer now!" Daisy pushed, not giving Kate any time to think about the situation.


    Suddenly Kate felt as if she couldn''t breathe. She looked at Daisy sitting in front of her then walked toward the window. She turned around and sighed, "Since you are insisting on an answer right this moment, then all I can say is sorry."


    After Anna lost her memory, she had been acting respectful and polite, she hadn''t caused any trouble. Therefore, there was no reason to kick her out of the house but Daisy was pushing every boundary and hurting both her and Anna. If she continued to tolerate Daisy and her attitude, Kate could see things getting worse.


    "Kate, you mean you choose Anna over me? I am being forced out?" Daisy was appalled.


    "I never wanted to force you out. You put yourself and me in this position," Kate only wanted them to get along and could not understand why it was so difficult.


    "You are serious?" Daisy was ready to cry. She stared at Kate, "No matter how I treat you, it will never compare to the blood relationship between you and Anna. Even if she did everything she could to ruin your life, including cause you to lose your baby, you don''t care at all!"


    Every word Daisy spoke, pierced Kate''s heart like a knife. All the pain she tried to forget from the past was easily brought up by Daisy''s comments. Kate knew there was no more to say, she asked Henry to take Daisy home.


    "No need!" Daisy pulled away from Henry''s grip on her arm. She warned Kate, "One day, you will see how stupid this decision was and you will have to suffer the consequences on your own!"


    As Daisy ran out of the office, Henry quickly followed to see if he could help her.

 Chapter 206 A Disaster

    If it hadn''t been for her phone ringing, Kate would have been on the floor crying for hours. She slowly got up and went to her desk, she saw it was Lisa calling.


    "Kate, I may have done something without your consent. Don''t be angry when I tell you," Lisa whispered, afraid that she might upset Kate.


    Kate sat down and asked, "What is it?"


    "Emm¡­I saw the coat you left on my sofa. It was Rowen''s¡­ so I took it to him," Lisa stammered and quickly added, "But I explained to him why."


    Kate suddenly remembered about the coat, "Sorry Lisa, I wanted to tell you. I was worried you might misunderstand though, so I didn''t mention it."


    "It doesn''t matter. And, you don''t need to explain to me. He is not my boyfriend." Lisa said with disappointment then asked, "Are you angry with me?"


    "Of course not, I should be thanking you!"


    "Good," Lisa let out a sigh of relief, "So, what are you going to do? Are you going to Joseph''s tonight?"


    "No. I have something to deal with after work," Kate moaned thinking of Daisy and the mansion. She needed to go see what was happening.


    "Something?" Lisa asked with care, "Troubles?" Lisa asked but before Kate answered, Lisa added, "I''m sorry, you don''t have troubles. Joseph takes care of all of them for you."


    Kate laughed, "Why are you so afraid of saying things to me? You can say whatever you want."


    "I know, I just worry I will offend or upset you."


    Kate sighed, "Lisa, many times I have doubted whether I am good enough to others."


    "What''s wrong with you, Kate? Did you and Joseph get into an argument?" Lisa questioned.


    "No, we are fine."


    "Then why would you say that? What on earth happened? We are best friends, you can tell me anything. I will do my best to help you and give you my opinion," Lisa told her.


    "Just a little misunderstanding. Everything will be fine if I explain to¡­" Kate did not want Lisa to worry about her.


    "I understand, and you don''t need to worry about those who don''t understand you. No matter what you do, it will be in vain," Lisa assured her friend.


    "Thank you, Lisa," Every time Kate was puzzled and doubted about herself, Lisa always helped.


    "If I was to guess, I would say you did something good for someone and now someone else doesn''t appreciate your gesture. So, you are blaming yourself, am I right?" Lisa knew Kate all too well.


    Kate smiled reluctantly, "Perhaps it is my downfall."


    "I get it, and thank you, Lisa," Kate smiled.


    After hanging up with Lisa, Kate wiped away her tears and headed toward home hoping to clear up any confusion. However, when she walked in the door, the house was a mess. She looked around and saw Anna cowering on the sofa.


    When Anna saw Kate, she ran to her. Anna''s face was covered with bruises, she buried her head in Kate''s chest and cried, "Sister Kate¡­"


    Kate felt an overwhelming sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, the last time it was Daisy who was beaten and Dora had ransacked the house.


    She comforted Anna for a long time, but she looked around to see broken glass laying on the floor. Kate tried to stay calm, "When did Daisy leave?"


    "About two hours ago, she collected all of her belongings. I was scared of her so I didn''t dare say anything to her. I hid in my room, but then she broke in and beat me¡­" Anna sobbed, trembling all over.


    "Sorry, I never expected that she would," Kate said, her voice filled with grief. She let go of Anna, then got a spray to help heal her wounds.


    Anna shook her head, "You shouldn''t feel bad. I know Daisy doesn''t like me, so it is normal for her to beat me."


    "She¡­" Kate wanted to explain for Daisy, but did not know how. She buried her head to continue dressing Anna''s wounds.


    "Okay," Kate reminded, "Don''t use any water on it right now. And, please call me if you have any pain. I am going to go make dinner. You can rest upstairs or watch TV in the living room. I will call you when dinner is ready."


    Anna''s eyes were focused on Kate, but she didn''t say a word. Kate was curious. She asked, "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Nothing," Anna''s tears kept falling, "I just feel sorry, I''m very sorry for you..."


    Kate brushed Anna''s messy hair out of her face and smiled, "You didn''t do anything wrong. You don''t need to say sorry to me and don''t take Daisy''s words to heart. Everything happened in the past ... is over."


    "Sister Kate, don''t worry, I won''t cause trouble and let you down," Anna promised to Kate.


    "Good," Kate replied and walked toward the kitchen.


    When Kate was out of sight, Anna looked down at the wound on her arm, and anger glimmered in her eyes. She bent down to pick up the broken pieces of glass.


    As she made dinner, Kate called Joseph to explain she was having dinner with Anna and that he would have to have dinner alone.


    Joseph felt a little uneasy about Kate being alone with Anna. He wanted to call her several times but stopped himself from her that he may annoy her. He didn''t want to give her any excuse to ask for space away from him.


    At nine o''clock, when Joseph still hadn''t heard from her, he picked up his phone.


    Kate was cleaning up the mess that Daisy left. She had smashed a lot of things, including photos of Kate and Flora. Kate was heartbroken and didn''t want to forgive her.

 Chapter 207 Daisy Moved

    "Thank you!" She glanced at the phone and took a deep breath. After she calmed down, she picked up, "Joseph?"


    Hearing her voice, Joseph rejoiced, "Dear future Mrs. Smith, do you know that your husband is frustrated because you haven''t talked to him all evening?"


    She was not in the mood to talk to anyone. She coldly snapped, "I just came home, I do miss you though. Why are you so frustrated at that?"


    "I miss you even if you are only gone for a minute," Joseph replied gently.


    Kate was holding a ripped photo in her hand. Her mind was imagining the scene as Daisy smashed them.


    Joseph figured she didn''t care to hear his loving words, so he asked seriously, "Is everything okay there? Can I come to pick you up now?"


    Kate swiftly told him, "I still have something to do, so I won''t be going to your house tonight. Please go to bed early, get some rest. I am going to be busy here."


    "Wait!" Joseph shouted before she could hang up.


    "What''s wrong?" Kate''s heart jumped suddenly, for fear that he would think she had something to hide from him.


    "You are not coming here tonight?" Joseph thought she was only going home for supper and then she would stay overnight with him. He had been waiting for her to call for a drive, but she told him she wasn''t staying with him.


    Kate''s gaze once again fell to the shredded photos, and the scenes of her and Daisy arguing haunted her. She tried her best to remain calm, but she wasn''t able to. So, when Joseph complained she became impatient, "Who said I need to go there tonight? I am just your girlfriend, not your wife. You don''t have any right to control me."


    There was a silence on the other end of the phone, Kate squeezed her phone, realizing that she was wrong and was about to explain. However, Joseph said, "Okay, make sure you get some rest. And, when you want to come back, you call me."


    Sitting on the floor and holding her phone, Kate was frozen when Joseph hung up. She had vented her temper on him once again. He obviously cared about her, and she knew it was normal for him to miss her because now he really loved her.


    "Sister Kate, here you are," Anna reached out with a bowl of fresh fruit.


    Kate smiled at her, "Thank you."


    "If it weren''t for me, Sister Daisy wouldn''t have got upset with you, and then you wouldn''t have to clean up the house," Anna frowned looking at the torn photos.


    "Is that picture special?"


    "Yes," Kate sighed, otherwise she wouldn''t have been trying to put it back together.


    "You eat something, I will help," Anna walked over and patiently tried to help.


    Kate wanted to stop her, but Anna was already piecing it together. She suddenly felt warm and peaceful, as if her perseverance was worthwhile.


    "Sister Kate, isn''t it delicious?" Anna turned to ask her.


    "That''s good," Anna smiled and continued to match photos.


    The evening had flown by, Kate didn''t realize it was so late. She looked at the clock and said, "Anna, you should go to bed. I will do the rest!"


    "It''s okay, Sister Kate. I''m not sleepy. And with my help, we can finish it quickly."


    "Okay. Thank you!"


    After they put together the photo, Kate put it into an album and locked the album in a drawer.


    "This is the only photo of Daisy, my mother, and I."


    "Why Sister Daisy tear it up?"


    Kate did not answer her. She went to Daisy''s room and found that all her belongings were gone.


    "Anna, do you know where Daisy moved to?" Kate thought there was just some misunderstanding between them. And after they two calmed down, everything would be fine.


    "No, she only punished me, she did not tell me where she was going," Anna explained.


    "Okay! It is late, please get some rest. I have some free time tomorrow, so I will take you out," Kate wanted to cheer Anna up.


    "Sister Kate, I have a request," Anna said softly.


    Kate turned around and looked at her, "Just tell me."


    "It''s no good for me to be at home every day. I want to get a job. Do you have a job I might be suitable for?"


    "Emm..." She had thought about it before, but Kate didn''t know which job Anna would be able to do.


    "Don''t worry, I forgot about what happened in the past. I know I majored in human resources, I am sure I can find an HR job. It may be a little hard at first, but I will stick to it. You don''t need to worry about me," Anna beamed.


    Kate remembered what the doctor had said the last time they were at the hospital for Anna''s appointment. He explained that he could not find a reason for Anna''s amnesia and that she might only have selective amnesia. She may not remember the painful memories in her past, but she may know her professional education.


    "I will look for a job for you," Kate knew she could find something for her at Kate Group and that she wasn''t able to keep Anna locked at home all day.


    Anna hugged her very joyful, "Thank you, Kate."


    "You''re welcome. Thank you for helping me put together the photos, or I would have been sitting there all night by myself."


    "I just wanted to help!"


    After Anna went into her room, Kate walked to her room. She took out her phone, thinking that Joseph would have sent her a message but he hadn''t. Then she thought about Daisy, she wondered where she was. Kate thought about calling her but then decided against it.


    Everything that happened made Kate''s heartache. They had been living in the same house as best friends and sisters for many years, then suddenly Daisy was gone. Finally, Kate mustered up the courage to send a text message to her.


    "I am sorry Daisy. I understand that my words hurt you, but I hope you can remember that we grew up together and I have always considered you my true sister. I do not want the distance between us to continue growing. I will not give up on you. If you can forgive my mistake, please call me to tell me where you are, and I will pick you up."

 Chapter 208 Thats My Girl

    It''s cold today, but I''d like to be your sunshine and give you warmth.


    The night before had been a complete disaster, and she needed to calm him. To Kate''s surprise, she immediately received a reply.


    Good morning, darling!


    Expecting Joseph to be asleep, she was thrilled to get a response. She asked:


    It''s only six o''clock in the morning, why are you awake so early?


    I''m at your door now.


    At the door?


    Kate jumped up out of bed and rushed to the door. It was still dark outside and the mist blurred everything but she could see a tall silhouette on the porch. She opened the door then suddenly Joseph pulled her into his arms and kissed her.


    When he let her go, Kate whispered, "I am so sleepy¡­"


    Joseph worried, "Baby, what''s the matter?"


    She clutched his arm in her hand and said in distress, "My head hurts..."


    "I am taking you to the hospital."


    **


    In the hospital, the doctor explained, "The patient appears to have hypoglycemia and insufficient rest, thus causing dizziness and a headache. I will give her some medication."


    "Good and thank you," Joseph sighed as he looked at Kate. He said, "The doctor suggests that you should be hospitalized for observation, you¡­"


    "No!" Kate refused without hesitation, "I heard the conversation. I just have a headache from not sleeping. I will be fine if I get some rest."


    "All right," Joseph agreed.


    After the nurse brought Kate her medication, she and Joseph left the hospital.


    "Is coming back to my house, okay?" Joseph asked cautiously.


    His tone made Kate feel guilty. She knew that their argument was her fault but before she could apologize she was at the hospital.


    "Sure," She took his arm and leaned her head against it.


    When they arrived home, Joseph led her to the bedroom. He put his arms around her then stroked her head, "Just get some sleep, I''m here."


    His voice, and his embrace, assured her that everything was okay and that she was safe. She fell into a deep sleep and woke up a few hours later feeling much better. However, Joseph still wanted her to take more medication for her headache.


    Kate complained, "It''s too bitter, I don''t want to take it."


    "Bitter?" Joseph looked at the pills, "The doctor didn''t mention anything about that when I asked. Besides, good medicine usually does taste bitter. Just take it!"


    Reluctantly Kate opened her mouth, Joseph tried not to laugh as she sat looking like a young child waiting to be fed. He smiled, "That''s my girl!"


    She chewed the medication then frowned, "You lied! They are bitter!"


    Trying not to laugh at Joseph''s tone, she took a drink and swallowed her pills.


    Without any notice, Joseph grabbed her shoulders and kissed her, she was weak in his arms.


    "Do you still feel bitter?" His deep eyes glared at her as if he was trying to pull her into him.


    So that''s what he meant.


    She pursed lips, the bitterness from the pills was gone, only the taste of kisses was left. She thought about how shy she used to be but now she was comfortable with his flirting and affectionate behavior.


    "I am fine," Her face flushed. Looking at him, she asked, "When did you go to my house?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Kate lowered her head awkwardly.


    "It''s not your fault; I feel pretty overwhelmed. As your boyfriend, I can''t even help you when you are hurting," Joseph leaned his head against the headboard.


    Cuddling up next to him, Kate said, "You are a great boyfriend. I was out of line."


    "I wanted to call you when I arrived, but I didn''t. I thought it might upset you," Joseph confessed. He was relieved to see that her light was still on. He had planned to talk to her as soon as she woke up, but she texted him first.


    "So, you slept in the car again last night?" Even though his car was fancy, a bed was more comfortable. She felt troubled, "Don''t do that again!"


    "Well, that depends on my girlfriend."


    "Are you blaming me?" She was not afraid of his comment at all but wanted to tease him.


    "Oh no, I am not. I just want to figure out what happened last night?"


    "Joseph, I''m so sorry, I shouldn''t have lost my temper. It was my problem, but you had to..." She whispered.


    Joseph grabbed her hand and said sternly, "I don''t want an apology from you. I want to work on our problems together. Don''t hide anything from me anymore, alright?"


    Both of them knew they had the same discussion before, but Kate would always go back on her promise when it came to telling him things. She was so frustrated with the situation between her and Daisy. She sobbed, "I just realize that I truly can''t handle relationships. Whether it is love, family, or friends¡­ I just f****d up things. I am such a failure."


    Joseph thought about what Kate had been through the last few days and understood why she was so upset. He kissed her forehead, "Get some more sleep. I didn''t sleep well last night either, stay with me."


    "Hmm," She grabbed his hand and snuggled closer into his chest.


    Once Kate was asleep, Joseph carefully slipped out of bed then walked out of the bedroom. Half an hour later he was at the door of her mansion.


    Anna opened the door and was stunned at the moment she saw Joseph.


    "Is Daisy here?" Joseph asked.


    Anna recovered from her shock and bowed to him, replying nervously, "She...she moved out yesterday!"

 Chapter 209 Very Impressive

    Anna shook her head, blankly, "I don''t know, Kate doesn''t know either..."


    After Anna explained what happened the day before, Joseph truly began to see why Kate was so sad. It had to be hard to have her sister so upset with her. He was angry but chose not to act on his emotions. He thought it was a simple misunderstanding and never expected that it would cause Kate so much pain.


    Anna saw Joseph''s cold face and asked fearfully, "Are you going to find Daisy?"


    Joseph didn''t answer her question, just thanked her, and left.


    Watching Joseph leave, Anna felt both happy and sad.


    After leaving, Joseph gave Daisy''s information to his men and ordered them to find her as quickly as possible. They worked quickly and within a few hours found out where she was.


    At a small home, Daisy was about to go out but was stopped by several large men wearing black suits.


    "What do you want?" Daisy was livid and was about to call the police.


    One of the men demanded, "Lord Smith sent us to get you!"


    Lord Smith? Joseph? Daisy questioned in her mind. She relaxed slightly, then shrugged her shoulders, "I have nothing to do with him. Why would he send you to get me? I am not going anywhere with you!"


    The man didn''t say anything to Daisy, he just took out his phone to advise Joseph of their location.


    Daisy began to panic more the longer the standoff continued. She wasn''t sure what she would face when Joseph arrived. She thought about the mess she left when she walked out and how hard she had beat Anna. The worse part though was when she remembered she tore up the picture of her, Kate and Flora. She knew Kate had to be hurt and therefore Joseph would be furious.


    Joseph arrived and the rage inside his body could be felt in the air.


    Rubbing her hands together nervously, Daisy greeted him, "Mr. Smith."


    He walked straight over to Daisy and calmly asked, "Since Kate has such a good temper, do you think you can do whatever you want to her?"


    Daisy''s face turned pale, she was anxious, but there was also a sense of anger. She smiled, "Mr. Smith, even though you are Kate''s boyfriend, you have no right to interfere in my personal affairs that involve her! It is none of your business!"


    "It''s true that I have no right to meddle in your affairs, and I''m not interested in that. But anything that concerns my girlfriend is my business, and I will not allow anyone to bully her!" Joseph''s firm tone was full of anger; the look in his eyes scared Daisy.


    Daisy was speechless. She tried to calm down, "So, you have come to teach me a lesson?"


    "If you hurt Kate again, you will not be given the chance to live!" Joseph warned.


    Joseph heard her sarcasm and knew what she meant, but he didn''t react. He answered confidently, "My girlfriend is my support, and without her, I would not


    accomplish anything!"


    "Mr. Smith, I believe you understand what I am saying. I didn''t expect that you would be proud. That is very impressive!" Daisy snarled.


    "If I''m relying on my girlfriend, then what are you relying on?" Joseph retorted calmly.


    Daisy blushed with shame and stammered, "I... of course I''m on my own. You and me, we are nothing alike!"


    "On your own? You also impress me, Miss Daisy. Living in the White''s mansion with no income all of these years¡­" Joseph could hardly continue.


    His sarcasm made Daisy blush.


    Joseph said bluntly, "Since you chose to move out, I advise you to let go of your hatred for the Whites. Don''t try to hurt Kate again!"


    Daisy snorted in disbelief, "Where does your confidence come from? You just use Kate''s kindness to cheat her out of everything that she has? Remove any obstacles, like me? You will take all of her property!"


    "Obstacles?" Joseph sneered, "You''re not that important in my eyes!"


    "Did I say something wrong? You haven''t hurt Kate at all? I know exactly how horribly you treated her, and now you are choosing to be with her just because she is in charge of everything. Anna lost her memory, so you had a reason to leave her. Everyone knows what you are!"


    "I am just wondering; do you have the courage to say these things to Kate?" Joseph never imagined that Daisy could be so erratic, and it was possible that even Anna was no match for her.


    Is Kate too innocent, or is Daisy an excellent pretender? He had honestly believed that it was just a small argument between sisters. He assumed that Daisy was jealous of Anna, but he never thought part of the argument was about him.


    He wanted to tell Daisy that it was ridiculous for her to think that he was using Kate for her assets. The reason he suggested merging Kate Group and JK Group was out of convenience, he wanted to share Kate''s burden in managing the company.


    Daisy was so nervous that she gave an irrelevant answer, "Don''t think you can always use her emotions or love to get benefits from her! Listen to me, for the sake of my godmother''s last wish, I will do my best to stop you!"


    In Daisy''s mind, even if she and Kate, as long as she used Flora''s wish as an excuse, she could not be blamed. Her real intentions would be covered up before they were exposed.


    However, Joseph easily read her mind and he picked up loopholes in every point she made. Instead of break apart her story, Joseph replied, "Even if I had other intention for Kate, so what? She will not refuse me."


    "Finally! You admit it!" Daisy was genuinely shocked; she''d just said it aggravate him, never thinking he would confess.

 Chapter 210 I Care

    "If you dare to take everything from Kate, I will make sure you pay!" Daisy warned.


    "Let''s see!" Joseph snorted.


    "Joseph, when you had the Smith family at your side, you looked down on everyone. But now, you have been disowned. How could you do any damage to me with your shabby little company?" Daisy scoffed. She used to respect him because of his successful career and status within the Smith family. However, since he left, he was worthless in her eyes.


    Being Kate''s sister, Daisy knew that Samuel had a crush on her and that he didn''t get along with Joseph. Therefore, she planned a way of out the situation before she offended Joseph.


    "Then why are you hurting Kate since you are claiming to be her sister and best friend? Or are you doing this for your own sake?" Joseph questioned.


    "We are sisters, and it is normal to have small arguments. I will be back at the house later. And, as for this place, I didn''t buy it, I only rented it for a short period of time. During all the years I worked for the White family, I made little money, and can only afford to rent," Daisy said with guilt. She turned around to go inside to avoid saying anything else she might regret.


    Joseph gave his men directions then got back in his car and drove away.


    Daisy watched out the window to ensure Joseph was gone. His warning was like a slap in the face and only increased her hatred. She could not understand after all of her love and devotion to the White family was she the one to be kicked out. It seems as if Kate cared for Anna, no matter what she had done to her. Bad memories evoked evil in Daisy''s heart, she wanted to kill everyone who ever hurt Kate.


    Knowing that Joseph wouldn''t give up, Daisy knew she had to find someone to support her. She thought of Samuel and smiled.


    **


    It was mid-afternoon when Kate woke up. She touched her rumbling stomach and rubbed her eyes. When she saw Joseph wasn''t in bed, she got up to wash her face and go downstairs. He wasn''t in the kitchen but she decided to make some toast and tea before looking further.


    Just as Kate was about to sit down to eat she heard Ricky greet Joseph. She ran out of the kitchen into his arms. She asked, "Why did you go to work? You promised you would stay home, didn''t you?"


    Joseph knew what she was worried about so he didn''t mention that he was at her house or that he saw Daisy. He thought it was better to keep it a secret at the moment. He lowered his lips to Kate''s then whispered, "I had some emergency documents to deal with."


    Kate put her hand up to stop him from kissing her, blushing she tilted her head, "Ricky is right there."


    "Ricky," Joseph said hello to Ricky.


    "Yes? What can I do for you, sir?" Ricky nodded, waiting for his next instruction.


    Kate was quite embarrassed and lowered her head.


    Joseph cupped her face and slightly pouted, "So, just us now, will the future Mrs. Smith give me a kiss?"


    As she had to think about it, Kate looked up at Joseph and nodded, "You worked so hard, so I should do something."


    Kate gave him a kiss on his cheek.


    "Just one?" Joseph raised his eyebrow as if to show his dissatisfaction.


    "How many more do you want?" Kate snorted.


    "Countless!" He was rather greedy and didn''t mind telling her.


    "I''m hungry..." she diverted the topic suddenly.


    "Really?" He worried and frowned.


    "I just got up, and made toast when you came home," She was so happy to see him that she forgot how hungry she was.


    Joseph let go of her face, "Go get your food!"


    "Okay," She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss.


    "Did you make anything for me?" Joseph teased.


    "No," She replied honestly.


    "Okay, I can make my own," He laughed


    She stopped teasing him and said with a smile, "Why do you take everything I say so seriously? Even though I didn''t make you anything I can make you something now? What do you want? Coffee or tea?"


    "Neither."


    "Why?"


    "I want to share yours," Joseph said with a childlike tone.


    "You don''t mind? I thought you would want your own," Kate said disgustedly.


    "Why? We should share everything!" Joseph exclaimed. He used to worry about cleanliness and germs before, but everything had changed when they fell in love. He honestly believed that they were so close they could share a toothbrush, but seeing Kate''s expression, he was too embarrassed to say anything more.


    "I also want to share it with you, but I''m afraid that it''s not enough," Kate explained.


    "Then how about finishing this one first and then make a new one together?" Joseph suggested.


    "Deal!" Both of them were hungry and didn''t argue about it anymore.


    After they ate, Joseph took out pills for Kate. She shook her head to refuse them but he said, "You need to finish your medication."


    "I know, but I''m okay now. There''s no need for me to take them!"


    "Really?" Joseph didn''t argue with her anymore. He gave her an honest look as if to warn her that she had to take them.


    Kate knew she couldn''t refuse, she obediently took the pills and swallowed them.


    Joseph smiled, happy that she was listening to the doctor''s orders.


    "You are not a doctor but if¡­!" She complained and was going to make a joke about, if he was a doctor, many patients would listen to him because he was so handsome.


    "Yes?" Joseph was curious about what she was going to say.


    "It''s okay; it feels good to be taken care of," She praised.

 Chapter 211 Carried Away by Love

    Kate felt there was something wrong, she looked and asked, "Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"


    "Even though you didn''t tell me what happened last night, I could feel that you''re unhappy, so¡­" He held her hand and said with great sadness, "I don''t want you to deal with everything on your own."


    She laid her head on his chest, she was about to speak but then she felt there was no need to mention anything more. After a while, she finally said, "Because of you, I am not afraid of anything. Any unhappy memories are only temporary."


    **


    Samuel was working at Smith Group when he received a text from Daisy.


    Mr. Smith, I would like to speak to you in person. Please do not question my motives. I had a huge argument with Kate about Joseph.


    Samuel was perplexed after reading the message. He couldn''t comprehend why Daisy would want to talk to him. But half an hour later, he replied that he would meet with her.


    When Daisy saw that Samuel was willing to see her, she smiled from ear to ear.


    **


    Kate returned home later in the afternoon.


    "Sister, you''re back! How are you? Do you want something to eat?" Anna asked with excitement.


    "I''m fine and not very hungry. How about you?" She casually looked around the room to see if anyone else was there.


    "I''m okay, and I ate something that I cooked by myself," Anna held up a cup of coffee. She beamed, "Sister, you see that I can take care of myself, so you don''t need to find someone to watch over me. It is a waste of money and your energy!"


    "But¡­¡­"


    "Don''t worry! I can take care of myself!"


    "Anna, have you recovered any of your memories?" Kate selfishly asked. She didn''t want her to remember, she worried if she did that the relationship they established would be gone. If they were no longer close, she and Anna would become hostile toward each other again.


    "No," She shook her head, distressed, but said what she wanted to express from the bottom of her heart, "I don''t want to remember the past. I know from what Sister Daisy told me, I was a very annoying person and so was my mother. We did a lot of things that hurt you a lot but you didn''t blame us and you continue to treat me well. I am afraid that I will not be able to stay with you if I regain my memory."


    Anna''s words soothed Kate, "Since you don''t want to remember the past, then just cherish the present, never bother to remember the unhappy things."


    "Got it!"


    She didn''t know how to get in touch with her so she continued to send her text messages.


    I''m sorry, but would you please contact me when you see this message?


    She knew that she might not answer, but she still insisted on sending it to her.


    After having dinner with Anna, Joseph drove over to pick her up. Before they left, Kate said to Anna, "I''ll take you to work at Kate Group tomorrow, go to bed early tonight."


    "Really?" Anna was so happy, "I can finally go to work!"


    Kate knew she was bored at home and reminded her again to go to bed early today.


    "Okay." Anna nodded obediently and waved at her and Joseph, "Goodbye, sister and brother-in-law!"


    "Goodbye!"


    "She is happy now," Kate sighed when she got into the car.


    "How about you?" Joseph cared more about Kate than anyone else.


    Kate blinked and replied, "Of course, I am delighted."


    "Really?" He didn''t believe her.


    She screamed, "Why would I lie to you?"


    "I am not sure!" He leaned over and fastened her seat belt.


    Kate was embarrassed the first few times he did this, but she became used to and felt cared for. Her shyness disappeared the more they fell in love.


    **


    At noon the next day, Daisy and Samuel met for lunch.


    Samuel was surprised to see Daisy dressed up, because of his love for Kate, he knew Daisy but had never met with her alone. In his mind, Daisy was usually plainly dressed, never as beautiful as Kate.


    Daisy greeted Samuel. When they both sat down, Daisy raised her wine glass, "Mr. Smith, thank you for taking the time from your busy schedule to meet with me."


    "You''re so welcome, Miss Daisy," Samuel answered honestly. He then got to the point now, "I''m sorry, but I still don''t know why you asked to meet me today."


    "I know you are smart, you should know why I wanted to see you," Daisy said with a smile.


    "No, I guess I am not that smart today," Samuel shook his head and said, "Please explain what is happening?"


    "Since you want to know, then I will tell you the blunt honest truth," Daisy wasn''t going to waste any more time, "As I mentioned in my text, Kate and I are fighting. I told her what I thought out of kindness and love for my Aunt Flora. However, Kate didn''t want to listen about the company or Joseph."


    Daisy''s eyes turned red, tears began to stream down her face. She took a deep breath and continued, "I grew up with Kate, and always loved her like a sister. But she is so in love now and listens obediently to everything Joseph tells her. There is nothing I am able to do to help her."


    "If my memory serves me right, you supported their relationship, even when you knew Joseph didn''t love her," Samuel snorted.


    Daisy was a little embarrassed when she heard his comment, but she quickly replied, "Mr. Smith, I am sorry for what I did before. I supported them because Kate loves him for a long time, but she finally had a chance to be with Joseph after Anna''s accident. I never thought that Joseph would treat Kate so horribly."

 Chapter 212 Welcome Back

    Daisy apologized again, "I''m sorry, Mr. Smith. I can''t believe I was too blind to recognize the right person for Kate."


    "That is all in the past, and I don''t want to deal with it anymore. I am sorry to disappoint you but I don''t want to fight with Joseph on the same level as you do. I''m¡­"


    "Mr. Smith, even if you refuse to accept it, you and Joseph have been hostile to each other from the very beginning. More importantly, you still love Kate, don''t you?" Daisy interrupted, worried that her plan might fail.


    Daisy was right, he and Joseph would only be enemies, whether it was business or personal. Samuel confessed his love for Kate and his entire family laughed, especially Joseph. Even though he didn''t care for Kate, Joseph still took her away from him and did not appreciate the fact that he had her.


    Samuel clenched his teeth when he thought about the past. Their grandfather chose Joseph over him, if it wasn''t for using his existence to threaten Joseph the old man probably wouldn''t have spoken to him. He was working for Smith Group now but his grandfather only belittled him because he failed to compete with Joseph. If he couldn''t make up for it in the future, he would like to be fired as president. He had to maintain a high level of vigilance to impress his profit-oriented grandfather.


    "But I have to tell you that I don''t want Kate to get involved," Samuel still had an intense crush on Kate.


    Daisy sensed Samuel''s feelings for Kate and said with a smile, "Since you don''t want to hurt Kate, then how can you tolerate someone else hurting her?"


    Feeling helpless because he knew that someone Daisy referred to was Joseph, Samuel said, "But she would rather be hurt than leaving Joseph."


    "Hey, what you just said makes me doubt whether or not you are the person who is brave enough to love Kate," Daisy said to taunt Samuel.


    Samuel fell for her comment, his jealousy of Joseph raged inside. They were born into the same family, with all the same opportunities. Yet, he had to compete with Joseph since childhood, constantly losing but he might have an excellent chance to finally win.


    He turned to Daisy and said, "I have never done anything that was hard and unrewarding. So, if you want to work with me, you need to be loyal to me, and only me. I will need reliable information!"


    "No problem!" Daisy was thrilled to know she was right about Samuel. He was a crafty as a fox and didn''t want to lose. She had a plan in mind so she explained it to him.


    Judging from Samuel''s expression, he seemed to be completely satisfied with her idea.


    "Do as you have planned. And, don''t worry, I will deal with Joseph if you have any problems," Samuel agreed.


    He promised Daisy, "If we work together, you can trust me. You can ask me for help whenever you need it, but I also hope that you can be kind and not hurt Anna."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything that will come back to harm me."


    After they agreed to work together, Daisy and Samuel went their separate ways. Daisy immediately went in the direction of the White''s mansion and sent Kate a text saying she was on her way there.


    As soon as Kate saw the message, she rushed home and arrived just as Daisy was walking up the driveway. Daisy turned and waved to Kate, nervous but determined to make it work.


    Kate was filled with emotions when she saw Daisy. She jumped out of the car and asked, "Where have you been the last two days? I couldn''t get through to you. I was worried."


    "I''m sorry¡­" Daisy hugged her, crying, "I''ve been thinking and after I calmed down, I realized how much I must have hurt you when I said those horrible things."


    "None of that is important now. As long as you want to come back home¡­ Welcome home!" Kate took her hand, "Anna is not here right now, she went to work. She is working for Kate Group doing some office work. It''s not good for her to be home all the time."


    "She works for you?" Daisy tried to stay calm, not wanting Kate to see her dissatisfaction, "Well, I guess that is a good thing. Anna would get sick if she stayed home."


    Kate was relieved that she was happy about the situation, "Daisy, I hope you can let go of your judgment and that we can all get along in the future."


    "I''ll try my best," Daisy smiled. She had her own agenda so she would agree with whatever Kate wanted in the meantime.


    "She''s different from before. Everyone should have the opportunity to show that they changed; let''s focus on her advantages," Kate added. She was still worried about the relationship between Daisy and Anna.


    "Kate, you don''t have to keep saying good things about her. I can see who she is now, but I still felt uncomfortable about the past. It has caused me so much pain¡­" Daisy sobbed.


    "I know, but we have to learn to let go so that we can easily move forward," Kate assured her.


    Daisy nodded, "Don''t worry, no matter what happened, I won''t put you in a predicament."


    "Thank you, Daisy," Kate was so happy that Daisy wanted to come back home.


    "I need to apologize to you. I did something horrible on the day I left, I¡­" Daisy looked down at the ground.


    Kate knew that she was talking about the picture. She said with a smile, "Don''t worry; I''ve put them back together. The tears can be seen, but it is still a group photo of the three of us."


    "You put them back together?" Daisy couldn''t believe that Kate did that. She felt regret, "I am sorry, I know it is the only picture and I ripped it up."


    "Stop apologizing. If you feel bad, just please don''t take your anger out on our valuable memories."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t do it anymore," Daisy nodded.

 Chapter 213 A Opportunity to Change

    Before she finished speaking, she saw Daisy standing in the dining room. She stepped back nervously and in a timid voice said, "Hi, Sister Daisy, welcome back,"


    "Well, don''t you want me back?" Daisy said with a smile.


    "NO! NO! NO!" Anna hurried to explain, "Please come back! Then Sister Kate won''t worry about you anymore. You don''t know how anxious she had been lately. She would go to your room every day. Even though she didn''t tell me, I could see that she felt hopeless."


    Kate was a little embarrassed when she heard Anna tell Daisy about how she had been acting. She quickly changed the subject, "There will be no servants in our home anymore. We have to cook the meals on our own."


    "I can give you a hand," Anna quickly followed Kate to the kitchen as if she was afraid to be alone with Daisy.


    Daisy glanced at Anna, said nothing. She sat on the couch and ate some potato chips, angry that Anna was working at Kate Group.


    During dinner, Daisy asked cautiously, "Kate, are there any vacancies in your company? I would like a job to get out of the house, I am tired of being at home."


    "What do you want to do?" Kate patiently asked for her opinions. She wanted to be impartial in front of the two sisters.


    "Sales department, I could learn how to do it at first," Although Daisy had no experience, she had ambitions. She was not willing to be just a receptionist.


    "Well, prepare your resume tonight and go to the personnel department for an interview tomorrow. After you passed the interview, we''ll arrange for your work according to your situation."


    "Okay," Daisy exclaimed. She thought she would be able to get the job without an interview but she was wrong.


    To ensure everything ran smoothly in the house, Kate stayed home. Joseph understood and told her to pay attention to how the others were acting.


    "Kate, can we talk?" Daisy went to Kate''s room when she saw Anna had gone back to her room.


    "Okay," Kate said with a smile, "It''s still the same as before. You can say whatever you want, even if the words are hurtful, I will try to be objective."


    "Never mind, it''s my problem. I was just too impulsive that day. I am sorry," Daisy sincerely apologized.


    "It was done out of anger. I don''t think you seriously meant to do that. Like I said, everything is good as long as you are willing to come home," Kate told Daisy.


    "But Kate, you have to keep an eye out for everything..." Daisy hinted but hesitated.


    Kate tried to understand what she meant. "You mean Anna?"


    Daisy nodded her head, "She may have only temporarily lost her memory. One day she will recover, then you might be in danger and get hurt again."


    "Well, it seemed that you have a 100% trust in her right now. I''ll keep silent," Daisy sighed.


    "It''s late. You should get some sleep," Kate suggested, not wanting to talk about the situation anymore. She knew of Daisy''s dislike for Anna, and she wouldn''t ask her to do anything for her again. She only hoped that Daisy would let the past go sooner than later.


    **


    The next day at JK Group, Joseph''s men reported back to him. He read the file, then ordered, "Continue to follow Daisy 24/7!"


    Joseph picked up his phone to call Kate. They had been apart for more than twelve hours and Kate hadn''t called or sent him any messages. He finally decided to reach out to her but was even more discouraged when she said she was busy.


    "Okay, get your work done! But remember to have lunch. I will pick you up after work!" Joseph was excited to see her.


    "Deal!" Kate said, "Daisy now is also working in my company. I thought she should have something to do rather than staying at home."


    Joseph had already found out about the job, but he acted surprised, "I hope that she is appreciating your kindness."


    "Are you still angry with her?" Kate sensed Joseph''s emotion through the phone.


    "I am nothing bothering to be angry anymore. I am just sorry that I could not protect you," Joseph explained.


    "Why are you acting like a child? Don''t worry about me, I''m fine," Kate was charmed with his words.


    Joseph knew she valued her relationship with Daisy. He didn''t want to tell Kate about Daisy''s meeting with Samuel. After all, Daisy was acting kind and sweet, therefore Kate wouldn''t believe it.


    **


    Daisy became the newest member of the sales department at Kate Group. Although, she was a newcomer she worked hard and took every chance she could to show her abilities. Within a week, she was acquainted with her colleagues, especially the department manager. She always asked what needed to be done, and took on as much work as she was given, often hinting about her close relationship with Kate.


    The manager was aware that she was Kate''s family so whenever they discussed a new product, he would ask Daisy to sit in. She was hardworking and after each meeting, she would tell the manager about any ideas she had. He appreciated her humble and positive attitude as she became more familiar with her job.


    During one of her lunches, she triumphantly reported to Kate.


    Kate was delighted after hearing Daisy was thriving, "I thought you might not be accustomed to the job!"


    "I had to or else how could I be your sister?" Daisy replied.


    "Don''t talk like that! You should love your work, if you don''t like this job, tell me."


    "Kate, don''t you see that I''m thrilled? I love this job. I''ll work hard, one day when I make great progress, don''t forget to give me a pay raise!" Daisy beamed. She knew she wanted to keep her job. She wanted to win, and then when she had the power, she could go after the people she didn''t like.


    "Of course," Kate answered.


    "Then, I will work harder!" Daisy was much inspired.


    **


    "It''s been two weeks. Do you have any updates?" Vincent shouted as he walked into Samuel''s office. He scoffed, "Don''t you remember your promise? How can I continue to let Smith Group be run by you?"

 Chapter 214 New Product Plan

    Knowing Vincent''s concerns, Samuel smiled and said, "Grandpa, not everything can be accomplished overnight. I am planning something major. You will be extremely satisfied when it is complete."


    "Don''t use words just to ease my mind, I want to see value in results!" Vincent was furious.


    "Grandpa, I know that in your heart, you have never thought of me as the right person to be running Smith Group. I am assuming that this position was only temporary," Samuel snarled.


    "So, you mean you will not put any effort in and just idle your time away as a temporary employee?"


    "No, I am not doing that. On the contrary, I am full of confidence, but the pressure you are putting me is preventing me from exercising my abilities freely¡­"


    "I get it. You blame on me!" Mr. Smith shouted. He knew that getting angry with Samuel would not work, so he calmly said, "I didn''t mean to get upset with you. I hope you will be able to catch Joseph and be a great president!"


    Seeing Mr. Smith''s anger eased, Samuel also smiled and promised honestly, "Don''t worry, I will work hard and live up to your expectations."


    "Okay, I believe you can," Mr. Smith picked up his cane and walked out the door.


    Samuel stood watching his grandfather walk away, his face filled with fury. He cursed under his breath, "Old man, I will finally get out from under your control one day!"


    He sat down at his desk and sent Daisy a message to see how she was doing. After getting her report, he called Mayne and gave immediate orders.


    **


    It was a week before the launch of a new product, when Joseph suddenly decided to release it.


    Kate wondered and asked, "Why not launch it according to our plan? Why do you want to change things?"


    "Do you believe in me?" Joseph looked at her and said with a firm tone.


    "Of course, I believe in you. However, I would still like a reason!" She was completely confused as to why he was in such a rush.


    "Smith Group recently copied our new product and they plan to launch it one day before ours is released," Joseph said calmly, not surprised that Samuel would use such an evil ploy to get revenge on him.


    "He did so to compete with our product? But Kate Group is not as strong as Smith Group. We are bound to suffer and lose if we fight with them¡­" Kate frowned then asked, "How did you know about their plan?"


    She knew Joseph should not be aware of their plans, and with Samuel being his enemy, he definitely did not tell him Smith Group''s their plans.


    "Okay, just do what you are planning," In order not to let the new product suffer losses, Kate agreed with Joseph''s proposal and said with confidence, "Our new product will certainly sell very well. We have been working on it constantly."


    "Yes, and remember we told the sales department to keep the plan confidential? No showing it to any employee, no matter who they are?" Joseph said.


    She seemed to understand Joseph''s insinuation, "You mean, someone disclosed our original plan so that Samuel found out about it?"


    "You could say that," Joseph whispered.


    Kate trembled suddenly, and said in disbelief, "I don''t think so¡­"


    "You cannot judge a person by their appearance. Perhaps the one who is closest to you would betray your trust!" Joseph didn''t say right out who it was for fear that Kate would be upset, but he thought she understood what he was saying.


    After Joseph left, Kate sat at her desk wondering who would deceive her. The only people close to her at Kate Group were Daisy and Anna. Then she realized that the plan had come from the sales department, she was in disbelief. She immediately called the sales department to have the manager come to see her.


    "Lady Kate!"


    Kate looked at Matt and asked, "Was Daisy present when you discussed our new product plan?"


    "Yes," Matt replied honestly.


    "Then she must be very knowledgeable about the information?"


    "Yes!" Matt thought that Kate just cared about Daisy''s work performance, so she answered without hesitation.


    However, Kate''s expression changed.


    When she didn''t say anything more, Matt curiously asked, "Are you going to promote her? Her performance is great, and her attitude is perfect. She also gives us suggestions¡­"


    "Tell me the truth, Matt. Do you care about Daisy because of my relationship with her or you really think she is so excellent?" Kate interrupted.


    "I¡­" This question made Matt confused, especially after he saw Kate''s serious face.


    "I need you to tell me the truth!" Kate demanded, remembering Joseph''s comment. If she continued to let her work there, then all of Kate Group was in jeopardy.


    "Don''t misunderstand me, Lady Kate. I indeed prioritize her and gave her many opportunities due to your relationship. But, it does not affect her work. The overall plan was confirmed after taking your advice, you and Joseph had to approve it, not Daisy," Matt stammered with fright. He explained so much because he thought something might be wrong with his work.


    "You don''t have to be nervous. I just know something about her from your explanation.


    "Okay¡­"


    After seeing the look on Kate''s face, Matt quickly said, "Lady Kate, it was my negligence before, and I will pay more attention in the future."


    "Before it leads to great losses, but we can still fix this. The new product will release ahead of schedule. You must be prepared."


    "Okay," Matt nodded. It was the first time he had seen Kate so serious. His legs were trembling as he walked out of her office.


    Daisy heard about the early product release and went directly to Matt''s office. She had been standing outside his door waiting for him. She smiled, "Sir, I heard that the new product will be released early, is that true?"


    After seeing Daisy, Matt turned nervous and said, "I don''t know anything about it."


    "You are the head of the sales department. Why you don''t know?" Daisy asked again.


    He shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe since you and Kate are sisters, you should ask her directly?"

 Chapter 215 Daisy Beat Anna Again

    "I don''t mean anything. I just abide by the company''s policy. I just say what I should say and nothing more!" His tone was harsh. Before he became aware of the situation, he hadn''t kept the new product sales plan from Daisy, he never realized the repercussions of his actions. However, thanks to Kate''s gentle reminder, he was going to keep everything confidential so that he wouldn''t lose his job.


    Daisy questioned him, "Did you just come from Kate''s office?"


    Matt didn''t answer her, he just shook his head and Daisy stood frozen on the spot.


    **


    Later that evening at the White mansion.


    Ever since Daisy beat Anna before leaving, Anna would shiver the moment Daisy walked into a room. She usually had Kate there to protect her but Kate was at Joseph''s, so Anna went upstairs as soon as she saw Daisy come home from work.


    Daisy was upset because of Matt''s remarks. After catching a glimpse of Anna rushing upstairs, Daisy shouted, "It is dinner time. Why don''t you go to the kitchen and make something?"


    Facing the questioning tone, Anna stopped and quietly answered, "I need to go to change my clothes."


    "Change your clothes? You are just a clerk at Kate Group. Do you really need to wear such formal outfits?" Daisy vented her anger on Anna.


    Anna dared not to speak, she just turned around and walked to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Since she didn''t cook often, it took a long time.


    Daisy was starving as she walked into the kitchen, pointing her finger at Anna, "Why are you so slow? You cannot do anything!"


    Anna was so frightened that she hurriedly apologized. "I''m sorry Sister Daisy, I..."


    "Don''t pretend to be pitiful. I will not sympathize with you as Kate does. You and your mother tortured me in the past and today I want to pay you back!" Daisy shouted as she picked up Anna''s meal and dumped it into the trash can.


    "Sister Daisy, you..."


    "Do you have something to say? I am just throwing away the food that not even dogs would want to eat!" Daisy stared at her coldly, then kicked the trash can, "Or do you cherish the food and want to eat it?"


    "I..." Anna paled with fright, and her whole body went numb.


    Daisy picked up the lid off of the trash can and slammed it down on Anna''s head. The food remanence landed on her head, the spicy condiments dripped into her eyes, she couldn''t open them and was unable to stop coughing.


    "It''s great! I can finally get revenge for what you and your mother did to me!" Daisy laughed as she put the lid back on the trash can.


    Anna''s eyes burned as tears rolled down her cheeks. She clenched her fists but did not have the courage to fight back.


    Anna wanted Kate to protect her but she did not have the courage to report Daisy''s actions, "Don''t worry, I won''t tell her."


    "I believe you will keep quiet. After all, your mother killed her mother. Even if you want to be close to her, she may not let you because she cannot get over her mother''s death," Daisy chuckled, wishing Anna would disappear from her life.


    "I know," Anna rubbed her eyes.


    Daisy walked out of the room, leaving Anna on the floor crying.


    **


    After Samuel learned that Kate''s product was released early, he was so angry that he threw his paperwork on the floor and shouted, "This is f*****g useless!"


    Mayne was so frightened that she quickly picked up the file and encouraged, "President, being angry will not help. You need to figure out how to deal with it¡­"


    "Deal with it?" Samuel looked at her furiously, "Joseph had the perfect solution when he decided to launch his product without notice. No matter what I do, it will be in vain. Besides, Grandpa has no faith in me. If I continue to invest money in new products, it will only cause Smith Group to lose more."


    He was irate and his hatred for Joseph only increased. And, before Samuel could calm down there was a knock on his office door.


    Vincent Smith walked in with two bodyguards, he looked at the papers still laying on the floor. His tone was firm when he spoke, "I chose to believe you too many times. This just proves that you have lost again and did not have any way to fight back. How can I trust you?"


    Samuel panicked, he lowered his head and apologized, "I am very sorry, Grandpa. I am eager to beat Joseph, yet I don''t think enough about the bigger picture, that is why I always lose."


    "Your dad always complains about my favoritism. But it is because neither you nor he is the least bit capable!" Mr. Smith said bluntly.


    His grandfather''s words annoyed Samuel to his core but he made the mistake and dared not to argue.


    "According to the current trend, Joseph''s new enterprise is very likely to surpass our Smith Group. What''s more, he is making improvements to the Kate Group. Coupled with the resources he maintained during his time here, it is simple for him to succeed!" Vincent shouted.


    It was uncomfortable to hear Vincent praising Joseph. All Samuel wanted to do was defeat Joseph just once. However, every time his plan failed and he would be left to be scolded and insulted by his family.


    "Grandpa, I admit that I am inexperienced, but I think I am just as capable as Joseph. In this situation, someone I trusted betrayed me and that is why Joseph launched his product first."


    "Every time you have a problem, you never accept blame, it is always someone else''s fault. If you live your life like that, you will never succeed!" Vincent sighed helplessly.


    Samuel watched as his grandfather walked out, asking his men to drive him to JK Group.

 Chapter 216 Persuasion to Go Back

    As soon as he slumped down in his chair, Daisy called to apologize.


    Samuel screamed into the phone, "Do you know how much money and manpower I invested in this product?"


    "I didn''t expect Joseph to be so calculating..." Daisy said with frustration, "Joseph and Kate are now suspicious of me. Yesterday I asked the sales manager about the new product launch time, but he wouldn''t tell me. The whole reason they changed the date was to get ahead of you and intercept your product!"


    Daisy and Samuel planned to release their copycat product before Joseph announced his, but Samuel''s plan completely backfired.


    "I won''t be scammed by you! You and Kate are sisters, I don''t believe that you would betray her!" Samuel expressed. He always felt that Daisy only wanted to work with him to steal information.


    "President Smith, I can understand why you are upset but I did not betray you. I also wanted Joseph to lose!" Daisy reminded him.


    "A verbal promise is not enough any longer. I need you to prove yourself with your actions!" Samuel demanded.


    "Don''t forget that I still have an ace up my sleeve!" Daisy boasted, "Remember Kate?"


    "What do you mean?" When Samuel heard Kate''s name, his heart trembled and asked uncertainly, "Are you going to attack her?"


    "You want to protect her?" Daisy laughed sarcastically, "No matter how much you love her, she still loves Joseph. That is the truth and you know it. You need to have your own career, then you can defeat Joseph and get what you want!"


    Samuel thought that Daisy''s point made sense, so he did not argue. However, he did warn her, "I will give you another chance. If you dare to lie to me, I will not let you get away next time!"


    "The same goes for you!" Daisy was not afraid of his threats. She only needed to use him to defeat Joseph and Kate.


    **


    In Joseph''s office, Vincent Smith sat quietly for a long time. Joseph already guessed why he was there but finally took the initiative to ask, "Grandpa, did you come here in person to tell me something?"


    "Joseph," Mr. Smith''s tone was unprecedently gentle.


    Joseph looked at the gray-haired old man. He had a serious look and it appeared that he had a lot to say.


    "Just say what you want," Joseph nodded.


    "You really don''t plan to come back to Smith Group?" Mr. Smith was almost pleading with him.


    Joseph shook his head, "No, I am not going to come back."


    "Grandpa, instead of begging me to go back, it would be more beneficial for you to have confidence in Samuel. He is competent and can fulfill his position as president. His biggest problem right now is that he is too eager to win. If he can keep his feet on the ground, Smith Group will grow," Joseph urged. Since his grandfather was polite and respectful, Joseph wanted to help him.


    "Of course, he understands all of this, but he is too impulsive. He has regrets but does not take them into consideration when he makes a mistake. He immediately forgets the lesson he should have learned from the previous mistake and continues on to do irrational things!" Mr. Smith''s tone changed.


    Joseph explained, "The last two times he made mistakes, he had bad intentions and was trying to damage my company. I had to take countermeasures for my business but was no intent on causing trouble for Smith Group. I hope you can forgive me!"


    If the other company was not Smith Group, Joseph would not have been so polite. He would have taken countermeasures, and hit the company with a heavy blow.


    Mr. Smith understood that Joseph was doing what he needed to for his company, "You cannot deny the fact that you are my grandson!"


    As soon as Vincent''s tone became threatening, the atmosphere in the office shifted.


    "If you still want to control me, it will only make the situation worse!" Joseph''s attitude was very clear, "Now JK is my career, I will not give it up for any reason!"


    Mr. Smith snapped, "Since you are determined to separate from the Smith family, I will help you!"


    Joseph wasn''t sure what his grandfather was thinking, but from his expression, Joseph could see that he was offended.


    **


    Kate was finishing up her work and about to go to Joseph''s mansion when Daisy knocked on her door. She smiled and asked, "Kate, can we have dinner tonight?"


    "But I..."


    "I know you and Lord Joseph are inseparable now. I get that you want to be together every minute of every day. But please don''t ignore your sister?" Daisy pestered, "If you really want to go there, can you go after we have something to eat?"


    "Okay," Kate replied. Having dinner with Daisy would give her the opportunity to ask her about the new product launch. She didn''t believe that Daisy would do something so immoral, but Joseph created doubt and she needed to know the truth.


    When they were seated in a private room at the restaurant, Kate took out her phone and called Anna.


    When Daisy heard who Kate was talking to, she grabbed the phone and barked, "Kate and I are dining out tonight. If you are hungry, you can have some snacks or make something for yourself!"


    Daisy hung up and passed the phone back to Kate.


    "Daisy, you..."


    "Kate, I can only handle so much. I still cannot forget the past and be kind to her like you are," Daisy said with hatred.


    In order to prevent Kate from suspecting that she harmed Anna, she added, "Don''t worry, when you are not at home, I will not let her starve."

 Chapter 217 Play A Trick on Kate

    Daisy knew it was for Anna and she was extremely unpleased, but could not say anything. She looked down at her phone and sent a text.


    "Daisy, let''s enjoy ourselves," Kate said with a smile.


    "Okay," Daisy gave her a fake smile.


    When Kate saw it, she put a piece of steak into her bowl and asked with a smile, "Do you know why I ordered this dish?"


    Daisy shook her head.


    "I remember when we were young, we both liked this dish. But if I tried to compete with you, my mother would always give it to you!"


    Of course Daisy remembered but she didn''t want to recall the past, and she didn''t like steak anymore. When Kate talked about when they were young, Daisy didn''t feel even the slightest bit sad, she only felt rejected. She took a small bite then put it to the side. Fearing that Kate would be unhappy, Daisy frowned, "Kate, I like it, but it is too fatty. I will get fat if I eat it. You know, losing weight is a difficult journey!"


    "It''s okay, just eat something," Kate gently urged, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    When Kate was a child, she loved steak, and it was one of her mother''s best recipes. Flora would always give Daisy more steak than her, she hoped Daisy would remember but to her surprise, she didn''t even like steak anymore.


    Suddenly, the door opened and Samuel walked over to their table. He grinned, "Kate! Daisy! I am so surprised to see you here!"


    Kate looked at Daisy, "Did you invite him here?"


    "No!" Daisy denied anxiously, "I don''t know why he is here."


    Seeing Kate''s reaction, Samuel was a little bit disappointed, "Kate, you don''t want to see me? "


    "Mr. Smith, why are you here?" She didn''t answer him, she just wanted to know why he was interrupting their dinner.


    Her unwelcome expression made Samuel uncomfortable, "Kate, since I became president of Smith Group and you took over Kate Group, we have had very few opportunities to talk."


    Kate continued to ignore him.


    He continued to smile and said, "It stands to reason that after you divorced Joseph, and are single that we should see each other more."


    His words disgusted Kate, she snarled and emphasize each word, "I am not single! I am Joseph''s girlfriend!"


    Samuel''s smile disappeared and he said coldly, "Joseph only intimidates you and takes advantage of you. He is not even nice to you!"


    "I know how he treats me. I don''t need an outsider like you to judge!" Kate could not continue eating, she got up and was putting her coat on to leave. However, she became extremely dizzy and fell to the floor.


    "Kate, are you okay?" Daisy squatted down to help her while glancing at Samuel.


    "Daisy..." Kate held Daisy''s hands tightly and begged to go home.


    "Uh, okay..." Daisy nodded stiffly. When she was about to lift Kate up, she said to Samuel, "She is passed out. You can do anything!"


    Samuel hemmed, "The drugs work so fast!"


    "It''s now your turn!" Daisy looked at Kate lying unconscious, "She is so deep in love with Joseph and cares for Anna. I mean nothing to her! We are no longer sisters!"


    "Don''t worry, I will live up to your expectations!" Samuel lifted Kate into his arms.


    Daisy grinned and said sarcastically, "If you don''t succeed this time, it will be difficult to get another chance in the future. After all, I have exposed myself now! Follow my original plan!"


    "Don''t worry, I will protect myself before Joseph finds out!" Samuel said and then took Kate out of the restaurant''s back door.


    He had booked a nearby hotel in advance. Samuel got his room card from the front desk and rushed to the elevator, making up an excuse that his wife drank too much and passed out.


    Samuel was so preoccupied that he didn''t see a man standing close to them looking at Kate. Nick had been at the hotel to meet his out of town business partners. He saw Kate being carried into the elevator by Samuel and the door closed before he could react.


    Nick ran to the front desk, "Who is that gentleman that just checked in?"


    "Sorry, sir, we cannot disclose the guest''s private information," the clerk replied.


    Knowing about the unstable relationship between Samuel and Joseph, Nick felt that something was wrong and took out his phone to call Joseph.


    In the VIP suite, Samuel put the unconscious Kate on the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and observed Kate''s delicate face. His breath was calm but he was nervous as he proudly whispered in her ear, "Kate, I finally have you!"


    After unbuttoning his collar, Samuel crawled into bed next to Kate. He leaned over to kiss her and was about to rip her clothes off when there was a loud crash.


    Samuel turned around to see Joseph rushing toward him. Joseph hit him so hard that he rolled off the bed and hit his head on the wall. However, Joseph wasn''t done, he began to kick him in the stomach between punches. Within a minute, Samuel couldn''t get up and his face was swollen and bruised.


    Worried that Joseph was going to kill him, Nick jumped in to stop him. He calmly said, "Joseph, we don''t know what they did to Kate! You should take her to the hospital!"


    Joseph stopped, but there was still rage building in his eyes. He looked at Samuel, "Nick, will deal with you now!"


    "Okay!" Nick walked over to Samuel who was holding his head and warned, "Behave yourself!"


    Samuel was furious, but he could do nothing except watch Joseph take Kate out of the room.

 Chapter 218 Punish Samuel Severely

    Seeing him sitting next to her, Kate was confused, "Where are we?"


    "The hospital¡­" When he said the word, his heart trembled. The scene in the hotel room replayed over and over in his mind. If Nick had been at the right place at the right time to see Samuel carrying Kate, she would have been hurt both mentally and physically. Joseph clenched his fist tight, he wanted to kill Samuel.


    "What is going on? Are you okay?" Kate could see the tension in his face.


    "I''m fine," He didn''t want to tell her what had happened. He bent over and hugged her, repeating over and over, "Everything is fine now. Everything is fine now."


    Joseph was hugging Kate so tightly that she could barely whisper, "You are strangling me! I cannot breathe!"


    "Sorry," Joseph eased his grip on her.


    "What''s the matter?" As she asked, she remembered that she was having dinner with Daisy then Samuel walked in. She also knew that as she was about to leave she got dizzy but everything else was unclear. Kate suddenly got very anxious, "Did you misunderstand about Samuel and me?"


    Kate had asked because she thought Joseph was jealous. However, she didn''t know what had happened so she didn''t know the rage Joseph was holding back. She looked at him and quickly explained, "Tonight, it was supposed to be Daisy and I have dinner. But unexpectedly, Samuel arrived. I tried to leave but I don''t know what happened after that."


    "Did you call Daisy?" Kate asked.


    "Kate, do you really know what kind of person Daisy is? She has fought with you so many times, yet you do not see the real her?" Joseph hated seeing Kate being kind only to be used. He said bluntly, "Kate, Daisy set a trap for you tonight!"


    Shaking her head as if she was denying what Joseph, Kate didn''t say a word. She couldn''t believe her sister would hurt her, but she looked around and she really was at the hospital. She whispered, "What happened? Why am I in the hospital?"


    "They put drugs in your food," Joseph didn''t want to tell her what Samuel''s plans were.


    "No wonder I suddenly felt dizzy..." Kate really didn''t expect Daisy to scheme with Samuel to hurt her.


    Joseph leaned over to kiss her forehead, "Forget them, get some rest then I will take you home."


    "I''m fine, let''s go home," She knew that if she was in the hospital all night, Joseph would not sleep.


    "Okay, I will check with the doctor," Joseph agreed.


    **


    Early the next morning, Daisy stumbled into the White mansion, knocking over a small table.


    When Anna in the room heard the noise, she hurriedly stepped forward to support her, "Sister Daisy, you...are you okay?"


    Daisy pushed her away and sternly scolded, "You get away! I hate you!"


    "Can you call Kate and ask where she is?" When Daisy woke up in the hotel, she didn''t have any messages from Samuel, so she wasn''t sure if the plan was successful or not.


    "Okay," Anna picked up the phone and dialed Kate''s number with trembling fingers.


    "Anna?" Kate answered still sleepy.


    "Sister Kate, where are you? Sister Daisy... she was injured!" Anna was afraid of being hurt by Daisy. She looked over at her, shaking with fear.


    Hearing that Daisy was injured, Kate frowned. She glanced at Joseph and replied, "I will be there soon."


    "Joseph," Kate nudged him, "Anna just called to say that Daisy was hurt. I have to go home and figure this out."


    "Nasty tricks!" Joseph sat up and calmly said, "When I arrived last night, I only saw Samuel, Daisy was nowhere to be seen. I was so worried about you that I just took you to the hospital, never thinking to have someone search for her."


    Joseph was confident that Daisy could not escape from what she did this time. After all, Samuel was caught in the act, and he would certainly not be generous enough to take all the blame if someone else was involved.


    "I believe what you are saying. I also know that my relationship with Daisy has become toxic and it will never be like it was before," Kate sighed.


    "I can go with you," Joseph worried that she might be hurt again.


    Kate shook her head, "This is a matter between her and me, so I have to deal with this on my own. Don''t worry, I know everything and won''t believe her lies."


    "Then I will let Henry take you there. If you need anything, you can tell him."


    She nodded and then asked, "How are you going to deal with Samuel?"


    "He should receive due punishment. This time I will not let him get away with it!" Joseph cursed.


    "But Joseph, we don''t have any evidence to prove that he was involved. Maybe Daisy was behind this," Kate suggested because she knew that Samuel had the Smith family backing him up. If Joseph confronted him he may not get the results he wished for.


    "I have enough evidence. Of course, I can sue him."


    "Okay, I will go home. If you find out anything, please call me."


    In addition to having Henry escort Kate home, Joseph also sent another two security guards to follow her because he couldn''t let her be injured any further.


    **


    "What did she say?" Daisy couldn''t wait to ask after Anna hung up the phone.


    "She seems to be worried about you, and she will be back soon."


    "She''ll be back soon..." Daisy repeated Anna''s words with an evil smile on her face.


    "Sister Daisy sit down, and I''ll get the first aid kit," Anna told her and rushed upstairs.


    Daisy took the opportunity to call Samuel, but he still didn''t answer. She knew that if Samuel succeeded, Kate would not be calm and would want to know what happened. However, if Samuel did not succeed, Daisy assumed Joseph would have attacked her. She reached up to touch her bleeding wound, it was sore but nothing compared to her growing anxiety.


    Anna fetched the first aid box, was going to clean up Daisy''s face but she was pushed away, "I said get away from me!"


    Daisy was angry and frightened, and she was taking it out on Anna.


    "Sister Daisy, I really want to help you clean the wound. I didn''t mean to upset you," Anna said, looking sweet and innocent.

 Chapter 219 The Real Daisy

    "Sister Daisy, don''t talk nonsense!" Anna was angry, and she stood up suddenly. "Even if I was wicked before, I truly regret it. I haven''t done anything to hurt others, let alone my sister. Yet, you slander me and bully me every time we are alone!"


    "So, what? Do you want to fight back?!" Daisy provoked her.


    Anna took a small step back and warned, "Don''t take advantage of your power! You can no longer beat me!"


    "Take advantage of my power?" Daisy sneered, "Now Kate is on your side, not mine. Isn''t it you who took advantage of the opportunity to beat me?"


    "I really want to get along with you."


    "But I didn''t" Daisy shouted, "When I see you, my mind fills with each time you and your mother hurt me!"


    "My mom has..."


    Kate stepped in before Anna finished her sentence.


    When Daisy saw Kate, she reacted quickly, "Your mother has indeed been brought to justice, but you have not and you can continue to harm people!"


    "I haven''t though!" Anna shook her head, feeling aggrieved.


    Daisy looked to Kate, seeing she had changed her clothes left Daisy extremely worried. She calmly asked, "Where did you go last night? When I woke up, I found myself in a hotel room, I tried to call you but nobody answered. When I got home, I asked Anna to call you."


    Kate walked over to and gently touched the cut on Daisy''s forehead, "What happened?"


    Daisy touched her injured forehead and shook her head, "I don''t know, I was bleeding when I woke up..."


    Kate looked at the box next to her and asked, "Since the first aid kit is here, why haven''t you treated it?"


    "Sister Kate, I want to help Sister Daisy, but she refused..." Anna whispered, fearing she would be criticized by Daisy.


    "Okay, I won''t blame you," Kate''s tone to Anna was exceptionally gentle, showing her preference for Anna.


    "Thank you, Sister Kate," Anna smiled, it was like a knife piercing Daisy''s heart.


    "Kate, I''m just afraid of it becoming worse. I worry that she will take the opportunity to leave a scar on my face!" Daisy snarled.


    Not even acknowledging Daisy''s accusations, Kate took ointment out of the box to help stop the cut from bleeding.


    The silence made Daisy even more nervous. She was trying to see interpret the expression on Kate''s face, but there was no emotion at all.


    "Where were you last night?" Daisy couldn''t restrain her curiosity so she cautiously tried to interrogate Kate.


    "At Joseph''s," She said without hesitation.


    Daisy wanted to ask for details but worried that it would look too suspicious.


    Daisy touched the bandage on her forehead and asked uncertainly, "Kate, will it leave a scar?"


    Kate glared at her, "If you are worried about scars, why did you let me help you but not Anna?"


    There was nothing Daisy could say, she knew Kate had a point.


    Anna realized that Kate was defending her, she quickly said, "Sister Kate, it doesn''t matter. I know Sister Daisy doesn''t like me and takes a lot of precautions. Thankfully, you came home and stopped her wound from bleeding."


    "Don''t pretend to be nice!" Daisy sneered.


    "Daisy, be kind okay? Don''t be so mean. Only..." Kate stopped suddenly.


    Daisy looked at her face curiously, "Only what?"


    "Daisy, you want to know what happened last night, right?" Although Daisy did not say it straight out, Kate could tell from her attitude.


    "I¡­I''m just worried about you¡­" Daisy tried her best to keep calm.


    "Then before I tell you, can you tell me honestly where you were last night?" Kate looked her in the eyes.


    Frightened by her sharp glare, Daisy felt anxious and stalled her for a moment. She took a deep breath and said, "I woke up at a hotel with a cut on my head."


    "Which hotel?" Kate asked.


    "Does it matter?" Daisy did not want to say too much for fear of being caught in a lie.


    "Answer me!" Kate demanded.


    Daisy looked away, "North River Hotel in downtown¡­"


    "What a coincidence! I was there too¡­" Kate looked at her sharply.


    "You too? But you just said that you were at Joseph''s," Daisy stammered.


    "Before going there, I was taken to the North River Hotel," Kate''s eyes focused on her, "Do you know what I learned after I woke up?"


    "What you learned?" Daisy whispered. She was terrified, she had thought of excuses but under Kate''s watchful eyes, she forgot everything.


    "I know your secrets¡­" Kate shook her head in disappointment. She had been hurt by the ones she trusted many times over the years. It hurt so much that it took her breath away, it hurt even more than what her father had done to her.


    "Are you kidding, Kate? I have no secrets."


    "Really?" Kate asked determinedly.


    "Y¡­Yes." Daisy stammered.


    Their conversation left Anna confused, her eyes shifting back and forth from one to the other.


    "Okay, since you won''t tell me the truth, let me tell you what I know," Kate explained, "You disclosed our new product sales plan to Samuel, correct?"


    "I didn''t!" Daisy explained in a hurry, "I hate him the same as you. How could I work with him and betray you? How could I do that to Kate Group? You and your mother put so much effort into it!"

 Chapter 220 Daisy Lost Kates Trus

    "So, you already know what''s going on?" Daisy was nervous when Kate came home acting calm but now she was even more nervous.


    "I thought you would feel guilty for what you had done and reflect on your own actions. However, you acted as if nothing happened," Kate gave Daisy a scornful look, "You think you are smart, but there are many things you aren''t saying. Why would you do something that you can''t cover up?"


    Daisy''s eyes flashed with fury, she clenched her teeth and asked, "Did Joseph tell you this?"


    "Don''t think too highly of yourself while underestimating others. The reason I was fooled by you was because of our friendship. I trusted you as my sister, but you took advantage of my trust and schemed against me," Kate sobbed. She wiped her eyes and continued, "You fought with me before and said a lot of hurtful words but I thought it was only done in anger. But now, I realize that it wasn''t, they were things you wanted to say for many years. You say that it is because I prioritized Anna and neglected you, do you really think I believe that?"


    "Believe it or not, I''ve always regarded you and your mother as my family," Daisy struggled to speak. She was not sure what had happened to Kate, but if Kate had tricked her and she admitted to anything she would expose herself.


    "You can choose not to admit to your actions. But remember, you will never have my trust again!" Kate warned.


    "Kate!" Daisy called her and cried, "I am so sorry, Kate. I know that I have been aggravating you a lot lately, but I can see my mistakes. Can you please forgive me and not be angry? Please!"


    Looking at Daisy, Kate remained cold, "Something can be forgiven after you admit to your mistakes, but others cannot no matter how many times you apologize!"


    Daisy''s face turned even paler, and she wanted to beg for Kate''s mercy but she did not know what to say.


    Anna finally began to understand a little bit of what they were talking about. She felt superior to Daisy, she poured a glass of water and handed it to Kate, "Please have a drink and calm down."


    "Thank you," After Kate took it, she glanced at Daisy and then sat down on the sofa.


    Anna glanced at Daisy and also handed her a glass of water, "Sister Daisy, please have some water."


    However, Daisy slapped the water glass out of her hand and barked, "you must be very happy now? You must be thinking that I will be kicked out of here soon, then you can stay safe and act as if you own the house!"


    "I don''t, Sister Daisy. You don''t understand at all," Anna knelt to pick up the broken glass off the floor.


    Kate went to her, "Are you hurt?"


    "No matter how she thinks, you cannot stay here," Kate was not going to tolerate Daisy bullying Anna.


    "What did you say, Kate?" Daisy''s eyes grew large, she couldn''t believe what she heard, "You are going to kick me out of this house?"


    "Yes, I think you have too much time on your hands here, so I don''t intend for you to stay. As for you and Samuel collaborating to drug me, the doctor confirmed it happened. Even if you won''t admit to it, I believe you are guilty. I am warning you!"


    Daisy''s whole body was trembling as she stared at Kate. It was like they more like strangers than two people who spent their lives together. She managed to say, "Kate, are you serious? You know everything but are acting as if you don''t. Are you just testing me?"


    "Testing?" Kate sneered, "If you didn''t want me to find out, you shouldn''t have done it. And you should know that if you don''t admit to it, Samuel will confess everything. Joseph knows it, do you think he will let Samuel go?"


    Kate looked at the wound on Daisy''s forehead, "If I am to guess correctly, you also hurt your forehead on purpose!"


    "Why would you say that?" Daisy insisted on keeping some secrets.


    "You wouldn''t allow Anna to bandage it for you, because you wanted me to see it. That way you could try to distance yourself from anything that happened last night?" Kate laughed.


    Daisy laughed back in Kate''s face, "Yes, so what? You were still f****d by Samuel last night!"


    She was not sure if Samuel succeeded, but she assumed Joseph wouldn''t have stopped him before he was able to take advantage of Kate. Plus, Kate admitted she was at the hotel.


    "What the f**k are you talking about?" Kate shouted.


    "I''m telling you the truth!" Daisy chuckled, "Didn''t Joseph tell you that when he arrived last night, you were having sex with another man? Yes, it would definitely be a shock to him. I don''t know why he wouldn''t tell you though. Maybe he was too furious?"


    Kate was confused, she didn''t know she was actually taken to the hotel by Samuel. She had only said that to Daisy to test her. She finally understood why Joseph looked so angry and was avoiding her questions but he had hugged her tightly. Kate wondered what Samuel had done to her as she clenched her hand into a fist, "No! It is impossible!"


    Seeing Kate worry, Daisy smiled proudly, "Samuel has been in love with you and wanting you for years. Last night, he finally got the chance so I am sure he didn''t waste his time!"


    Kate took a deep breath and turned to Anna, "Throw out all of her things!"


    "Okay," Anna nodded.


    Hearing this, Daisy asked angrily, "Do you really mean it? You know I hate Anna, but you demand that she throws my belonging out. And you are kicking me out of the house!"


    "Yes, you are right. I asked her to purposely irritate you!" Kate could not believe Daisy had been so hurtful.


    "Kate, you¡­" Daisy raised her hand.

 Chapter 221 Forced Ou

    Daisy was embarrassed. After she sat straight, she smiled coldly, "I was right. An adopted sister can never compare to a half-blooded sister!"


    "Up until now, you were my sister but your actions have proven different," Kate looked at her, with her eyes full of disappointment, "If you really want me to care for you, you wouldn''t have cheated me over and over, and use my trust to harm Kate Group! You have not only deceived me, but you also deceived my mother. You may not have been grateful for my mother, but you cannot deny her love for you."


    Daisy''s eyes suddenly turned red, and she asked, "Since you know I made so many mistakes, why don''t you punish me?"


    "Before we when we fought, you left here with anger. I did not kick you out, but this time you are being forced out!" Kate hadn''t held her accountable because she thought of Daisy as her sister. However, she needed to pay the consequences for her actions and Kate wanted nothing more to do with her.


    "Kate, you are just as cruel as I am!" Daisy sneered.


    "Sister Kate, I''ve collected her belongings!" Anna announced coming down the stairs.


    Kate knew that Daisy had brought very little of her belongings back.


    "Give it to her!" Kate ordered Anna, not wanting to speak to Daisy.


    "Here you are," Anna had no emotions when she put the bags down in front of Daisy.


    Daisy was so angry that she slapped Anna and cursed, "You son of bitch! How can you force me out?"


    The loud slap made Kate turn around abruptly. When she saw Anna holding her red face, her anger suddenly rose. She immediately hit Daisy.


    Daisy''s heart trembled. She clutched her face and looked at Kate in disbelief, "You slapped me because of Anna?"


    "And what? Do you think I should let you continue to hurt her?" Kate snapped, "Do not challenge me! I only let you go this time because I cared for you in the past. If you continue to go further, you may not get off as easily!"


    "I will get revenge on you one day!" Daisy knew things would not end well for her if she continued arguing with them. She covered her beaten face and picked up her suitcase.


    When Kate heard Daisy slam the door behind her, she fell to the sofa and let the tears pour out. Her hand was still stinging from when she hit Daisy. It was the first time she ever touched her in an abusive way, meaning their sisterhood had come to an end.


    Anna walked over to comfort Kate, "Sister, don''t be sad."


    Kate straightened up and said, "Your face¡­"


    "I''m okay," Anna smiled, "Compared to Daisy kicking me when you are not here, this slap is nothing."


    "What? Kicking you?"


    The sadness and upset in Kate''s eyes turned to rage again, "I never expected her to be so cruel."


    After a while, Kate added, "Perhaps it is because I am so stupid that I continued to fall for her lies."


    "Don''t say that, Sister Kate. You are not stupid. It was Daisy, she didn''t cherish your kindness toward her."


    "Don''t mention her name," Kate didn''t want to think about Daisy anymore. She looked at Anna''s red face again, "Go get an ice pack and put it on your face, then you should see a doctor to check it over. And, don''t be afraid in the future, you can tell me anything."


    "Okay," Anna''s eyes filled with tears. She hugged Kate, crying, "Sister Kate, I will cherish your kindness to me."


    Kate patted her shoulder and smiled and said, "You don''t need to say that, the most important thing is that you have a happy life."


    She put on her coat and left to go to Joseph''s, hoping the rest of the day would be quiet. However, the moment she arrived at the gate, she received a call from Cassie.


    "Kate, come to the Smith mansion now!"


    "Okay."


    Cassie sounded serious and hung up immediately after Kate agreed.


    Kate assumed it was something important that could not be talked about over the phone. She called and text Joseph but he didn''t respond, so she had no idea where he was. She decided she would keep trying but she need to go see Cassie.


    When she arrived, she saw Joseph''s car parked next to many others belonging to members of the Smith family. As she walked inside, Kate could feel the tension in the air. She looked toward Joseph, he gave her a look as if to ask why she was there.


    "You are here now. Please tell us everything that happened last night!" Gina bluntly ordered Kate, "I do not want my son to be victimized and beaten!"


    Samuel denied everything, but he was full of bruises and cuts. Kate tried not to smile when she saw him.


    "Kate, what on earth happened last night?" Cassie asked Kate.


    "Mom, I already clearly told you what happened. You don''t need to ask Kate again," There was a reason Joseph had brought Samuel home, but Samuel continued to lie.


    "Joseph, you can stick up for your ex-wife, but you must respect the truth.


    She was dizzy, so my son took her to rest. Yet, you keep saying he had bad intentions!"


    Gina squinted at Kate and sneered, "My son did love her before, but many years have gone by and he doesn''t care for her. She is a divorced woman, he can do better than that. How could he love her?"

 Chapter 222 Samuels Denial

    Gina''s expression changed and she shouted back at Joseph, "How can you talk to me like that? You can protect your ex-wife if you choose, but I am your elder. You should respect me!"


    "Elder?" Joseph sneered coldly, "Do you deserve that title?"


    Joseph did not care to continue arguing about nonsense. He walked over to Kate and took her hand, "Since Samuel has twisted the facts, then I will send the surveillance video and Kate''s examination report to the police. I have a witness and know who Samuel was working with!"


    Gina was filled with worry, she looked at her son not trying to defend himself, which made her more nervous.


    When everyone in the room heard about the video and examination report, they all became more anxious. But, Kate wondered if it was about the drugs in her food or another kind of report, as she thought about what Daisy said.


    Vincent turned to Samuel and asked harshly, "I will ask you one last time. Did you hatch a sinister plot against Kate last night?!"


    Faced with his grandfather''s interrogation, Samuel trembled and insisted, "Grandpa, I kindly took Kate to a room to rest. I didn''t know that Joseph was going to suddenly show up and beat me. It was Daisy, she set a trap for me. She contacted me and asked me to go to the restaurant. When I got there, Kate was dizzy and fell. I didn''t know what was happening!"


    Samuel had no choice but to betray Daisy and avoid punishment.


    "So, do you admit that you and Daisy had private contact?" Cassie asked immediately.


    Gina was unhappy about Cassie''s questioning, "Shut up, Cassie! You cannot interrupt Dad when he is speaking. Never mind, the fact that you have no right to speak at all!"


    "You!" Cassie snarled at Gina.


    Gina raised her chin proudly then smiled at Vincent, "Dad, Samuel has done nothing immoral. Please believe him!"


    As Samuel''s mother, she firmly believed that her son was innocent.


    "Joseph and Samuel, you are both my grandsons. I hoped you could get along, for so many years this has been happening," Vincent sighed.


    "Don''t change the subject!" Joseph shouted, "I will not let him go until he tells the truth!"


    As they all patiently waited for the surveillance video to arrive, the room was quiet.


    Once the men arrived with the video it was played for everyone, including Kate. The whole scene was viewed by those in the room, Joseph held Kate''s hand tight and squeezed it gently when the video got to the part where he told her, "It''s okay, I arrived in time."


    Hearing his gentle words, eased the panic in Kate''s heart.


    After watching the surveillance video, Mr. Smith was furious. He shouted, "What else can you explain?"


    Samuel''s biggest mistake was when he walked through the hotel, he leaned down and kissed Kate. He never thought about it being captured by the video cameras.


    Gina''s face turned pale after watching the video. She walked over to Joseph hoping to defend Samuel, "My son must have been in some kind of drug-induced state to do such a thing to Kate. He would not plan something so evil. Maybe it was Kate who seduced him?"


    Cassie reached out and slapped Gina, "It is your son''s problem but now you are blaming my daughter-in-law. You stand here and insult her. I would teach you both a lesson, but I may do something I could regret."


    Gina held her face, then turned to Vincent, "Dad, I was just stating my point of view, but Cassie¡­"


    "Enough!" Vincent interrupted her and turned his cold glare at Samuel, "These are the facts. Anything you want to say?"


    "Grandpa, I didn''t!" Samuel thought his grandfather would take his side. He didn''t expect him to defend Kate and Joseph.


    "Go to the police station to testify that you didn''t!" Joseph shouted at him.


    Gina was becoming more nervous. She pleaded with Joseph, "This is a family affair. We can work it out on our own. Why go to the police station?"


    "Mom! Don''t lower yourself to his level!" Samuel shouted.


    "Dad, it is Samuel''s fault this time. I am asking you for my sake, please don''t be angry!" Brian finally spoke up to beg on his son''s behalf.


    Vincent looked at his son, Brian, and sighed, "You taught your son to be short-tempered and irresponsible. He always does what he wants regardless of the consequences. Since he took over Smith Group, its performance has continued to decline. I was angry enough about that, but now he is causing other trouble!"


    Everyone knew that Samuel was only trying to get revenge on Joseph, but his actions were reckless.


    "Dad, don''t be so dramatic. Don''t forget it was Samuel who took over a large company when no else wanted it. If you don''t protect Samuel now, then someone else will take the company from our family," Gina tried to encourage Vincent to side with them.


    "You mean Smith Group will fall apart without Samuel?" Vincent laughed.


    Gina did not how what to say, she stuttered, "Then¡­maybe¡­you should ask Joseph if he is willing to come back?"


    Vincent was dumbstruck by the comment because he had asked Joseph numerous times and Joseph always said no.


    "Dad, I don''t mean to threaten you, I just hope you can see the true person standing in front of you," Gina added after seeing Vincent cold expression.


    "Do you think that you can help Samuel escape from his crime by using Smith Group?" Cassie was not going to let Samuel get away. She suddenly turned to Joseph, "Tell Grandpa that you not only manage but also operate Smith Group!"


    "Mom, I don''t want to though!" Joseph firmly opposed.


    Cassie knew that he would not agree. She gently looked at him, "I know you don''t want to take it over. However, someone is using it to her advantage so that she can protect her son. I can bear it, they have too much ambition driving them.


    I am afraid they will force your grandfather out, claiming he is too old."

 Chapter 223 A Change in Management?

    Vincent was intrigued by Cassie''s comments because he was hoping that Joseph would return to Smith Group. He turned to her, "Cassie, do you think we can convince Joseph to come back to Smith Group?"


    "Dad, as long as you sincerely wish for Joseph to come back and hand over Smith Group to him, I think he might be willing," She knew her son''s temper, and would not allow Cassie to make the final decision for him but she could possibly persuade him.


    Gina''s heart was pounding as she focused on Joseph to see his reaction. She clearly knew that Samuel would be removed as president if Joseph agreed, making it difficult for her son to ever regain any status in the family. She quickly stated, "Dad, Joseph now has his own business. He can''t take care of Smith Group at all. Besides, he is not willing to come back. You cannot..."


    "Joseph, I want to hear your answer," Mr. Smith insisted on asking Joseph not to listen to the others.


    Joseph replied, "Grandpa, please allow me to deal with the situation with Samuel right now!"


    "You are still rejecting me?" Mr. Smith questioned.


    Trying to figure out his grandfather''s thoughts, Joseph assumed Vincent had to speak up for Samuel because if Joseph held him accountable still, Vincent could not face him.


    "Joseph, I think the whole event is clear. Samuel made the mistake, but I hope you can forgive him this time," His grandfather urged.


    The house was still of great importance to Cassie, Kate commented, "But the premise of forgiving him is that Samuel and his entire must leave here!"


    "Kate White, you''re only an outsider, you don''t have the right to speak here!"


    "Impossible!" Gina refuted immediately. She had just inherited the old house and was no willing to leave.


    "I really don''t have the right to speak here, but as a victim, I have the right to punish him. If you are dissatisfied with this, then we have the right to choose a more powerful solution!" She answered with determination.


    Cassie was extremely pleased to see Kate standing up for herself.


    "Grandpa, I can promise you that I will take over Smith Group, but I have a condition," Joseph knew Samuel''s weak point. Instead of punishing him criminally, he would take away what he cared about most.


    When Vincent heard Joseph speak his eyes lit up, "What is it? As long as you agree to come back, I can certainly promise you!"


    "You quit the board of directors."


    "What?" Vincent was very surprised, and the excitement on his face quickly faded.


    "Oh no! How can you ask Dad to quit the board of directors? That would mean, the whole company would be yours," Gina wanted to incite tension between the two, "Dad, you heard what he said, right? His real intention is to take away your company and deprive you of any rights!"


    "You want to try?" Gina did not fear Cassie and made an aggressive gesture at her.


    "Stop!" Vincent ordered.


    Jenny had stayed quiet during the entire confrontation but she finally stood up, "Dad, whether you admit to it or not, Smith Group was developed by Joseph. Although Samuel is my nephew as well, his ability is limited. Since he took over, we have not made an advancement, but our performance also declined dramatically. There has been no influence over other companies and there should have been. If we do not make changes, no matter how powerful the company is now, it will be dragged down."


    Everyone in the room was silent, looking around at each other. Jenny sighed, "I can understand that you worry about Joseph. Yet, you can see the effort he put into Smith Group over the years. If he has evil intentions, don''t you think he would have followed through with them years ago and not now? Plus, he is your grandson, a member of the Smith family. You should feel comfortable enough to hand him the company so that you can finally enjoy retirement!"


    Vincent contemplated Jenny''s well thought out comment.


    "How can you show favoritism to Joseph?" Gina complained, "Samuel just took over Smith Group not long ago. He hasn''t had the opportunity to show his full ability. Don''t underestimate him. One day¡­"


    "Okay!" Vincent nodded then said to Joseph, "If you really willing to take over Smith Group, I hope you will merge JK Group into it so that you will not be too busy."


    Joseph smiled, "Since you are so patriarchal and made this decision on your own, maybe it is better for you to be in charge of the company. Why bother me with it? You must know that you are begging me, not the other way around."


    Although the words were a little harsh, they were true and would be a heavy blow to Vincent.


    Cassie still hoped that Samuel, Gina, and Brian would move out of the house but she remained calm, understanding that Joseph must have a plan.


    "Yes, Dad, now it''s you who needs Joseph, rather than him needing you. You always interfere in everything. I think you need to change this bad habit. Since you believe in Joseph, you need to let him do what he wants. Do not restrict or criticize him!" Jenny was Vincent''s only biological daughter, so nobody other than Joseph could talk to him like that. Plus, she had no interest in the company so she was able to see both sides.


    Every time she spoke though, her father would not react, he just took it into consideration.


    "Okay," Mr. Smith followed her advice and agreed with Joseph. Then he turned to


    Joseph to remind him, "I must see growth in Smith Group though!"


    "Dad, what about Samuel? How will you¡­ "


    "He should shoulder the responsibility for what he did!" Vincent interrupted her and turned to glare at Samuel, saying sternly, "This time I will only kick you out. If this ever happens again, you will have a much worse punishment!"


    Hearing this, Gina fell to the floor, with her tears flowing down her face.


    "Shameful!" Brian was so angry that he turned his head to the side, unwilling to even look at his son.


    Jenny got up and walked to Gina. She told her quietly, "Cassie didn''t chase you out as viciously as you did to her. She was very kind to you so you should be grateful and get your belongings out of here as soon as possible.


    "You..." Gina wanted to fight with her, but she did not have the confidence.

 Chapter 224 Justice

    Angrily, Gina turned to Vincent for help, "Dad, you know what Samuel had done for you and Smith Group. You can''t force him out just because Joseph said he would come back. Samuel has done nothing that can''t be fixed. Please don''t kick us out!"


    Vincent remained unmoved and replied quietly, "I think he may deserve it. He should pay for his behavior. I can''t defend him just because he is my grandson, that would be unfair to Joseph."


    After hearing Vincent''s answer, Gina asked sarcastically, "Unfair? Is there any justice in our family? Everyone knows how biased you are."


    "Asshole!" Vincent couldn''t listen anymore. He didn''t care about what anyone else thought about him and snarled, "I have my own mind and opinions. If you think that I am partial, then maybe you should ask yourself why, maybe because of your husband and son? What contribution have they made to Smith Group and our family?"


    Brian, who kept silent all the time, spoke slowly, "Dad, I know that I have not been as important as my older brother ever since I was young. Your sarcasm and hurtful comments still haunt me, but I have never complained. After all, it would not have done any good because nothing is more important to you than Smith Group. But my son is my only hope; you can''t dismiss his efforts to the company in just a wave of your hand. I can''t believe you are insulting my family just to please Joseph!"


    His bad health kept Brian from working at Smith Group, which was the reason Vincent despised his family. They lived in the mansion long ago but Vincent grew tired of them and forced them to move. They were treated like his daughter, Jenny, living in the West Yard far from the mansion.


    Gina always held a grudge but encouraged Samuel, telling him, "You have to get ahead of Joseph. Shine in front of your grandpa because he is looking down on you but sooner or later he will regret it!"


    His mother''s reminder echoed in Samuel''s heart for as long as he could remember. He treated Joseph like a natural enemy, but he was the one who always ended up frustrated. He thought of the saying, even a vicious tiger will not eat its cubs, his grandfather protected Joseph like he was his cub.


    Vincent did have a conscious thought and so he explained to Brian, "I didn''t mean for you to be kicked out of the house. But, I do need you to move back to your home."


    A look of embarrassment flashed across Vincent''s face, he was about to reply when Jenny spoke up, "When you were arguing for your family, have you ever thought about how much my oldest brother did for this family when he was alive? I have never denied who established this family, but why did it continue getting better over the years? You know who deserves the credit!"


    Gina was speechless and her eyes were full of rage. She was eager to fight with Jenny, but Brian put his hand on her arm to stop her. Gina had to calm down or Vincent would kick them out of the family entirely.


    Samuel looked at them with a broken heart, "Mom, Dad, let''s go!"


    Even hearing Vincent''s decision, Samuel refused to accept his fate. The plan to target Joseph and Kate had failed but if he continues, he would have the chance to fight another day. He knew that Joseph took him to the mansion and not to the police station to have his grandfather kick his family out. Therefore, Cassie would be free to move back in. It was ruthless, but everyone in the family valued their status and living in the old mansion.


    "My son, you have to say something, let them know they can''t push us around. And your grandpa should know how much you have done for Smith Group..."


    "Enough, Mom, I was wrong this time, let''s go," Samuel walked out of the room.


    "Samuel!" Gina looked at her son, who didn''t look back, leaving her broken. Her dreams had just come true, then they were taken away. She looked at those around her, they glared back with disgust. In desperation, she had no choice but to go pack her stuff.


    "Mom, Aunt Jenny, let''s go as well," Joseph took Kate''s hand and nodded at the two women.


    Vincent saw that he had been overlooked, so he hastily asked, "Joseph, you just promised me. Can I trust you?"


    "Dad, Joseph has always been reliable. Now that you have his word, don''t ask anymore," Jenny said.


    "Okay," Vincent''s tone became politer than ever. "I''m counting on you, Joseph."


    Joseph was still silent and led Kate away from the old mansion.


    Cassie looked at her son with mixed emotions. She was aware as to why Joseph took Samuel to the mansion, the answer was in his silence. Her son was not good at talking, but he always thought of his father''s last words. Suddenly, she thought of how selfish she was to impose her wishes on him.

 Chapter 225 Dont Go Back

    "He devoted his whole life developing the Smith family but, in the end¡­." Cassie choked. She was so sad that she couldn''t continue.


    Jenny felt sorry too, "Yeah, he''s such a good person, how could he¡­?"


    Joseph didn''t say anything as they walked out of the house, nor did he let go of Kate''s hand. However, she could judge his anger by the way he was walking.


    "Sorry¡­" Joseph calmly said after they got in the car. He leaned over and pulled her close to his chest.


    Kate buried herself in his arms, and after a few minutes of silence, she asked apprehensively, "Do you truly believe Samuel took me to the hotel and was going to hurt me?"


    "I didn''t mean to hide it from you. I just didn''t want to put any more stress on you," Joseph tried to explain. He was furious that Samuel was going to hurt the woman he loved.


    "I know," She could understand his good intentions but then she thought of what Daisy said and her heart twitched. Fortunately, Joseph saved her in time, or else she would not be able to face him.


    "Samuel is quite proficient at overturning his mistakes. I planned to take him to the police station but I didn''t have the evidence at the time. I took you to the hospital and asked Nick to guard him, then I decided to take him to my grandfather''s house to interrogate him in front of the entire family," Joseph didn''t want to let him get away easily. Besides, having Samuel, Gina, and Brian move out of the house, would make Samuel pay in more ways than one; a long-term punishment was better than a short-term one.


    "Such punishment is a fatal blow to their family. However, that does mean Mom can move back to her home immediately. You did something great!" Kate exclaimed.


    Joseph didn''t expect Kate to understand his intentions. He asked hesitantly "Don''t you think I''m a bit selfish of doing so?"


    "No," She shook her head and said, "For people like them, taking away what they care about the most is the harshest punishment!"


    Joseph held her and didn''t let go for a long time.


    Kate enjoyed the sense of safety he brought her. She didn''t want to ask him about Smith Group, because she knew that even if he didn''t want to, he wouldn''t stand by and watch his father''s dreams be destroyed. He would be overloaded at work though, she was upset about that.


    When Joseph dropped her off at home, she looked at Daisy''s again empty room.


    She knew that no matter how evil Daisy became, she would be downhearted about their relationship.


    Anna walked in holding vegetables in the air, with a smile she beamed, "Sister! I am cooking tonight! I will make a new recipe that I just learned."


    "Okay, sounds wonderful," Kate replied. Seeing that Anna was in a good mood made her happy, "How is work going?"


    "That''s good!" Kate breathed a sigh of relief.


    Anna looked at her and asked carefully, "Will sister Daisy come back in the future?"


    Kate sensed the fear in Anna''s tone. She knew that she''s afraid that Daisy would come back and hurt her, "Don''t worry, she won''t be back again!"


    What Daisy did was nasty, but Kate didn''t have her investigated, which showed her the greatest charity. It was too dangerous though to keep someone who was so full of hatred in her life.


    "Sister, you must feel sad now," Anna was full of concern.


    "I am a bit. However, it is better than being in the dark and continuing to accept her lies. I would rather know the truth in the beginning."


    "Yeah, the longer we lived together, the bigger the problem became," Anna secretly relieved, smiled, and said, "Go have a rest, I will cook!"


    "Let''s do it together," Kate said and went to grab an apron.


    "No, you go sit and watch TV in the living room. Leave everything to me. You can see how good of a wife and mother I will be in the future," Anna laughed.


    It was a drastic change from her personality before the amnesia, she was no longer aggressive. She made jokes and the atmosphere was peaceful.


    "Well, I will listen to your orders then," Kate chuckled.


    "Okay," Anna went to the kitchen with excitement.


    **


    In Phoenix, Daisy no sooner dropped her bags on the floor of a small, empty apartment when she heard the door slam behind her. The two men that escorted her stood expressionless, one snapped, "You will live here, do not go back to Aubi City, unless Lord Smith gives you permission!"


    Daisy had never thought of leaving Aubi City, but she didn''t have a choice when Joseph forced her to leave so that he could protect Kate.


    "But how can I live in such a dump?" Daisy looked around, completely unhappy with her surroundings. It was nothing compared to her previous lifestyle.


    "You have to live here," The man said confidently.


    "But I have my own house in Aubi City. I should be able to choose where I live," Daisy frowned.


    "You''d better learn to be satisfied with the current situation, or you will have to pay the consequences."


    "Will you be outside the apartment all the time?" Until that moment, Daisy didn''t realize how dire the situation was. Yet, she still wasn''t going to give up.


    "Yes!" They both shouted.


    "But why?" sobbed Daisy, "I want to talk to Joseph, ask him to meet with me."


    "Miss Daisy, we hope that you will face the truth and work with us. If you offend Lord Smith, you do not live nearly as comfortably as you can here. What did you infuriate him? He is being kind by letting you live here," The large man reminded her.


    Daisy fell to the floor in hysterics, "I want to see Joseph! I have to see him today, or I will kill myself in front of you!"


    One of the men shook his head in disgust and pulled out his phone to call Joseph.

 Chapter 226 Pressure from Vincen

    "Well, I guess that Kate''s heartlessness influenced him," Daisy slumped down on the sofa, staring out the window.


    **


    Kate called Joseph after dinner, but her call wouldn''t go through. She called his house only for Ricky to say that he hadn''t arrived home yet. She wondered where he was, he usually took the time to contact her.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Anna rushed to open it, then shouted, "It''s Joseph!"


    Joseph outside the door nodded slightly, and then looked inside the house.


    Anna smiled and pointed to the living room, "Sister is in there, and she lost her mind after dinner. I am guessing that she is thinking of you right now. Come in, please!"


    "Okay," Joseph walked in and saw Kate getting up from the sofa. He asked, "What is the matter?"


    Kate thought he was working overtime or having dinner with clients, she didn''t expect he would show up at her house.


    "Nothing," She shook her head, "I thought you were busy tonight."


    Joseph narrowed his eyes and asked uncertainly, "Unhappy to see me?"


    "It''s not that, I just..." Kate saw Anna standing in the room, she didn''t want to make her feel uncomfortable so she changed the subject, "Did you have dinner?"


    "Let''s go," Joseph understood about Anna, plus his only purpose was to take her back to his house.


    "Where?" She questioned.


    "Home," Joseph put his arms out to pull her close.


    Anna buried her head in embarrassment, and comment, "Sister, just go! You don''t have to worry about me, but let me know if you are going to be back tomorrow and I will prepare dinner."


    "She will be staying with me," Joseph answered.


    "Uh..." Anna looked up in surprise, there was a redness on her cheek.


    After getting in the car, Kate couldn''t help but complain, "I didn''t say I would stay with you, but you thought it was okay to make that decision for me?"


    "You don''t want to go back with me?" He raised his eyebrows.


    Kate saw him frown, and said with a smile, "I am here! That means I accepted your answer."


    A huge grin appeared on Joseph''s face, "That is great!"


    **


    The next morning, Joseph got up early to make breakfast. By the time Kate got up breakfast was waiting for her on the table but she did not see Joseph.


    "Where is Joseph?" She asked Ricky.


    "Miss Kate, there were urgent documents to deal with at Smith Group, so Lord Smith had to leave. He told me to make sure you had breakfast."


    After breakfast, she was ready to leave for Kate Group. Before she had time to get in her car, a black car pulled up and Vincent stepped out.


    "Grandpa," She greeted politely.


    Vincent looked at her seriously and asked, "You have something to do?"


    Kate believed that he came here so early for something and then replied, "Nothing important. What is going on?"


    "If you''re not busy, then let''s go back into the house. We should talk," Vincent suggested.


    Kate figured since Joseph wasn''t home, she should help him with whatever he needed. She was about to make coffee but Vincent comment, "Don''t worry about that, just have a seat!"


    "You know, Joseph has taken over Smith Group again," The old man sounded angry.


    "Yes, I do," Kate replied calmly. She didn''t understand why Vincent was angry, having Joseph take over was what he wanted. She assumed it was something else making him angry, she became even more anxious.


    "So, you should understand that he is now working for Smith Group, JK Group, and your Kate Group?" Vincent commented with more anger.


    "Of course, I know," Kate replied, beginning to understand what Vincent was hinting at.


    "Since you know, why don''t you take care of him?" Vincent snarled, his rage suddenly filling the room.


    Kate clenched her hands and carefully said, "I didn''t..."


    "Leaving a ton of work at Kate Group for him every day, is that your concern?" He shouted, "From now on, you need to be in charge of everything at Kate Group. Don''t trouble Joseph anymore!"


    "I¡­"


    "Don''t make excuses; just do what I say!" Vincent didn''t give her a chance to argue at all.


    It was not the first time that Kate saw him act like that. She always knew he was not one to consider other''s opinions, so it was pointless to say anything. She could also see that words he promised Joseph meant nothing, there was no way he would stay away from Smith Group.


    "Grandpa, do you remember what you promised Joseph?" Kate asked with all her courage.


    Vincent was livid, "You are not a member of our family any longer. Why do you think you have the right to ask such things?"


    "Grandpa, you are right. I''m not married to Joseph now, and I''m indeed not a member of your family, so you have no right to interfere with my affairs," If she didn''t respond, Vincent would think he won.


    Kate was aware that Joseph was tired, and she worried about him. If Vincent was as concerned about him, she would agree without saying a word. However, Vincent was just being selfish, he wanted Joseph to put all his time and effort into Smith Group.


    Her words infuriated Vincent. He raised his cane to hit Kate, but she was able to move away quickly. He snarled, "You dare to run from me!"


    "I am not a fool, why would I allow you to hit me?" Kate said, offending him. Every word she spoke was targeted at him, "You are Joseph''s grandfather, but that does not mean that we have to support you regardless of whether you are right or wrong. Besides, there is a serious miscommunication between Joseph and you. If you don''t seriously think before you act, I am afraid that Smith Group will¡­"

 Chapter 227 Stopped by a Strange Man

    "Are you threatening me?" Vincent was unhappy with her comments.


    "I am only telling you the case as it stands. I didn''t say anything that is not the truth," Kate thought she hadn''t misspoken, it was Vincent who was always finding fault.


    As Joseph''s girlfriend, she knew how to love and care for Joseph, but Vincent blamed her for his overworking.


    "Kate White, don''t think I''m old and confused. I know your plan." Vincent snorted, "Don''t you want Kate Group to become more vital than Smith Group? Then you can take over my company?"


    "Grandpa, thank you for reminding me that I am not capable and need Joseph''s help so that my company can surpass all others," Kate smiled.


    Vincent was becoming enraged, he gripped his cane tight, "I know Joseph love you right now but I must warn you not to be arrogant and drag him down."


    "I didn''t know I was dragging him down. I only knew that he was my boyfriend and that I support him no matter what. Not like you, who only takes advantage of him," Kate snored back.


    "I never knew that you had the gift of gab," Vincent grinned.


    "Grandpa, I know I shouldn''t speak to you in this way. But, I can assure you it is because your accusations are upsetting me. Whether you like it or not, what I am saying is from the bottom of my heart. I don''t want to fight with you so you need to understand that Joseph did all of this for his father and the entire Smith family."


    Vincent went quiet for a moment while he summoned the words to respond to Kate, "Since you mentioned that Joseph did this because of his deceased father. You should know how to act as part of the Smith family."


    Kate laughed carelessly, "Grandpa, I know what you are saying, but as you reminded me before, I am no longer part of the Smith family. Even if I was though, it does not give you the right to control me."


    He pointed at Kate and warned, "You''d better give birth to Joseph''s child, or you''ll live a very miserable life!"


    "Have you finished?" Kate thought she needn''t argue with him about this anymore.


    Vincent knew as well that it would be pointless to continue so he got up and hobbled out of the house.


    Ricky walked in when Vincent was gone. He commented, "Mr. Smith was furious when he left."


    "It''s not unusual for him to be angry," Kate smiled. During her marriage to Joseph, Vincent wasn''t as nasty but since she took over Kate Group he became more hateful toward her.


    "Miss Kate, you need to be careful. Mr. Smith is the head of the Smith family. Even though Lord Joseph isn''t afraid of him, Mr. Smith can be vicious. I am afraid you will encounter misfortunes," Ricky encouraged Kate.


    "Thank you; I''ll keep it in mind," Kate said with a smile. She felt with Joseph by her side she had nothing to be afraid of.


    **


    Anna quietly replied, "Sister, I was stopped by a strange man on my way to work."


    Quickly jumping up, Kate rushed to Anna''s side and put her arm around her. Kate looked her up and down before questioning, "Are you hurt?"


    "No," Anna shook her head, "I just don''t know who the person was."


    "What did he say?" Kate frowned, wondering who it would have been.


    Anna shook her head again, "He just said that I am in a dangerous situation now."


    "What did he look like? Where was it that you saw him?"


    "He was tall and thin, with a muffled voice. I walked away after saying I needed to go to work."


    Kate was unsure of who would have approached Anna just based on her details, but she was worried she might get hurt. To ease both of their minds, Kate told Anna, "I will have my driver, Frank, take you home when you get off work."


    "Okay," Anna touched her chest, breathing a sigh of relief. Then she cautiously asked, "Sister, before I lost my memory, did I offend anyone else besides you and Daisy?"


    "No," Even if she had, Kate wouldn''t tell her the truth. She didn''t think there was any reason to bring up the past since after the amnesia, she had become gentle and kind.


    "That''s good!" Anna sighed before leaving the office, "Daisy is gone and so she can''t bully me anymore!"


    When Anna left her office Kate continued to think of Daisy. She decided to pick up the phone but when she dialed the number she heard the message, "I am sorry, the phone you have called is turned off."


    Kate stood in front of the window, staring out at the city for a long time.


    **


    After work, Frank took Anna home while Kate decided to take a taxi. As she waited a silver car pulled up in front of her. Kate held her breath for a moment until she saw Rowen in the driver''s seat.


    "Rowen?" She was surprised and smiled, "This is such a coincidence."


    "Kate, get in the car, I''ll take you home," Rowen said enthusiastically.


    She waved her hand for a while and pointed to the taxi pulling up behind him, "No need, I''ll just take a taxi."


    "Kate, what happened before was just wishful thinking on my part. It had nothing to do with you so you don''t need to feel uncomfortable around me," Rowen explained, filled with embarrassment.


    Also feeling embarrassed, Kate smiled and then after a moment of hesitation got into the car.


    A huge grin appeared on Rowen''s face. To keep the atmosphere from becoming too tense, he asked, "How have you been?"


    "I have been goo," she answered politely.


    "I heard from Lisa that the tea shop has been doing well recently. She has even hired someone to help her, she was that busy."


    After hearing him take the initiative to mention Lisa, she took the opportunity to compliment her, "I really admire Lisa for starting her own business, no matter how hard and tiring it is, she would never complain!"


    "Yeah, she''s a carefree girl on the surface but very delicate in fact," Rowen added.


    Kate curiously glanced at him, "Do you think highly of Lisa?"


    "Of course," After he answered without hesitation, "As your best friend, I could not think anything bad of her."


    Realizing what he was doing, Kate wanted to change the subject.


    "Don''t get me wrong, I mean, you are excellent in every aspect, and therefore your friends must be excellent too," Rowen explained quickly.

 Chapter 228 I’ll Satisfy You

    "How¡¯s work going?" Kate asked.


    "I¡¯m sorry, the meeting took a lot longer than I thought."


    "It is okay, I know you are working hard," Kate was concerned for him.


    Rowen knew Kate was talking to Joseph; he clenched the steering wheel a little tighter, filled with jealousy.


    "With you at my side, it doesn¡¯t seem all that hard," Joseph commented softly.


    Kate''s heart melted when she heard his gentle voice, her face flushed, and she giggled as she looked out the window.


    Joseph asked, "Are you at home or still at the office?"


    "Well¡­" Kate stopped smiling and glanced over at Rowen, "I am on my way home, and¡­"


    "Okay, I will talk to you soon then," Joseph told her, "Your safety comes first; take your time in traffic."


    "Okay¡­" She was going to tell Joseph that Rowen was driving her home, but he had interrupted her.


    Seeing her hang up, Rowen asked, "Joseph Called?"


    "Yes." When she mentioned Joseph, her eyes became gentle, and she unconsciously smiled.


    "Are you already living together?" Rowen''s heart hurt when they thought of it.


    "Yes," she admitted shyly.


    Rowen felt a dull heartache and smiled bitterly. "So, getting married soon?"


    "He¡¯s busy with work right now. We will talk about it when things slow down. There is no difference if we are married or not; it is just a piece of paper."


    "Didn¡¯t Joseph propose to you?" Rowen fought back his jealousy and pain and continued to ask. He didn''t even know why he was asking; he was aware that they love each other but couldn''t help but inquire. Deep down, he thought that if Joseph was the least bit careless, he might have a chance.


    "Of course, he did."


    "Did you reject him?" He cast a curious look toward her, hoping that her answer would give him some hope.


    Kate shook her head and said, "Both of us wanted to make sure what happened in the past stays there. We want to move forward, one step at a time."


    "So, it is¡­" Rowen was a little disappointed after hearing this, and his hope was gone.


    Kate got out of the car when Rowen pulled up in front of Joseph''s home. She politely said, "Would you like to come in for coffee?"


    "Well, maybe next time, I have some work to deal with right now," Rowen replied with a smile, sensing Kate felt uncomfortable.


    "Thank you for bringing me home," Kate waved goodbye.


    "You¡¯re welcome," Rowen caught a glimpse of a man on the porch. His lips quivered, "Go inside quickly, Kate or someone will get angry. I don''t want to fight him again!"


    Kate turned her head and saw Joseph. She smiled awkwardly and waved at Rowen again, "Have a safe drive home!"


    "Okay," Rowen turned around and drove away.


    When Joseph approached Kate, he frowned and asked, "Did Rowen drive you home?"


    She stood on her tiptoes, raised her hands, and stroked his face, "Frank took Anna home, and I was waiting for a taxi when Rowen happened to pass by."


    "So, you just let him bring you here?" He snapped.


    Kate retracted her hand, looked up at Joseph, "We are friends. He was driving by and offered me a ride. It was kind of him. Why are you so angry?"


    She was worried that Joseph would be upset but didn''t expect him to be as furious as he was.


    "If Frank couldn¡¯t bring you home, you could have called me. I¡­"


    "I tried calling you several times, but I couldn¡¯t get through. You just told me a few minutes ago that you had a long meeting¡­" Kate barked. She felt persecuted as if Joseph didn''t trust her, which angered her.


    "Sorry, Kate, I..."


    "Don¡¯t say sorry to me!" Kate refused to accept his apology and snorted coldly, "You keep saying trust me, but you don¡¯t trust me at all. You know Rowen had a crush on me, so now you think something is going on whenever you see us together."


    "I didn¡¯t mean that I was worried about you and him¡­"


    "Well, I don¡¯t want to fight with you about this!" Kate walked toward the house.


    Joseph followed closely behind, and before she could stomp upstairs, he grabbed her from behind.


    "Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t be mad at you. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you but considering what happened before, I was worried that he might be like that bastard Samuel. He could do something dirty, so I panicked," Joseph patiently explained.


    Kate could understand why he was distraught after he explained. She told him, "Even if you felt there was a reason, you shouldn¡¯t shout at me. You treated me like this before, and so there is a shadow cast over my heart."


    "I¡¯m sorry¡­" Joseph hugged her tightly and said in sorry, "I¡¯ll never do it again."


    Joseph¡¯s voice was very gentle as if he were a patient parent trying to convince their young child of something.


    "Well, I know you get jealous. I have seen that in the past," Kate smiled.


    "So, I¡¯m ready if you want to punish me!" Joseph looked at her softly, "Or if you have any requests, you need satisfied."


    Kate knew Joseph was flirting with her but ignored him. She didn''t want to bring up the fact that he was too busy running three companies, so she took the opportunity to speak up.


    "From now on, will you please stay out of Kate Group¡¯s affairs? I can handle it."


    "Huh?" Joseph frowned suspiciously, "Why are you mentioning this suddenly?"


    "Joseph, I know that you want to do everything for me, but there are things that I have to do by myself so that I can make progress. If I encounter problems that can¡¯t be solved, I will ask you. Okay?" She negotiated.


    Joseph looked at her eyes and asked quietly, "Is it because of grandpa''s comments?"


    She was taken aback, then shook her head, "No, I just want you to relax..."


    He arrived home earlier than her, so Kate assumed Ricky told him Vincent stopped by earlier in the day.


    "Whatever the reason is, don¡¯t feel pressured." Joseph touched her cheek quietly and said, "I may be busy right now, but after the initial transfer, I am sure things will get easier."

 Chapter 229 A Crazy Nigh

    Joseph knew that she was supportive yet still worried about him, so he nodded in agreement.


    After they established a plan, Kate pulled away from Joseph. She walked toward the kitchen, ¡°Let me see what we have in the refrigerator so that I can make something to eat.¡±


    "My dear, your cooking skills are getting better and better," Joseph shouted after her.


    Kate wanted to cook on her own to give Joseph a break. However, after entering the kitchen, Joseph jumped in front of her and began pulling out vegetables. He motioned for her to sit; she pulled up a stool and watched her handsome husband cook supper.


    "Your appreciation is more important than anything to me,¡± Joseph passed her a glass of red wine and said with a smile, "Cheers!"


    She raised her cup and smiled, "Can I drink at home? You are here with me, so I guess you don¡¯t need to worry about something happening."


    Joseph laughed, ¡°You can not only drink, but you can get drunk when I am with you!¡±


    With his blessing, she gulped down her entire glass.


    ¡°But, slow down!¡± he shouted.


    She licked her lips and said happily, ¡°I realize that when I drink with you, the wine tastes sweet, not bitter.¡±


    Pleased with her comment, Joseph took the wine bottle and poured her another glass. He reminded her, ¡°Drink slowly, and no one will have to help you. You better not drink too much anyway your stomach may get upset.¡±


    Kate picked up her glass then squinted, ¡°Joseph, I find you are quite different. In the past, you didn''t even like talking to me, but now you are a little naggy¡­"


    Joseph might have gotten upset with her teasing him in the past, but he loved it now. He frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    She shook her head and replied honestly, "You are only so very considerate to me.¡±


    Joseph looked at her, ¡°I¡¯m happy that you know it.¡±


    Out of pleasure, Kate drank several glasses of wine, one right after another. Joseph had reminded her to drink slowly, but he could not control her any longer after a few glasses. He figured there was no point in arguing with her since she was home with him.


    ¡°Joseph, I¡¯m a little drunk,¡± Kate commented as she touched her forehead.


    Seeing her red face, Joseph stretched out his hand to take away the glass and said gently, ¡°Then no more drinking.¡±¡¯


    He got up, walked over to her, and picked her up into his arms.


    Kate felt dizzy, so she wrapped her arms around Joseph¡¯s neck. She had a goofy grin on her face, ¡°Your neck is just like a clothing rack. I am hanging on it!¡±


    Joseph couldn''t help but laugh at Kate, then replied, ¡°It is only your clothing rack!¡±


    There was very little distance between their lips. Kate seemed to be more relaxed and charming than usual. He was tempted by every small move she made, unable to control himself, he bent down to kiss her. Kate wrapped her arms around his neck again, kissing him without hesitation. Slowly they undressed each other and made passionate love.


    The next morning Kate woke up, sore all over. She had only moved slightly, but she felt as if she was hit by a truck.


    ¡°You awake?¡± Joseph was still lying beside her with his hands behind his head.


    Kate was still half-asleep, looking at him confused for a long while. She blushed and asked, ¡°Was I drunk last night?¡±


    He smiled slyly, "You are more charming when you are drunk."


    Kate hit him, then asked, ¡°So, you mean I am not charming when I don¡¯t drink? Now, you are going to get me drunk before you want me?¡±


    "I didn''t mean it like that," Joseph didn''t expect his words to turn to be a joke. He explained in a hurry, "After all, you were drunk last night, you were more..."


    "More what?!" When she got drunk with Lisa, Lisa would laugh at her because she cried. Kate was worried she cried like a baby in front of Joseph.


    "Before I tell you, you have to promise me not to be angry," Joseph said to her first.


    She nodded in agreement.


    "You are much more active when you are drunk," Joseph smirked.


    "Huh?" Kate was caught off guard; she wasn''t even thinking about that aspect of things.


    "Last night..." Joseph stretched out his arm and pointed to the bite mark on his shoulder, "You did that."


    Kate looked at the marks; she stuttered, "I did that?!"


    "You don¡¯t believe me?" Joseph stretched out the other arm, "Not only my arm but all over my body."


    Joseph coughed to hide the awkwardness.


    Knowing it was her who left the bite marks, Kate blushed. She could not believe she was that drunk; she whispered, "I didn''t do anything other than bite you, right?"


    "Do you need me to recall the details?" Joseph pointed to the scattered clothes and grinned evilly, "In addition to taking off your own clothes, you also helped me to take off my clothes..."


    "Stop talking!" Kate shouted. She felt ashamed hearing Joseph talking about how she was acting. Her face grew hot, she was nervous, so she made up an excuse, "I am hungry. I will go downstairs to make breakfast.¡±


    However, when she went to get up, her body hurt so much that she quickly sat back down.


    Joseph reached out to rub her back and said gently, "You were wasted last night. Get some rest, and I will make breakfast."


    The phrase ¡®wasted last night¡¯ embarrassed Kate even more. She realized that Joseph seemed to imply she was a bit more indulgent than she had been before.


    They had made the promise to control themselves, but she had taken the initiative to seduce him.

 Chapter 230 Find Daisy

    However, when she couldn¡¯t find him, Kate picked up her phone to call him. There was a message, ¡°I wanted you to sleep for a while, so I didn¡¯t tell you when I left. Your breakfast is in the microwave so eat when you wake up.¡±


    The text message warmed her heart; she was about to eat her breakfast when Rick interrupted her. He said, ¡°Lady Kate, the new servant is here.¡±


    Kate was confused; she thought they agreed not to hire anyone new. She didn''t know who hired someone.


    "Lady Kate, Mr. Smith said that Lord Joseph would be very busy with work. Therefore, he will need a servant to take care of his daily needs. He sent hired the servant,¡± Ricky explained as if he could read Kate¡¯s mind.


    Nodding with understanding, Kate looked at the woman, who appeared to be about forty years old, and smiled, ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Lady Kate!¡± the woman greeted Kate awkwardly and then introduced herself, ¡°My name is Rena. I have ten years of experience. I am outgoing and hope that I will serve you well.¡±


    Kate could see she was nervous. She calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. You can ask Rick if you have any questions!¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rena nodded with both hands crossed in front of her.


    Kate quickly finished her breakfast then went to work at Kate Group. Her phone rang as she was getting out of her car.


    Daisy¡¯s name appeared on the screen, leaving Kate with mixed emotions. She was startled, flustered, excited, happy, sad, hesitant all at the same time. She decided to answer it, though.


    "Kate?" Daisy asked to confirm it was her answering the phone when Kate didn¡¯t say anything.


    "What can I help you with?" Kate missed Daisy, but she kept her tone unemotional as she spoke.


    "Kate, I''m sorry, I''m sorry..." Daisy kept apologizing and sobbing.


    Kate felt her heartbreaking, yet she remained cold to her, "We have no relationship! I hope you enjoy your life!¡±


    "Kate!" Daisy worried that she would hang up and hurriedly shouted, "Don''t hang up, I want to tell you something!"


    "Go ahead then," Kate said, sounding annoyed.


    "My plans were never to hurt you, let alone destroy the relationship between us. I just had so much resentment toward Anna. I was angry and did something to upset you. I didn¡¯t mean it. Can you please forgive me?¡± Daisy pleaded.


    Even though it saddened Kate to hear Daisy crying, she thought of what happened at the hotel and remained strong.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter whether I forgive you or not. We are both better off apart, and I am giving you my blessing."


    "Kate, are you going to be like this with me? We will be more like strangers than sisters?¡± Daisy asked cautiously.


    "Yes!" Kate answered her in one simple word.


    Kate clenched her fist to resist the heartache and said quietly, "If there is nothing else, I will hang up."


    "Kate, I know what I did last time is unforgivable, but can you ask Joseph to let me go? I have lost your trust and moved out. Can he let me leave here? I can¡¯t stand it. I will go crazy!" Daisy cried and begged.


    Kate didn''t understand. She asked, "What do you mean?"


    "I¡¯m in Phoenix. It is a strange city to me. Two security guards watch me all day, every day. Expect when I go to the bathroom, or I am sleeping¡­" Daisy suddenly stopped speaking and broke into hysterical sobs.


    ¡°I know all about it. Goodbye, Daisy," Kate remained calm, she had no idea about what happened to Daisy, but she wasn''t going to tell her.


    "Kate..." Before Daisy finished speaking, Kate hung up the phone.


    When Kate got to her office, Daisy¡¯s words were still echoing in her head. She called Joseph, but he didn¡¯t answer. She assumed he would be busy, she gave up trying to reach him and bought a ticket to Phoenix.


    At 3 pm, Kate arrived in Phoenix and called Daisy. She was so thrilled that Kate was in town that she wanted to pick her up. However, Kate wanted Daisy¡¯s address and said she would be there shortly.


    In the front of an old building, two large men guarded the gate. Seeing Kate approach, they put their hand out and asked, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    Kate looked at the two men who had no emotion showing, and asked bluntly, ¡°Are you the security guards Joseph sent to watch over Daisy?¡±


    The two men looked at each other in confusion and then asked, "You are?"


    "I am Joseph''s girlfriend, Kate," She introduced herself with pride.


    The two men smiled and bowed at Kate, "I''m sorry, Lady Kate. We only heard of you but never saw you in person, so we didn''t recognize you."


    "It''s okay." Kate pointed to the door behind them, "Is she inside?"


    "Yes." The two men willfully stepped aside.


    When Kate was about to raise her hand to knock on the door, Daisy opened the door.


    The moment Daisy saw Kate, Daisy embraced her excitedly and cried, "Kate, you finally came. I know you are too kind and won¡¯t leave me alone..."


    The two men were worried that Daisy would hurt Kate, so they both looked at her warily.


    Daisy glared back at them and let go of Kate, ¡°I am sorry, I am just so happy to see you. Come in and sit down.¡±


    Kate didn''t speak and went straight into the living room.


    "Please have some water,¡± Daisy nodded to the bottles on the table. She peeked at Kate to see her reaction.


    After looking around, Kate said, "The environment here is not as bad as you described."


    The smile on Daisy''s face faded, and she frowned and said, "The environment here is not too bad. I just feel uncomfortable being watched..."


    "But, do you know why Joseph did this?" Kate didn''t think Daisy was innocent. And whenever she thought of what Daisy and Samuel did to her, her hatred for them increased. However, she could not completely cut ties with Daisy, even though she hoped she could be cruel and not care for her.


    "I''m sorry..." Daisy lowered her head in shame. Apart from apologizing, she didn''t know how to answer Kate¡¯s question.

 Chapter 231 Daisy’s Attemp

    "Kate..." Daisy was a little offended and asked uncertainly, "Didn¡¯t you come here to take me back home?¡±


    "Home?" Kate couldn''t help but sneer, "You did not regard it as your home before. Besides, you still hate Anna. Could you live happily with her there?"


    ¡°I have always said the place where you and your mother lived was my home, Kate. But then, Dora and Anna moved in. The house changed, and it was not like before. They would insult me, and you¡­"


    "Even so, it doesn''t give you the right to interfere in my relationship with Joseph. If you really thought of me as your sister, you would not have treated me like that. If you are unhappy with me, you can tell me rather than scheme behind my back.¡±


    Daisy was looking for excuses for the mistakes she made rather than realizing the real problem. Kate didn''t want to forgive her nor argue with her about the situation.


    She said coldly, "I will have the guards that Joseph posted here removed. But, I will not let you return!¡±


    Daisy''s face turned pale; she was unable to accept Kate''s words. She said, "Kate, why can you forgive Anna, who took away your happiness for years? Plus, it caused you to have a miscarriage, but not forgive me? Even if I did act horribly, it was because I care about you. I wanted to have the peacefulness we once had in that house back. And I didn¡¯t want Anna there bringing up the bad memories of the past!¡±


    Kate took a deep breath and said slowly, "These are not important anymore. You just take need to worry about taking care of yourself."


    "Kate!" Seeing her about to leave, Daisy grabbed her hand, crying and begging, "Forgive me, please? Let me go back. I promise I will never bully Anna again. I will get along with her and not upset you.¡±


    With a cold glare, Kate looked at Daisy, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this to yourself. It won¡¯t make any difference. Anyway, as I said, take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Take care of myself..." Daisy laughed and then cried, "I was kicked out of the house by you, and I know I am just a homeless orphan like I was when I was a child. What meaning does my life have?¡±


    Kate remained unmoved and pulled her hand away from Daisy. She walked over and told the guards, ¡°Go back to Aubi City.¡±


    "But Lord Joseph ordered us to monitor her..."


    "Yes, Lady Kate, we cannot leave without the permission of Lord Joseph."


    Kate glanced at Daisy, who was sitting on the ground and said quietly to the two guards, "He had you monitor her because he was worried that she would hurt me. It seems that it is no longer necessary."


    "I¡¯m afraid that you must ask for Lord Joseph¡¯s..."


    "Ahh!"


    Immediately, Kate turned around to see Daisy lying on the floor with a bloody wrist.  Nervously, she rushed to Daisy and put pressure on her wrist as she shouted at the guards to call an ambulance.


    At the door of the emergency room, Kate paced back and forth anxiously. She could hear the last words Daisy said before passing out, ¡°Kate, I know that you will not forgive me. The only way I can show you how sorry I am is to sacrifice myself. I hope you will forgive me and not be angry¡­¡±


    Kate clenched her fists tight, hoping she could erase the pain in her heart. Even though she could no longer consider Daisy, her family, Daisy should not think of herself as worthless. She was still pacing when Joseph arrived.


    ¡°Kate!¡± He ran to her and pulled her close to him.


    Kate buried her head in his chest, feeling comforted. Witnessing Daisy¡¯s suicide attempt made her overly distraught, but having Joseph close eased her nervousness some.


    ¡°I went there just to have the guards leave. I never expected to be in this situation.¡±


    Joseph kissed her head and reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡±


    Suddenly, the door opened, and nurses pushed out a hospital bed with an unconscious Daisy.


    While Joseph spoke to the doctor about Daisy¡¯s condition, Kate went to the hospital room with the other medical staff. She stood beside Daisy¡¯s bed, looking at the pale young woman, feeling overly guilty.


    Joseph walked up behind her and nodded for her to follow him to the hallway.


    ¡°What did the doctor say?¡±


    ¡°It is not serious due to her receiving the proper treatment quickly.¡±


    Kate sighed with relief, but she was still worried, ¡°She bled a lot, and that could be harmful.¡±


    ¡°Kate, it¡¯s not your problem. Don¡¯t think this is your fault," Joseph told her. He knew she felt guilty; he held her into his arms and said, "The doctor said she is now out of danger and can recover as long as she rests.¡±


    Joseph did not sympathize with Daisy at all. He only cared about Kate''s feelings.


    ¡°You go home; I will stay here to look after her," Kate wanted to wait for her to wake up.


    ¡°No, I am staying here with you!¡±


    Kate shook her head, ¡°I was told by John that there are many things that need to be dealt with at Smith Group. Go back and deal with them. Don''t worry about me; I will be okay."


    ¡°If it were Lisa lying on the bed, I would be perfectly comfortable leaving you here alone, but she¡­¡± Joseph could feel his anger building at the thought of what Daisy and Samuel did.


    ¡°Joseph, I know that you are worried about me. But now everything is different.


    She is lying on the bed, and I will take precautions against her. She will not swindle me,¡± Kate promised him.


    Joseph knew that she was determined, so he gave up persuading her, ¡°Okay, but I am leaving the two guards to watch over you. If you need anything, you can ask them."


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kate agreed.


    That night, Joseph stayed by Kate¡¯s side. At five o''clock the next morning, he gave her a kiss and returned to Aubi City. She had encouraged him to go home sooner so that he could sleep, but he said without her, he wouldn''t sleep anyway.


    Daisy woke up at noon and looked around confused, ¡°Kate, where am I?¡±


    Kate sighed when she saw Daisy awake. She gently said, ¡°We are at the hospital.¡±

 Chapter 232 A Conversation

    Kate looked at her, pretending to be unconcerned, "You didn''t hurt me, so you don''t need to apologize."


    "I mean, I¡¯m sorry for you feeling you need to stay here with me," Daisy kept her head buried, embarrassed to look up.


    "Just relax and get some rest,¡± Kate was unsure of what to say, so she wanted Daisy to rest.


    "And you?" Daisy glanced out the window and said, "Are you going back to Aubi City?"


    "I will go back when you are in stable condition,¡± Kate hadn¡¯t slept all night and was very tired. She didn''t want to have an in-depth conversation with anyone.


    Daisy saw her exhaustion and said with concern, "Kate, why don¡¯t you find a hotel to go get some rest? You look like you haven¡¯t slept all night.¡±


    "What do you want to eat? I can buy it for you," Kate ignored her concern.


    "I..." Daisy thought for a while, then replied, "Steak."


    Kate was stunned and then nodded, "Then have your soup first, while I find the doctor to see if you can have steak.¡±


    "Kate!" Daisy called after her, "No need to ask, I definitely can''t eat oily food, I just..."


    She had guessed what she was going to say and smiled faintly, "No need to explain anymore. Our relationship doesn''t matter; even if we made up, there would still be breaks."


    After hearing her words, Daisy laughed bitterly, "It seems that you have completely abandoned the sisterhood between us..."


    Kate opened her mouth but said nothing.


    After walking out of Daisy¡¯s room, she told the two guards to take care of Daisy and call her if anything happened. They nodded to Kate and maintained their posting.


    Daisy laid in bed thinking that Kate had left her behind and returned to Aubi City. Her smile turned to a furious expression; she picked up her phone and sent a long message to Samuel.


    Kate took a deep breath of fresh air as she walked outside into the bright sun.


    She took a taxi to a famous soup shop in Phoenix to pick up Daisy¡¯s favorite, hoping it would help her to heal quicker.


    Half an hour later, Kate returned to the hospital to find Daisy still awake, lying in bed. Daisy had been holding her phone, smiling but she saw Kate through the window, she panicked and hid her phone. She smiled awkwardly, ¡°Kate, you didn¡¯t go home?¡±


    "I told you that I would not go until your condition is stable," She handed the soup she bought to Daisy, ¡°Have it while it is still hot.¡±


    Daisy looked at the hot soup, ¡°Did you go out just to buy me food?¡±


    "I asked the doctor. He said that it would be better for you to have soup right now. If you want steak, you will have to wait until you are discharged,¡± Kate replied with a cold tone.


    When Daisy mentioned Flora, Kate felt as if Daisy was mocking her. After all, they could not go back to the past, and when she mentioned her mother, it was as if Daisy was only pretending to miss her.


    Seeing that Kate didn''t respond, Daisy didn''t say anything further. She put her head down to eat her soup.


    Kate yawned, and her eyelids felt heavy. There was another bed in Daisy¡¯s room, so after Daisy fell asleep, she decided to rest.


    It was mid-afternoon when she woke up. She rubbed her eyes and heard Daisy say, ¡°Kate, you awake now!¡±


    However, Kate just ignored her and slowly climbed out of bed. Kate was a kind and loving person when she cared for someone. She would devote herself to the relationship, but once she was betrayed, she remained cold, no matter how much the other person cared for her.


    "Do you feel any better?" Kate asked.


    Daisy lifted her wounded wrist and said, "It pains when I move, and I still don''t have any strength."


    Kate glanced at it and said, "If it hurts and you are so afraid of pain, then you shouldn¡¯t self-harm!¡±


    As soon as Kate mentioned it, the scene in which Daisy''s wrists mingled with blood appeared in her mind, and she turned nervous then.


    "Kate, I didn''t plan to harm myself. I was upset at the time. I didn¡¯t know what to do to get you to forgive me. I¡­,¡± Daisy cried.


    ¡°I hope this is the last time!¡± Kate turned away.


    "Okay, I promise you that I will never harm myself again..." Daisy begged with tears in her eyes, "Kate, can you forgive me now?"


    "I¡¯ve asked the doctor. You are safe now and can go home. But you still need to rest for several days..."


    "Kate, don''t change the topic! Tell me can you forgive me now?¡± Daisy pushed.


    "I told you that I came to Phoenix to set you free from the guards, not to reconcile our relationship. I hope you will not use this as an excuse,¡± Kate reminded her.


    "So, you come here not to see me, but to spare future potential trouble?" Daisy asked.


    Not wanting to lie, Kate said, "Compared to living in the pain of living at my home, you should live in a new city and start a new life. You are now an adult and can live on your own anywhere. You are not a child who can¡¯t live without her parents.¡±


    She handed Daisy a bank card for an account she had set up before leaving Aubi City, ¡°This for you, to make up for everything.¡±


    Daisy stared at the bank card and sneered, "Kate, do you think that so many years of being sisters can be measured with one bank card?¡±


    "Don''t mention our so-called sisterhood again!" Kate interrupted her expressionlessly, "It makes me feel sick."


    Daisy had nothing to say.


    After Kate left, she was so angry that she picked up things and smashed them on the floor. She kept cursing, ¡°Kate, you are so cruel! You would rather forgive Anna and kick me out! You will pay for this!¡±


    Kate booked the earliest flight back to Aubi City. She kept Joseph updated on all of her plans so that he did not worry. And, the moment she got off the plane, he was waiting for her.

 Chapter 234 Get Married

    "I understand what you are saying," Kate blushed.


    "Since you understand, I won¡¯t say too much to you,¡± Cassie said seriously. It was often she spoke like that, yet when she did, she could scare someone. She continued, "I know that Joseph listens to you in regards to everything. However, am I correct in assuming that the ultimate goal of your relationship is to marry Joseph? You two are so deeply in love; it would only be appropriate for you to get married.¡±


    "Yes," Kate nodded, not because of Cassie''s urging but because she felt that the relationship is reaching that point.


    "Good girl! I have never treated you as an outsider, so I say whatever I am thinking. If you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me," Cassie''s tone and expression were much softer than before.


    Kate politely returned, "I know, and you didn¡¯t say anything inappropriate.¡±


    "Your body may not be the healthiest at this time, so I found a nutritionist for you. She will help to be responsible for three meals a day," Cassie said, thinking of how Kate''s miscarriage caused so much damage to her body. Fearing that she might have difficulty becoming pregnant, Cassie wanted to help as much as she could.


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t need that. I will pay more attention to my diet and take good care of myself,¡± Kate felt that she only needed to have one servant, Rena, and there was no need to hire another one.


    "I¡¯m still worried about you. Keeping a good diet is a long-term task. Joseph is a workaholic. When he gets busy, he forgets to sleep and eat, let alone remind you. If you just listen to me and follow the nutritionist¡¯s plan, then when your body recovers, I will listen to you,¡± Cassie pressured.


    "Okay," Kate sighed.


    "Then I have her come to see you tomorrow,¡± Cassie smiled, ¡°However, you do need to speak to Joseph and get his consent.¡±


    "I will."


    To not put Cassie in the middle of things, Kate decided to tell Joseph that it was her idea to hire the nutritionist, and then he would not question her or his mother.


    "Kate, I treat you as my own daughter. I truly hope that you will give birth to Joseph¡¯s baby for our family. After all¡­¡± Cassie stopped and sighed.


    Kate could understand her eagerness to have a grandson, but she didn''t know why Cassie always hesitated whenever she tried to speak about it.


    "Mom, how are things going with you?¡± Kate was worried about Cassie¡¯s living arrangements.


    "Since Joseph agreed to take over Smith Group again, your grandfather''s attitude toward me has improved significantly. Coupled with the fact that Samuel and the others have no caused any issues, my life is relatively peaceful.


    Realizing that it probably was not pure coincidence that both Vincent and Cassie were urging Kate to have a baby, she wondered why.


    After walking Cassie to the door, Kate laid back on the sofa and thought of their conversation. The words pregnant and baby scared her. She did not object to becoming pregnant, but being pressured to have a child, she felt a little reluctant even to want to try. It felt as if it was a chore rather than an exciting thing in her life.


    Kate took out her phone and called Lisa. She didn''t even say hello; she immediately commented, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s been a long time since you called me.¡±


    In a happy tone, Kate quickly explained, ¡°You know that I have been extremely busy with a ton of work. Now, I have some time to talk to you.¡±


    "Alright, I''m just kidding," Lisa laughed, then cautiously asked, ¡°Have you had any trouble with Daisy?¡±


    "Let''s not talk about her right now; I have something significant to ask you,¡± Kate sighed. Whenever she needed help with a decision, she would ask Joseph and then Lisa. However, she couldn¡¯t talk to Joseph about the topic because he would follow her advice.


    "Go ahead."


    Kate told her what Cassie had just said and said annoyingly, "I am not against having a child; I just don''t want it to be a job."


    "Since you are not disgusted by the fact, then don''t overthink it. If you and Joseph want to enjoy your time together, then there are ways of delaying pregnancy,¡± Lisa laughed.


    "I wasn''t thinking about it until Mom brought it up; now my heart is confused."


    "Kate, I know that she urged you have a baby in the past, even when Joseph didn¡¯t love you. So, having a baby made you feel uncomfortable and unhappy. Now, it is different, though, because you and Joseph are in love. You can make your own decisions rather than follow other people''s orders," Lisa knew it was pointless to tell Kate that because she always thought of everyone else.


    "If it was only Mr. Smith who urged me to have a baby, I may not be overthinking it. It was when Mom asked, I¡­¡±


    "You and Joseph are living together now. I think you can expect pregnancy may happen at some point,¡± Lisa told Kate her own personal opinion rather than deciding for her.


    "But I don''t know what Joseph thinks about it."


    "Why are you worried about what Joseph thinks? He wants to marry you. You must know that!" Lisa exclaimed, ¡°Don¡¯t think about it so much. Just let it be, and if you become pregnant well, then you do!"


    "Before I become pregnant, though, shouldn''t we get married?" Kate wondered out loud. She realized how silly it sounded as soon as the words came out of her mouth.


    Lisa giggled on the other end of the phone, ¡°So, is that actually what you wanted to ask me?¡±


    "As you know, Joseph asked me to marry him before, but I turned him down. I said I didn''t want to rush things, then we never talked about marriage again, but now¡­"


    "But now you not only want to marry him but also want to have children with him!" Lisa blurted out.


    Kate did not deny what Lisa said; she felt a little self-conscious, though. She whispered like a little child telling a secret, ¡°Should I tell him that I want to marry him?¡±


    "Haha!" Lisa laughed loudly, "This is so funny!¡±


    "Before, I was not sure if I could marry him. I worried about making the same mistakes that we had before. I think I gave us enough time to get to know each other¡­¡±

 Chapter 235 Lending his Coa

    "I can joke with him about it, so I think he will get my point," Kate said proudly and decided not to be stressed by the situation.


    **


    It was very late when Joseph finally finished his work, and as soon as he walked out of the building, it started to rain.


    "Lord Joseph, it''s raining!" Alisia sighed helplessly as she stood beside him.


    Joseph replied calmly, "There are umbrellas in the company''s storage room. Go upstairs to get one."


    "But I''m afraid of the dark..." Alisia buried her head and said in a weak voice, "Usually John leaves late, so he would go with me. But today, he left early. I am afraid."


    The rain was coming down heavier, and there was quite a distance to the garage from the front of the building.


    Joseph frowned slightly, took off his coat without saying a word, "Take it."


    Alisia looked at the coat with a surprised expression and said, "Lord Joseph, you¡­"


    "The rain will not stop for a while. Instead of spending time here, it is better to go home and get some rest," Joseph said coldly.


    "Uh...Okay," Alisia nodded. She was thrilled and held Joseph''s coat tightly with both hands as if it was a treasure.


    **


    Kate was lying in bed reading a book when she heard the sound of raindrops hitting the window. She put her book down, walked to the window, and opened the curtains. When she saw the rain pouring down, she immediately called Joseph.


    "Don''t worry, I''m on the way home," he said before she could even ask.


    She breathed a sigh of relief and said worriedly, "Then drive slowly, I''ll wait for you."


    "Hey, go to bed if you are sleepy."


    "No, I want to wait for you," She said stubbornly like a disobedient child.


    Joseph said with joy, "Okay, you wait for me."


    "Okay."


    After hanging up the phone, Kate ran downstairs happily. She stood at the entrance, where Joseph''s slippers were neatly waiting for him, and fixed her eyes on the door.


    "Lord Joseph!" Alisia ran all the way to catch up with Joseph. Seeing that he was about to drive away, she opened her arms and stopped in front of his car.


    Joseph slammed on the brakes and shouted, "What the f**k are you doing?!"


    Alisia was so frightened that she quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, Lord Joseph. I''m just so stressed out. My car won''t start. Can you give me a ride? My house is on your way to your¡­"


    "Get in!" Joseph had no patience to deal with her; Kate was at home waiting for him.


    "Thank you, Lord Joseph!" Alisia opened the front door and was about to get in.


    "Wait a minute!" Joseph stopped her.


    Alisia took a breath nervously, "Lord Joseph, what''s wrong?"


    "Sit in the back," Joseph said coldly, "Only my girlfriend can sit there."


    "Sorry to trouble you tonight, Lord Joseph," Alisia said to break the quiet atmosphere in the car.


    "It is on the way, no trouble," Joseph answered her in a cold tone; his mind was on Kate.


    Alisia pursed her lips, not knowing what to say next.


    "Lord Joseph, when do you and your girlfriend plan to get married?" Alisia knew that Joseph had no interest in her, so she tried to find a topic that might get him talking. It was evident that the subject would be Kate, although she didn''t want to mention her out of jealousy.


    "That depends on her," He answered simply, but it was enough to Alisia''s heartache.


    "You are a genuinely great boyfriend. Your girlfriend was truly fortunate to have met you," Alisia commented, full of envy.


    "No, I was fortunate enough to meet her and have her in my life," Joseph beamed.


    Alisia''s heart was being torn apart with the words Joseph spoke. Yet, she managed to smile and say, "Yes, you two are both very fortunate. It was a blessing. And, I am looking forward to hopefully attending your wedding soon!"


    "Thank you," Joseph''s tone was still cold, but his inner heart was happy after hearing Alisia''s kind comments.


    The rain outside was getting heavier. After Alisia got out of the car, she pointed to Joseph''s coat and asked, "Lord Joseph, your coat is wet, I..."


    "You can take it and give it to me later," Joseph replied and quickly drove away.


    Seeing that Joseph was in such a rush to get home to Kate made Alisia even more envious. However, she looked down at his coat in her hand and sighed.


    **


    Joseph was thrilled to see Kate waiting for him at the door. She was wearing her pajamas, so he asked, "Why didn''t you go to bed?"


    Kate tilted her head and answered logically, "Of course I couldn''t sleep without my boyfriend in bed next to me."


    He reached out to hug her but realized his clothes were wet, so he stopped himself. He was surprised to see that Kate didn''t seem to care and rushed to his open arms.


    She laughed, "I know you are afraid of getting my clothes wet, but I don''t care."


    Happy to hear her comment, Joseph smiled but feared that she might catch a cold, so he said, "Let me change my clothes first."


    "No!" She buried her head in his arms.


    Joseph hugged her, "Okay, then we will get wet together."


    She let go of him and looked at his wet shirt, asking, "Why didn''t you wear a coat on such a cold, rainy day?"


    "My coat is at the office¡­" Joseph whispered. He lied to avoid any misunderstanding between them.


    "Next time, you better wear it when it rains; otherwise, you might catch a cold, no matter how strong you are," Kate reminded him.


    "If I catch a cold, you are my medicine," Joseph teased.


    "Don''t be so disgusting," She grimaced and turned her face away before leading him to the bedroom.

 Chapter 236 Creating Conflic

    "I am not that wet," She grasped Joseph''s shoulders as if she didn''t want to let go of him.


    Seeing this, Joseph suggested, "Why don''t we take a hot bath together then?"


    She blushed and immediately let go of him, "No, I had a shower! "


    "Then I''m going," He was obviously joking with her.


    Kate listened to the sound of the water flowing in the bathroom, thinking about how to tell him that she wanted to get married. Different things ran through her head:


    Joseph, I wanted to get married. Joseph, don''t you think we should get a marriage certificate since we are living together? Joseph, should I go back to living in my own house?


    However, nothing she thought of sounded perfect. She rehearsed again and again but still did not have the courage to tell him.


    "What''s wrong?" Seeing Kate sitting on the sofa lost in thought, Joseph hugged her and kissed her lightly on the lips, "Are you sleepy?"


    "Joseph¡­" She stopped what she wanted to say suddenly.


    "Yes?" Joseph looked at her patiently, "Do you have something to tell me?"


    "You¡­We are now¡­" She was too nervous to say a whole sentence.


    "Why are you so hesitant in front of me? Just say what you want. Is something bothering you?" Joseph asked.


    "No. I just¡­I just want to ask you¡­" She puckered her lips, paused for a while, and gathered the courage to speak, "Are you sure that you want to be with me forever?"


    Hearing her words, Joseph sighed, "Of course! Nobody could ever replace you!"


    He worried that Kate was feeling insecure and that he had no reassured her enough.


    "I always trouble you, and I am senseless! And¡­" Before Kate finished her thought, Joseph kissed her.


    After the long passionate kiss, Joseph loosened his arms around her and looked at her affectionately, "Listen carefully, Kate. You are the most important person in my life; you are my world. Have faith in yourself! I don''t ever want to hear you say that again."


    "Okay..." Kate whispered. His words were better than any answer that she could imagine.


    It rained all night, and the next day, the temperature in Aubi City dropped suddenly as if it was winter.


    Before they left the house, Joseph reminded Kate to put on warm clothing. She grabbed a sweater and her thin trench coat, but Joseph told her to wear a warmer wool coat.


    "It cannot be that cold!" Kate moaned.


    "I am afraid that you might get sick. You can take it off when you get to the office, but you do need to wear it until then."


    "Fine!" She mumbled and put on the coat.


    Joseph opened the car door for her and kissed her goodbye as he did every morning.


    **


    Lady Kate, this is Alisia, project manager of JK Group. We did meet once, but I am not sure if you remember me or not.


    Alisia, of course, Kate knew who she was. After all, she was extremely jealous when she saw her working closely with Joseph.


    Yes, I remember. What can I help you with?


    Let''s talk in person. I will meet you at the caf¨¦ across from your office.


    Kate simply thought that Joseph was busy with Smith Group''s work and had no time to deal with JK Group''s, so he sent Alisia to deal with them. She replied politely.


    I''m in the office now; you can come to my office.


    See you soon!


    After a while, a tall, sexy woman appeared in the doorway of her office.


    "Hi, Lady Kate!" Alisia waved to her.


    "Hi, Alisia!"


    This was the first time they had actually met, Kate could see her beauty from a mile away.


    "Sorry to disturb your work," Alisia apologized smilingly.


    "That''s all right. Please have a seat," Kate motioned to the chair and handed her a coffee.


    Alisia thanked her and took the cup from her with a huge smile on her face.


    Kate wondered why she wanted to meet with her. Therefore, she bluntly asked, "What is that I can help you with?"


    "Yes, this is why¡­" Alisia put down the cup and took a neatly ironed coat from her bag. She handed it to Kate and said, "You surely recognize this."


    Immediately Kate knew it was Joseph''s coat; her expression turned to one of confusion. She asked, "Why do you have Joseph''s coat?"


    "Please don''t misunderstand, Lady Kate. Lord Joseph and I worked late last night, then when we were leaving it started to rain. Neither of us had an umbrella, so he gave me his coat. When he dropped me off at home, I wanted to give it back to him, but it was wet. I just took it inside to wash and iron it instead."


    Suddenly, Kate realized why Joseph came home only wearing a shirt. She had asked him about his coat, but he said he left it in the office. She felt uncomfortable and had no idea why Joseph would lie to her; if he had told her the truth, she wouldn''t have thought anything about it, but he lied. Kate thought they were honest and trusted each other; her heart broke with disappointment.


    "Lady Kate?" Alisia said, seeing that she was quiet, "Are you angry?"


    Kate shook her head and smiled, "No, not at all!"


    "Lady Kate, please know that Lord Joseph and I are only colleagues. Nothing is going on; he is just such a gentleman and didn''t want me to get soaked in the rain. Then it was so late that he dropped me off at home. I only invited him to go inside for coffee; we didn''t¡­"


    "He went into your house last night?" Kate looked at Alisia stunned, not believing that Joseph would do such a thing.


    "Uhh¡­no, not¡­" Alisia stammered on purpose to make Kate guess¡­


    "You don''t need to be nervous. I am not blaming you, I just¡­"


    She just didn''t understand why Joseph lied and hid that he was in Alisia''s house from her.

 Chapter 237 Alisias Feelings

    Alisia saw the expression on Kate''s face and felt proud. However, she was still acting innocent, "Actually, I truly envy you. You have such a great boyfriend. If one day I can be as fortunate as you, I will have a perfect life!"


    With a few simple words, Kate''s thoughts shifted from Joseph to Alisa and her feelings toward Joseph. Kate smiled arrogantly, showing off in front of her, "You don''t need to envy me. You are smart and beautiful; you will definitely meet the man of your dreams. There is only one Joseph in the world, and I was lucky to meet him. I hope you find your Mr. Right soon."


    No matter how Kate felt about Alisia, she forced herself to remain calm. She thought that Alisia might be deliberately taunting her, and she was not going to fall into her trap.


    "Yes," Alisia smiled sadly, "It''s a pity that there is only one Joseph in this world!"


    "And, by the way, you should return his coat on your own," Kate suggested.


    It seemed odd to her that Alisia would bring it to Kate when she could return it herself. Kate knew the true reason she was there was only to irritate her and make her jealous to cause a conflict in her relationship with Joseph. There was no way she was going to show her any kind of emotion.


    "What?" Alisia was surprised, "Don''t you live with him? You can give it to him."


    Kate hummed for a moment, "Yes, I could if that was the real purpose for you being here. But you are here for something else besides the coat!"


    "What do you mean, Lady Kate? I don''t understand," Alisia looked at Kate with uncertainty. She snapped, "I worked late last night, so Lord Joseph told me to take the day off. I was nearby, so I thought I could give it to you, hoping you would give it to Joseph."


    Even with Alisia''s explanation, Kate still did not believe a word she said. She nodded and told her, "I think you better give it to him."


    "Okay," Alisia sighed, then cautiously put the coat back in her bag.


    No matter what Alisia''s real motivation was, Kate still could not forgive Joseph for lying to her.


    "Lady Kate, I hope you and Lord Joseph don''t quarrel over this. He only cares for me as an employee," Alisia commented.


    "You are overthinking way too much. Don''t be so confident," Kate sneered.


    "What do you mean?" Alisia thought thinking she was just as important and might have a chance.


    "I believe that my boyfriend is not so caring about his employees. I also know how important I am to him," Kate explained. She was jealous, but she could not deny his love for her.


    Alisia was a little disheartened to hear she didn''t upset Kate. She paused for a moment then replied, "I am so glad that you didn''t misunderstand what happened."


    "Project manager of JK Group."


    "Are you unhappy?" Anna could clearly see she was.


    "Really?" Kate patted her face and smiled reluctantly, "No¡­"


    "Okay!" Anna handed her the files. She lit up and asked, "Are you coming home tonight? If so, I can buy more food from the supermarket."


    "Not tonight," Kate said gently, even though her anger toward Joseph was raging inside.


    "That is fine. You are unwilling to leave Joseph, I understand," Anna moaned.


    Kate smiled, "I promise you that I will be home tomorrow! We can go to the supermarket and buy food together!"


    Anna exclaimed, "Great! Then it is a deal!"


    Seeing Anna so happy, Kate suddenly felt a little sorry for her. After all, she left Anna alone at home most nights. Suddenly, Daisy came to mind.


    **


    Meanwhile, it was a cloudy day in Phoenix when Daisy dragged her suitcase toward the car. The man with her showed no emotion as he opened the trunk to put her bag inside.


    After getting in the rental, she asked nervously, "Samuel, are you sure I can go back to Aubi City?"


    "Yes, Joseph is extremely busy every day. After when he is off work, he is with Kate. He has no time to watch over you!" Samuel snarled.


    "Yes, they are in love and have no time to watch over us!"


    "You should be calmer, not so impulsive. If you act as you did before, you will get nowhere," Samuel reminded her.


    Daisy commented, "You too."


    "Of course, I know!" Samuel accepted her advice, "I''ve learned my lesson after my carelessness. As I said, if we continue the same, no one can help us!"


    "Oh yes! You said that your grandpa asked you to bring me back to Aubi City; what does that mean?" Daisy was very curious. She thought he was allowing her back as long as she had a stable life, controlling her temper and not interfering with Joseph and Kate. However, Samuel''s words told her differently.


    "I don''t know what that selfish old man is thinking about. But I am willing to let him take advantage of me; it is better than being totally rejected by him," Samuel snapped when he mentioned his grandfather.


    Daisy didn''t have much knowledge of how the Smith family ran. The only thing she knew was the Samuel and Joseph were enemies, even long before Kate came into the picture.


    "What does it have to do with me?" Daisy didn''t want to be caught up in another disaster. She was grateful that Samuel was saving her, but she didn''t want to be involved in his deceit.


    Samuel noticed she was defensive; he looked at her and said, "Do you really plan to live like this your whole life? Are you willing to live that way? Can you actually watch Anna enjoy everything that belongs to you?"

 Chapter 238 Tension Builds

    Sure enough, when Daisy heard Anna''s name, she cursed angrily, "That bitch is only taking advantage of her amnesia to win Kate''s sympathy. Yet, I was the one who was kicked out!"


    When Samuel saw her trembling with anger, he laughed, "Being angry is no use. Retaliation is the best way!"


    "Retaliation?" Daisy sneered, "Kate protects her now, so I can''t even get close to her. Since that last incident, Kate has lost all trust in me. She doesn''t even want to talk to me."


    Since Daisy was discharged from the hospital, she had been contacting Kate. However, she never received any response. She wanted to go to Aubi City to confront her but dared not to. If Samuel hadn''t picked her up in person, she would not have had the courage to return.


    "Don''t worry. I''m here to support you. No matter how much Kate dislikes you, I will protect you," Samuel told her seriously.


    His affectionate words left Daisy feeling slightly uncomfortable. She blushed and asked him, "Have you been drinking?"


    "Do you think I would drive if I were drinking?" Samuel laughed, "Don''t be so shy. You will hear much more later."


    "What do you mean?" She was more doubtful.


    "I need to keep it a secret for now. I will tell you after we get back to Aubi City," Samuel was not sure if she would agree to the plan, so he wanted to wait and tell her after they got to Aubi City and she would need his help.


    "What?" Daisy was very curious and couldn''t understand.


    "I can only tell you that you must change your attitude and learn from the mistakes in the past!" Samuel looked at her affectionately, "This is the only way we can save ourselves!"


    Daisy''s curiosity took over her thoughts as she looked out the window, thinking about what was in store upon her return.


    **


    Kate was still furious about the incident with Joseph''s coat when he texted her to say he was working overtime. She simply replied and went home to wait for him.


    When she arrived, Cassie and Helen, the nutritionist, were waiting for her.


    "Lady Kate, this is a healthy diet for you. Please remember to eat all of it," Helen said, pointing to the food on the table.


    Seeing the food, Kate frowned and asked, "No peppers?"


    "Mrs. Smith said that you like spicy food, so she asks me to add a bit to your diet. However, I think it is better for you to eat something light for dinner. I hope you will try it, and we can add a little pepper to your lunch tomorrow," Helen answered politely.


    Kate sensed Helen''s professionalism in her words and behavior; she seemed to love her job. Knowing that Cassie arranged for her to be there, Kate tried to be thankful, but she had no appetite for the food in front of her. She picked at it a little and then pushed it away.


    "Sorry, Helen, I''m just not accustomed to it right now. After some time, I think I can adapt," Kate apologized. She was thin and didn''t feel that she needed to lose weight, so she seldomly had a salad.


    "I understand. It is okay, and I don''t know what you like. After a bit, I can customize a diet for you," Helen said, taking away the plate.


    "Lady Kate, she is not conditioning your body but helping you lose weight," Rena said after Helen left.


    Kate smiled reluctantly and said, "But it is good for my health."


    Since she promised Cassie, she had no choice but to follow along.


    "Lady Kate, I made steak, do you want to try?" Rena asked in a low whisper.


    "Emm¡­" Kate swallowed and shook her head, "No, thank you."


    If Cassie knew it, she would be angry.


    "Lady Kate, are you going to try to get pregnant?"


    "I¡­"


    "Even if you are, you don''t have to eat so little. Peppers are fine to eat, and the meals I make seem to be to your liking," Rena said, sounding like a salesperson.


    "Rena, save the dishes you made for Joseph," Kate said politely, not wanting to ignore her kind words. She assumed he was so busy with work that he wouldn''t eat.


    "Okay, Lady Kate."


    Not long after Kate went to the bedroom, Joseph returned.


    "Helen said that you didn''t eat much for dinner?" His tone was full of concern.


    Thinking of his coat, she pouted and said, "Have you heard that eating less in the evening is good for health?"


    "Don''t lose weight!" His tone suddenly became extremely serious.


    She rolled her eyes and snapped, "Who said I''m losing weight? Or you think I''m fat and should lose weight?"


    Joseph frowned and asked in confusion, "Did something happen? What has made you so unhappy?"


    He knew clearly about her. Every time she bickered with him, it meant she was unhappy.


    "Why would you think that?" She pretended as if she was fine.


    "Last night when I came back, you were so happy that you wouldn''t let go of me. But today, you won''t even look at me."


    "It was because you out in the rain last night. I felt sorry for you. It isn''t raining tonight, so why would I hug you?" She snarled.


    "You can only kiss and hug me when it rains?" Joseph stroked her face with his hand, speaking very softly.


    Kate dodged and turned the other way.


    "What''s wrong with you? Are you angry because I work too late and leave you home alone?"


    "No!" She barked. Kate actually worried about him working so late, but she wasn''t about to let go of her anger.


    "Then why?" Seeing her angry, Joseph was very flustered.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    Rena knocked on the door and asked, "Lord Joseph, your supper is ready!"


    "I will be there in a few minutes!"


    "You have to go eat dinner."


    "Do you think I can go downstairs to have dinner when you are clearly upset?" He stared at her and wanted to know why she was distressed.

 Chapter 239 Provoked Again

    "Really?" He didn''t believe her.


    "Yes!" She nodded, then pushed him away, "Hurry up, go eat dinner. It''s already late!"


    He reached out and caressed her face, saying gently, ¡°I will finish work as soon as possible so I can stay home with you during your period. I hope then you won¡¯t be so annoyed.¡±


    "Don''t make a big deal of it!¡± Kate exclaimed, she was only using it as an excuse, but Joseph was so determined to be there for her.


    "I am only making a big deal of it because it is one!" Joseph said thoughtfully, "I mean it."


    "I know you are serious, but you make me so stressed. Having my period is very normal, but I am sorry if I cannot control my emotions. You do not need to worry about me," She was beginning to regret opening her mouth.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± He held her hands in his.


    Kate hadn''t thought about eating, but when Joseph asked, her stomach rumbled. He immediately ordered, "You are going downstairs to enjoy dinner with me. If you are afraid you will not sleep with a full stomach, we can take a walk in the gardens. So, there are no excuses! I truly am sorry, Kate. I have been so busy with work that I have been neglecting you. I hope we can spend more time together really soon."


    In an instant, his heartfelt words drove her anger away. Kate knew that Alisia was trying to torment her on purpose with Joseph''s coat, and she was angry about that. After spending only a few minutes with Joseph, she realized that Alisia was trying to cause conflict in their relationship; if she got upset with Joseph, Alisia would win. She could also sense that Alisia had unreasonable expectations about her employment at JK Group.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Kate sighed, giving in to Joseph¡¯s demands.


    **


    The next day at JK Group, Alisia held Joseph¡¯s coat up, ¡°Lord Joseph, I washed and ironed your coat.¡±


    Joseph didn''t even look up from his paperwork; he just pointed and said, "Put it on the sofa."


    Seeing that he was focused entirely on work, Alisia was disappointed. However, she wanted his attention, "Lord Joseph, Lady Kate¡­"


    Hearing Kate''s name, he raised his head swiftly and asked nervously, "What''s wrong with her?"


    "Oh, nothing, I''m just wondering why she hasn¡¯t been around the office lately,¡± Alisia panicked and quickly came up with something that would not seem too intrusive.


    Joseph''s worried reaction made her feel even more disappointed. She could see that he definitely had no interest in her; his heart belonged to Kate.


    "She also has work to do," Joseph replied bluntly.


    Although she felt uncomfortable, to spend more time in Joseph¡¯s presence, she asked, ¡°When will the wedding be?¡±


    "Did I say something wrong?¡± Alisia was intrigued by his reaction.


    "When she decides to marry me," He would marry Kate at any time; she just needed to say the word.


    "You mean Lady Kate hasn''t decided if she is going to marry you?" Alisia''s eyes lit up, a flicker of hope arose in her heart.


    ¡°She was¡­¡­"


    Joseph¡¯s phone rang and interrupted him. He answered, ¡°Hello?¡±


    Alisia waited to overhear if it was Kate calling.


    "Joseph, you and Kate need to come to the house tonight. Your grandfather said he had something important to announce. I have no idea what it is but make sure Kate is there. No matter what, she is a member of our family. She has a right to know as well,¡± Cassie sighed helplessly.


    "Understood!" He was very aware of his grandpa''s temper. If he did not want to tell anyone until they were gathered together, then Cassie would have no way of knowing, no matter what she tried.


    When Joseph hung up the phone, Alisia nodded, ¡°Then Lord Joseph, I will go to work and put your coat here.¡±


    **


    Knowing how busy Joseph was, Kate arrived at JK Group just before lunch to see him.


    At that time, Joseph and Alisia were discussing sales plans. He was caught up in work and didn''t see Kate arrive. However, Alisia did so; she suddenly grasped her stomach and moaned in pain.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Joseph asked caringly, ¡°Are you okay? Are you uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°It''s just the cramp. I think my period is going to start,¡± Alisia blushed and lowered her head.


    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s discuss this later this afternoon. Go get some rest right now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Alisia stood up. Suddenly, she fell into Joseph¡¯s arms; she had it all planned so that Kate would see.


    ¡°Are you sure you are okay?¡± Joseph held on to her, but with no actual concern or patience.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine...¡± Alisia nodded her head.


    Joseph pushed Alisia away to keep his distance from her.


    Kate was standing in the doorway, watching the entire scene.


    ¡°Lady Kate!¡± Alisia called out.


    Hearing Kate¡¯s name, Joseph looked over toward the door. He immediately let go of Alisia and rushed to Kate. He smiled and asked, ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    Kate restrained her anger and answered, ¡°Just now.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± he asked gently.


    ¡°I wanted it to be a surprise!¡± Kate glared at Alisia and said with a huge grin.


    ¡°It is indeed a surprise!¡± Joseph kissed her forehead, held her hands then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to my office.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Kate held his arm and cast a smug glance at Alisia before leaving.


    Alisia was trying to irritate Kate, yet she was the one who was furious in the end. She clenched her fists tightly and swore, ¡°I will make him notice me!¡±


    Joseph asked Kate, ¡°I thought we said I would come to Kate Group for lunch.¡±


    ¡°I wasn''t swamped this morning, so I thought I would come to see you," Kate sat down on Joseph''s lap and put her hands around his neck.


    Kate smiled happily, pretending not to be affected by what she just saw happening with Alisia.


    ¡°We have to go back to see Mom and Grandpa tonight,¡± Joseph cautiously said.


    ¡°What? But I have promised Anna that I would have dinner with her tonight. That is why we were having lunch, remember?¡± Kate said.


    ¡°Can you talk to her and see if you can have dinner tomorrow night?" Joseph urged. He had no idea what that announcement would be, and he wanted Kate by his side.


    ¡°Okay, if that is the only way,¡± Kate sighed. She took out her phone and explained to Anna, who was fine with Kate not being home for dinner.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to have lunch now,¡± Joseph stated. He was worried that Kate was hungry and would pass out if she didn¡¯t eat.


    ¡°Great!¡±

 Chapter 240 Daisy Had A Car Acciden

    Alisia jumped in front of them before they could get in the elevator. She looked at Kate, ¡°Excuse me, Lady Kate, could you please do me a favor? My belly is aching.¡±


    ¡°Of course, what can I do for you?¡± Kate exclaimed sarcastically.


    ¡°Could we maybe go somewhere else to talk about this?¡±


    Thinking that Alisia''s period might not have actually started, Kate wanted the opportunity to see her true intentions.


    Kate said to Joseph, ¡°You go get the car and wait for me at the gate. I will be there soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t make me wait too long,¡± Joseph said, then kissed her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Alisia and Kate walked to the washroom. The moment they were inside, Alisia asked awkwardly, ¡°Lady Kate, do you have a sanitary napkin?¡±


    "Of course!" Kate dug out a few pads from her purse and handed them to Alisia. She smiled, ¡°You are lucky I some with me. I have been waiting for my period to start.¡±


    "Thank you so much!" Alisia took them and nodded her head.


    ¡°You are welcome," Kate smiled and turned to leave.


    "Lady Kate, can I ask¡­" Alisia hesitated to finish her sentence, then whispered, ¡°Are you jealous about what happened earlier?¡±


    "Jealous? I''m sorry to say that I am not. Perhaps you should work on your acting skills; then I might be," Kate sneered.


    Alisia''s expression changed, she asked doubtfully, ¡°Acting skills?¡±


    "It''s not the first time that you have deliberately fallen into Joseph''s arms. But your performance is still horrible; you have not made any progress at all!"


    "Lady Kate, what are you talking about? I do not understand what you are talking about," Alisia tried to look innocent.


    Kate looked at her and shook her head helplessly, "I have to admit that you are gorgeous and smart. However, you need to look for the right person. I explained to you that if you want to catch the right person¡¯s attention, you must select the right person. You are trying to get Joseph, but he only loves me. No matter how hard you work, it will all be in vain!¡± Kate said bluntly.


    Alisia was shocked to hear that Kate was on to her plan, yet she denied everything, "I truly do not understand what you are talking about, Mr. Smith is only my boss. I don''t have feelings for him."


    "You''d better not; otherwise, you might lose your job,¡± Kate warned.


    Hearing the threat, Alisia nodded as if she was surrendering; she did not want to lose her opportunity to work with Joseph.


    Kate walked away without looking back. She hoped that after warning Alisia, she wouldn¡¯t try to provoke her any further.


    **


    ¡°Joseph and Kate, I don¡¯t know what your grandpa is going to say. I am praying that it doesn¡¯t affect you or your work. However, since he wanted you here as well, I am sure you are involved somehow.¡±


    Cassie was worried that Mr. Smith was going to use Samuel to threaten Joseph once again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. No matter what the announcement is, Joseph and I will overcome it and not let it bother us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Cassie believed in her heart that her son and Kate could make it through anything together.


    Suddenly, they heard a car pulling into the driveway blaring its horn. Everyone rushed to the window to see Samuel running toward the house.


    When he got inside, he tried to catch his breath; he looked to be upset. Joseph, Kate, and Cassie were curious about why, but he went to see Vincent without any explanation.


    ¡°Grandpa, my girlfriend was in a car accident on the way here. I am afraid she is unable to make it.¡±


    ¡°What? But I called all the family members here so that I could make this announcement,¡± Vincent said with frustration.


    ¡°Sorry, Grandpa. I¡¯m afraid I cannot help you pressure Joseph. After all, I cannot find another girlfriend who knows all of our family affairs. I am sorry, Grandpa.¡±


    Vincent didn''t know what to do; he wanted to control Joseph, so he was working with Samuel.


    ¡°Is Daisy¡¯s condition serious?¡± Mr. Smith asked.


    "Daisy is in a coma at the hospital. The doctor said she might not wake up.¡±


    ¡°Daisy?¡± Kate questioned. She whispered it under her breath, she was trying to hear what Samuel was saying, but she must have heard wrong. There was no way that Daisy was Samuel''s girlfriend, Kate thought.


    She jumped up and ran into the room; Joseph and Cassie followed close behind.


    ¡°You mean Daisy is your girlfriend?¡± Kate asked Samuel seriously, ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°In Aubi City Hospital,¡± Samuel sobbed.


    Immediately, Kate and Joseph rushed out of the house and went directly to the hospital.


    Although she and Daisy had quarreled and she did not trust Daisy, Kate could not forget their sisterhood. She was terrified that something serious might happen to Daisy.


    As soon as she arrived at the hospital, she ran to the nurse station in a panic to ask where Daisy was. The nurse tried to calm her down and explained that Daisy was in surgery, but she should be out soon.


    Kate paced back and forth near the operation room, regretting everything that had happened over the last few months. She wished she had tried to make things work between Anna and Daisy, or that she hadn''t been so cruel and kicked Daisy out. Kate thought that if Daisy were still living in Aubi City, maybe the accident wouldn''t'' have happened, and they would still be sisters. However, there was nothing she could do but wait to see Daisy.


    After a few hours, the door opened, and Daisy was rolled out on a gurney.


    Kate ran over to ask the doctor, ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. She hit her head somewhat hard, she may be in a coma for a long time, and there is a chance she may not even wake up again. I cannot say for sure; it all depends on how strong she is. If she is strong enough, she may surprise us all.


    ¡°Please save her, please!¡± Kate begged, crying.


    ¡°Please calm down. We¡¯ve already tried our best. I hope you understand there is nothing more we can do but wait.¡±


    Hearing it, Kate could no longer restrain herself. She fell to the floor, sobbing, ¡°NO, NO, NO¡­¡±


    Joseph''s heart ached to see Kate in such a condition. He knelt down and gently put his arms around her.


    Daisy was taken to a room for observation and further treatments. She had no other family besides Kate, so she stayed by Daisy''s side. All of their battles were in the past, and Kate had forgiven her for everything.

 Chapter 241 The End

    Early one morning, as Kate was getting ready to see Daisy, she was suddenly sick to her stomach.


    Anna immediately panicked and advised Kate should see a doctor.


    Kate agreed only because they were going to be at the hospital anyway. She assumed it was just something she ate or the stomach flu, but after the doctor did blood work and ran some other tests, they found out Kate was pregnant.


    "Sister Kate, this is exciting, but are you ready to be a mother? What are your plans?" Anna questioned her.


    Knowing that she and Joseph were not married yet, they had always used protection when they made love. Kate had no idea what to do or how to tell Joseph, but she wondered if it was a gift from God.


    After leaving the hospital, Kate went to work, but she was distracted most of the day. Every so often, she would gently touch her stomach and smile, still contemplating what to do, though.


    Joseph called to say he was on his way to pick her up, and Kate became even more anxious. She knew that he would suspect something; she had no way of keeping a secret from him, never mind one this important.


    As they drove home, Kate was quiet, and even after they crawled into bed, she didn''t say much.


    Joseph asked, "Why aren''t you saying anything?¡±


    Kate took a deep breath then smiled, "I am wondering when we are going to apply for our marriage certificate.¡±


    "Are you proposing to me?¡± Joseph laughed and looked directly at her, "I asked you to marry me numerous times, but you have always refused. Why are you proposing to me? Aren''t you afraid that I might reject you?"


    "So, are you going to be arrogant now?¡± She asked nervously. Kate was already worried, but his words sent chills up her back.


    "You already know my answer!" Joseph whispered and leaned in to kiss her.


    Kate was caught up in his passionate kiss, but then she suddenly put her hand on his chest to push him away. She lowered her head and blushed, "Mr. Smith, I am afraid that you may have to be celibate for some time, though."


    "Why?¡± Joseph looked at her, not understand what she was talking about.


    "You probably shouldn''t be laying on me unless you want to hurt the baby."


    "Baby?¡± Joseph was shocked. He stared at Kate and stuttered, "What baby? Are you?¡±


    His slow reaction to move angered Kate, "Mr. Smith, you are so fast-paced when it comes to business, but now you are dumbfounded. I am worried about my unborn child."


    "Do you mean that you''re pregnant?¡± Joseph shook his head in disbelief. He got up and rubbed her belly with his hands. He was in a daze, "Did I hurt the baby?¡±


    "No, no,¡± Seeing the look on his face filled Kate with joy. She touched his face and asked, "Are you happy?"


    Seeing that he was so nervous, Kate couldn''t help teasing, "Don''t worry, I will be more careful this time.¡±


    Joseph shook his head, "Our happiness is what is most important.¡±


    **


    Immediately, Joseph began making plans to take Kate away from Aubi City. He found someone to take over most of the workload at Smith Group, JK Group, and Kate Group. He did some work but not nearly as much as he was before he found out Kate was pregnant. He also hired a servant to take care of the White''s mansion and to watch over Anna.


    A few weeks later, Joseph and Kate left for a remote Smith family villa to get rest and relax. Joseph worried that if Kate was stressed with work or daily visits to see Daisy, she might have another miscarriage.


    They received some bad news while they were away, Vincent became ill and passed away. Joseph would miss his grandfather but decided against going to his funeral; he thought it was not worth jeopardizing Kate or the baby''s health.


    Kate spoke to Anna and Daisy''s doctors regularly. They were not hopeful that she would regain consciousness and suggest Kate think about taking her off of life support. She decided that she wanted to wait until the baby was born so that her baby boy could meet his Aunt Daisy.


    **


    Upon arriving home, the first thing Kate wanted to do was see Lisa; they stopped at her tea shop on the way to the hospital.


    "Kate, I have been talking to Rowen while you were away. Don''t worry about things, though; I want you to take care of yourself and the baby. I have even ordered special tea that is safe for pregnant women. It is both healthy and delicious."


    "Really? What did you talk about?¡±


    "I''m keeping it to myself for now. Have a drink; I ordered them especially for you."


    **


    Anna still visited Daisy every day while Kate and Joseph were away. They hadn''t told Anna they were coming home because they wanted to surprise her. However, Kate was the one who was surprised when she entered Daisy''s room.


    "Daisy, I know you may not be able to hear me, but I still talk to you. I also know that you hate me and that we fought a lot. You were afraid I would take your sister away, but we all could get along. I understand that I did a lot of things that hurt you and Kate. I had no courage even to show my face, nor did I dream either of you would ever forgive me. So, I continued to pretend that I lost my memory, even after it returned. I planned on confessing thousands of times, but I did not have the courage."


    Anna sobbed, "Do you know how much I wish you would wake up and move back to White mansion with Kate and me? I wish we could all just live together again as sisters."


    Kate stood silently in the doorway; Anna''s words moved her. She had her suspicions but never had confirmation that Anna had recovered her memory.


    She pushed the door open further and walked into the room.


    Shocked to see Kate standing there, tears rolled down Anna''s cheeks, "I am so sorry, Sister Kate. I hurt you so much. I didn''t feel like I had any choice but to let you continue thinking I had amnesia."


    "Did you ever lose your memory?" Kate clenched her fists tight, feeling a little upset. She wondered if Anna might attack her and cause a miscarriage, then she thought of possibly losing Anna. She was unsure of which upset her more.


    Anna nodded and explained sincerely, "I never dreamt of taking advantage of you. I endured Daisy''s beatings to pay for my sins and hoped if one day I begged for your forgiveness, you would understand. All of my thoughts and emotions were genuine, obviously except for the memory loss."


    Kate breathed a sigh of relief; she walked over and hugged her, "Silly girl, why do you want to wrong yourself like this? I forgave you a long time ago. We will always be sisters.¡±


    "Sister, thank you.¡±


    Joseph walked in to see both Kate and Anna crying. He frowned and glared at Anna, "Did you make my wife cry?¡±


    "No, I didn''t ¡­My sister and me¡­¡± Anna was terrified of Joseph''s harsh tone.


    "Anna, don''t be afraid of him,¡± Kate walked toward Joseph, wiping away her tears, "I am crying for joy.¡±


    "That is good!¡± Joseph exclaimed.


    **


    Later that evening when Kate and Joseph pulled into the driveway, but Kate refused to get out of the car.


    She sighed, "I don''t want to do it on my own.¡±


    "So, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to carry you?¡±


    "Hold me in your arms.¡±


    "Okay, but you usually complain when I do this,¡± Joseph teased.


    "Not anymore; I want you to hold me in your arms for the rest of our lives!¡±


    "Finally, you are giving me everything I want! I will hold you and our children in my arms for the rest of our lives!¡±