Her Love for him was Gone Forever
The marriage between Joslyn and Kade was a union of two prominent families in the city, but it also hid her deep, unrequited love.
Five years ago, she believed that Kade had lost his sexual function due to a car accident while saving her, so she willingly accepted a platonic marriage. She even continuously invested the profits of the her family into the his family to ease her guilt.
It wasn't until a chance encounter that she discovered Kade's affair with his childhood sweetheart, Scarlett, that she realized the so-called "secret illness" was all a lie. Kade had not only fully recovered but had been spiking her drinks with sleeping pills for a long time. Moreover, due to a misunderstanding from when she returned from being taken away by her uncle-mistakenly deemed as being from a "place of ill repute"-he considered her "dirty" and deliberately kept his distance.
More cruelly, the car accident back then was not to save her but because Kade was on his way to pick up Scarlett at the airport.
The series of betrayals and schemes finally awakened Joslyn.
Under constant threat from Kade and Scarlett, she faced numerous dangers-from being pushed in front of a knife, undergoing skin grafts, to nearly falling off a cliff due to tampered brakes. Ultimately, she decided to sever ties with the past and, with her uncle's assistance, went abroad.
Overseas, Joslyn found her true self, pursued a PhD in finance, and took over her family business. Unexpectedly, she encountered Kade again while dealing with gangsters.
Kade, now truly remorseful, did everything to protect her from the gang, even sacrificing the his family's interests, yet it couldn't undo the past wounds.
Meanwhile, Kade's half-brother, Nicolas, allied with Scarlett to disrupt the family inheritance. In the end, both Nicolas and Kade perished in an explosion.
Years later, Joslyn became a CEO. She let go of past love and hatred, established a foundation to support African communities in accordance with Kade's last wish, and shifted her life's focus to greater love and responsibility, embarking on a new chapter truly her own.
Chapters
Share
Chapter 5
Joslyn pushed open the grand doors of the Fu family, utterly despondent, ignoring the mocking and jeering eyes of the onlookers.
She headed straight to the second floor, to Jacob Lloyd's study.
As soon as she knocked, a whip lashed through the air and aimed directly at her.
That was the traditional discipline method of the Lloyd family.
In the past, for Kade, Joslyn had endured all ninety-nine lashes without flinching.
But she didn't even try to dodge this time. Instead, she caught the whip with her bare hand.
"You rebellious woman! How dare you defy me? Without producing an heir for Kade, what right do you have to resist?" Jacob scolded Joslyn harshly.
"That's right. I am defying you. But how can I give birth? Kade has the ability, but he refuses to touch me. The problem lies with him, not me." Joslyn couldn't hold back and revealed the truth.
But seeing Jacob's unchanged expression, she was hurt once again.
She now realized that she was the only one who had been kept in the dark all along.
"That's your problem when you fail to win Kade's heart." Jacob didn't feel ashamed after it was exposed. He even seized the opportunity to blame Joslyn.
"Fine. Since it's my problem, give me the divorce agreement. I'm willing to divorce Kade." Joslyn retorted directly.
When the Palmer and Lloyd families were related by their marriage, they had specially signed the divorce agreement to prevent future emotional rifts.
The agreement was now kept by Jacob.
That was why Joslyn went there today. She wanted to break up with Kade completely.
"I've been helping the Lloyd family for years and doing everything I could. Moreover, my marriage to Kade has ended. Just give me the divorce agreement. I'll leave the country immediately. The collaboration between the two families can continue, and I can even cede some of the overseas markets to your family."
Joslyn offered a tempting deal.
The Lloyd family had coveted the overseas markets for a long time.
Jacob had been in business for decades and knew these interests clearly.
Besides, the marriage between Joslyn and Kade was merely an arranged deal.
Thus, after little deliberation, Jacob handed the divorce agreement to Joslyn.
As Joslyn left the study with the divorce agreement, she met Scarlett's eyes downstairs.
They were enemies naturally.
"Well, isn't it Joslyn? You have such a big scar on your face. I almost didn't recognize you," Scarlett sneered. "But don't blame me. My hand was injured, and Kade said he'd use the softest skin from your body for me."
Joslyn became the center of attention. Everyone was waiting to see her embarrassment.
She wasn't surprised by Scarlett's presence.
She had gotten what she came for and didn't intend to engage further. However, Scarlett was provoking her deliberately.
But Joslyn didn't get angry. She maintained her composure and walked over to Scarlett with a smile.
Then she swiftly slapped Scarlett several times.
"You haven't learned your lesson after being behind bars. You took what's not yours, so you are a thief. But you flaunt it. Perhaps I should teach you some manners." With that, Joslyn raised her hand to continue.
But she paused when she noticed a familiar necklace around Scarlett's neck.
She recognized it instantly as the only keepsake left by her parents.
Years ago, Joslyn's parents were traveling by car when they collided with a large truck, causing their vehicle to roll over and subsequently burst into flames.
By the time rescuers arrived, their car was reduced to ashes.
But the necklace Joslyn's mother had clutched tightly was saved.
For years, she had worn it around her neck. But the worn cord caused it to slip off and get lost.
She had offered a high reward to look for it.
But she never found it later. Now it was on Scarlett's neck.
Instinctively, Joslyn reached for it, but Scarlett dodged.
"Where did you get that necklace?" Joslyn asked, her voice trembling.
Scarlett glanced at the necklace and chuckled, "Oh, this? Kade gave it to me. I found it quite ordinary and was about to discard it."
With that, Scarlett touched her neck with a knowing smile.
"Joslyn, your marriage means nothing. Kade's heart has always been mine. And soon, everyone will know it."
Scarlett toyed with the necklace, and her gaze was triumphant.
But Joslyn focused solely on the necklace.
"Give me the necklace, and you can have Kade."
Scarlett laughed mockingly after she heard Joslyn's words.
"Joslyn, the necklace is mine. And so is Kade. Even if I don't want them, you can have none." With that, she swiftly walked to the window and tossed the necklace out.
"No!" Joslyn lunged forward. But it was too late. She watched helplessly as the necklace fell and disappeared into the sea below.
She turned back in fury, and her clenched fists trembled with the force of her grip.
Scarlett was more smug and said, "Oh, did you know? Kade and I are expecting a child. In fact... I'm carrying his child now. You lost your baby five years ago, and you'll never have your own baby."
Scarlett's laughter echoed in the silent night, like the haunting echoes of a nightmare.
Five years ago, Joslyn got pregnant with Kade's baby.
But she lost it quietly during a banquet aimed at securing a crucial deal for the Lloyd family after she drank excessively.
It was a lifelong pain for Joslyn.
Back then, Kade had knelt before Joslyn and vowed to her that they would have another baby in the future.
But now, he had forgotten his promise.
Moreover, he exposed her scars to Scarlett.