On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon

Chapter 223: For Him

Jasper Lockwood walked to the bathroom door. Just as his hand gripped the doorknob, he paused. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly let go and turned to leave the room.

When Chloe Sterling came out of the bathroom, she noticed Jasper Lockwood was gone. She was slightly taken aback, but she didn’t think much of it. He often went out at night to handle or delegate matters before coming back.

After drying her hair, Chloe Sterling got into bed, ready to sleep. She had woken up early that morning and was indeed a little tired.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but in her daze, she felt Jasper Lockwood return and lie down beside her. She subconsciously sought out his embrace, snuggling into his arms.

Jasper Lockwood looked at the drowsy woman in his arms, his gaze growing more intense. After a long moment, he finally calmed down and said through clenched teeth, "I’ll let you off the hook for tonight."

「The next day.」

Upon arriving at the Nocturne Group, Chloe Sterling noticed that Silas Coldwell had called her yesterday. There was a call record of several dozen seconds, which had clearly been answered by Jasper Lockwood.

’They probably didn’t have anything nice to say to each other. Jasper must be upset.’ But he hadn’t said a word about it, only giving her a nearly suffocating, passionate kiss that morning.

Chloe Sterling took a deep breath and decided not to call Silas Coldwell back. ’If it’s really important, he’ll call again.’

For the next week, Chloe Sterling kept a routine of leaving early and returning late, working herself to the bone in the Nocturne Group’s laboratory.

’I have to do everything I can to finish this project before the New Year.’

’That way, it would be better for me and Jasper, and for Silas as well.’

Seeing Chloe Sterling suddenly in such a hurry, one of the Pharmacists couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Miss Chester, are you in such a rush to finish this project for President Coldwell?"

Chloe Sterling said, "Since I promised to help him finish it before the New Year, I have to keep my word."

The man’s eyes showed a hint of admiration, but also a touch of confusion. ’It feels like Miss Chester really cares about our big boss. Why isn’t she willing to be with him?’

At noon, the two men left the Nocturne Group to get lunch, still talking about the matter.

One of the men whispered, "Don’t you think Miss Chester cares a lot about President Coldwell?"

The other man replied, "Of course she does. I heard things aren’t going well on President Coldwell’s end. She’s working herself to death to finish this project so he has something to show the elders, often even skipping lunch. If that’s not caring, what is!"

"Then why do you think she won’t get together with President Coldwell? I actually think they’re a good match."

"I think so too. Our President Coldwell might have a bad temper, but he’s completely different with her. He’s got to be better than that cold iceberg, Jasper Lockwood."

"Exactly! A woman’s heart is truly hard to fathom."

"Besides, what kind of fun could a cold fish like Jasper Lockwood be?"

"AHEM, AHEM, AHEM, AHEM..." The man suddenly started coughing.

"Huh? What’s wrong with you?"

The words had barely left his mouth when he noticed the very "iceberg" he was talking about standing right in front of him, staring down with an extremely cold demeanor. That frigid gaze looked as if it would turn into a sharp sword at any moment and send him to the afterlife.

The two of them stopped dead in their tracks, not daring to take another step forward. They even felt the urge to turn and walk back.

"It’s so cold today. How about we don’t go out to eat? Let’s just order takeout."

"Good idea. I just remembered that takeout place we ordered from before was really good. Why don’t we get that again?"

"Sure, I was just thinking I wanted their food anyway. Let’s do that."

"So, let’s go back?"

"Let’s go. Back we go."

And so, the two of them turned without hesitation and bolted back toward the Nocturne Group building.

Henry Chamberlain, standing by Jasper Lockwood’s side, spoke cautiously, "Sir, those two were just spouting nonsense. Please don’t listen to them. How could the madam possibly care about that guy, Coldwell? She must be trying to finish the project quickly to get away from him."

Jasper Lockwood’s eyes darkened slightly, but he said nothing.

He knew a little about Silas Coldwell’s situation. It was indeed quite tricky at the moment. If Chloe Sterling could finish this project before the New Year, it would be a huge help to Silas Coldwell. And she really had been leaving early, returning late, and working desperately hard recently.

Seeing his big boss remain silent, Henry Chamberlain didn’t dare say more. He stood quietly by his side, only thinking, ’It’s so damn cold today!’

「Inside the Nocturne Group building.」

Chloe Sterling was on her way out when she saw the two Pharmacists had already returned. She asked, "How are you two back so soon?"

"Uh... it’s too cold. We thought about it and decided to just order takeout."

"Right, right. We’re ordering takeout. Not going out. It’s too cold."

Chloe Sterling glanced outside. The sun was shining, and the weather was nice. Jasper Lockwood was standing at the entrance waiting for her. She didn’t ask any more questions and quickened her pace to go outside.

The two Pharmacists moved even faster, scurrying toward the elevators.

Once outside the building, Chloe Sterling walked up to Jasper Lockwood and said, "Why didn’t you wait in the car?"

Even though the weather was nice, it was still winter, and it would get cold standing outside for too long.

Jasper Lockwood said, "The weather’s nice. I got out for some fresh air."

"How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long."

"Shall we go then?"

"Okay."

The two got in the car, and a few minutes later, they arrived at a hot pot restaurant.

Feeling that something was a little off with Jasper Lockwood today, Chloe Sterling’s suspicious gaze would occasionally linger on his face.

Jasper Lockwood placed a piece of cooked beef into her bowl and spoke at the same time, "Chloe."

"Hm?" Chloe Sterling responded quickly, out of reflex.

Jasper Lockwood’s lips curled into a faint, unreadable smile. "Can you get full just by looking at me?"

Chloe Sterling: "..."

"Hurry and eat. The beef won’t be good if it gets cold."

Chloe Sterling’s lips moved. "Jasper Lockwood, you don’t seem like yourself."

"Oh? How so?"

"You look pretty unhappy."

Jasper Lockwood’s lips twitched noncommittally. ’Of course I’m unhappy—extremely unhappy! I just heard people from the Nocturne Group saying my own wife cares about another man and is a better match for him!’

"That’s right. I get annoyed just being near the Nocturne Group, and I get even more annoyed watching you walk out of there!"

Chloe Sterling cleared her throat. "Then you shouldn’t come here anymore. Besides, I won’t be here for much longer. It’s almost over."

Jasper Lockwood: "Almost over?"

Chloe Sterling: "Half a month at most."

Jasper Lockwood: "So for the next half a month, you’re still going to be leaving early, coming home late, and so busy you practically disappear?"

Chloe Sterling: "..."

Jasper Lockwood: "If I hadn’t come to find you for lunch today, were you going to be so busy that you’d skip it again?"

If he hadn’t overheard those two Pharmacists talking, he wouldn’t have known how hard Chloe Sterling had been pushing herself recently.

Hearing this, Chloe Sterling froze. ’How did he know I’ve been so busy I’ve been skipping lunch?’ After a moment of thought, she asked, "Did you plant one of your people in the Nocturne Group’s lab?"

Jasper Lockwood: "No."

"Then how do you know?"

"Does it matter how I know? Chloe, why? Why are you suddenly pushing yourself so hard?"

"Because I want to finish this project before the New Year."

"To help Silas Coldwell get out of his predicament?"

Chloe Sterling was speechless for a moment. After a pause, she said, "This is a deal between him and me. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do. Don’t you want me to leave the Nocturne Group as soon as possible?"

Jasper Lockwood: "I do want you to leave as soon as possible, but I don’t want you working yourself to death for him."