Chapter 117
Chapter 117
Chapter 117
Chloe sat down, calm and collected, as if nothing could faze her.
lan stood rooted to the spot, his expression dark, eyes locked onto Chloe with a storm of tangled emotinews.
Andrea sat quietly at her seat, sneaking glances at lan to see how he’d react.
Seeing that lan still hadn’t sat down, Andrea tentatively stood up. “Mrs. Hamilton, maybe I should just go she said.
Andrea made a move to leave.
Chloe stood up and grabbed Andrea’s arm.
But Ian grabbed Chloe’s wrist.
He shot Andrea a look, picked up the promotion gift he’d prepared for Chloe, and pulled her out of the
restaurant.
Andrea stood there, staring at the two untouched romantic dinners on the table, biting her lip in embarrassment.
‘What a snake, Chloe, Andrea cursed inwardly.
‘This was supposed to be their night together, but she deliberately brought me along, Andrea thought bitterly.
‘She wasn’t trying to help at all. She just wanted to see me humiliate myself and enjoy the show, Andrea fumed.
At the restaurant entrance, Ian grabbed Chloe by the wrist and led her toward his nearby luxury car.
His stride was wide and his grip on Chloe’s wrist was firm–she tried to pull away but couldn’t, so she had to hurry along beside him just to keep up.
They climbed into the car, one right after the other.
Once the car doors were locked, Ian’s mouth was set in a hard line, his eyes burning with quiet anger as he looked at Chloe,
Chloe cleared her throat and said, “Are you planning to pick a fight here, or should we wait until we get home p>
There was nothing left of her marriage with lan but decay.
Quarreling with him didn’t faze her in the slightest anymore.
Ian started the car, doing his best to keep his anger in check.
They drove home without saying a word.
19:04 Fri, Oct 3
Chapter 117
As Chloe got out of the car, she happened to bump into Arthur.
They said hi and walked over to the elevator together, leaving lan sulking by the car – his mood taking another nosedive as he watched them ignore him.
When Chloe glanced back at him, lan, practically grinding his teeth, finally stalked after them.
The three of them stepped into the elevator.
Arthur grinned at Chloe, “The curtains in my bedroom are kinda ugly. Mind coming up to help me pick a better color p>
Chloe glanced nervously at Ian next to her, voice soft, “Is it okay if I go up for just a few minutes? I’ll be right
back p>
The two locked eyes for a tense moment–and then the elevator dinged, doors sliding open.
Without a word, Ian’s face stone–cold, he seized Chloe’s arm and marched her out of the elevator.
Once they were inside, Chloe changed into her slippers.
Ian just stood next to the shoe cabinet, not moving a muscle. Chloe, out of habit, fished out his slippers and handed them over.
Then lan bent down, seized Chloe by the arm, and pulled her up close, leaving barely any space between them.
He was struggling to keep his frustration under wraps, trying his best to sound calm as he spoke to Chloe.
“Chloe, isn’t there something you should be explaining right now?” Ian said, his voice tight with emotion.
Chloe jerked her arm free, her tone flat and unconcerned. “No matter what I do, I’m always in the wrong with you. How am I supposed to know what exactly you even want me to explain p>
Ian’s forehead veins throbbed with barely restrained anger.
“Chloe, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t pretend you don’t,” he said sharply.
Chloe replied with a straight face, “I honestly have no idea. Maybe you could remind me p>
They stood so close their eyes locked, and Ian was so furious he nearly couldn’t catch his breath.
After a long pause, Chloe finally broke the silence. “Is this about me helping Mr. Logan with his room p>
Ian shot back, jealousy simmering in his voice. “Is he some kind of creep or what? Why does he only come to you at night p>
Chloe sighed, almost out of patience.
She nudged Ian’s slippers toward his feet and explained, her tone calm but edged with exhaustion, “ Ian, do you have to be so bitter every time? Mr. Logan is my patient, and soon he’ll be our neighbor. We’ll see each
19:04 FA,0613
Chapter 117
2400
other around whether you like it or not, en can you phone making fu
fan slipped on his slippers, took Chloe’s they off her shodder, and drew her into the bedroom by firmly down on the edge of the bed.
Bending over, he gripped her shoulders and said deliberately, “Chiloe, 1 know you can’t send hebrew. You don’t want to see her, and you don’t even care to avviate with her?
They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.
fan finally asked, “Just be honest–why did you have her bring me the medicine, and why did you bring her along to the restaurant?
Chloe broke free from fan’s grip and got to her feet.
She stood facing him, her voice more serious than he’d ever heard before. “Tan, you’re the one acting clueless on purpose. I’m helping you, and don’t pretend you can’t see it?
Jan gripped the back of Chloe’s neck, pulling her sharply toward him, his hold tight and full of urgency.
Looking straight into her eyes, Jan said, “Honestly, how many times do I need to say this? I’m just looking out for her because I don’t want Edward giving her and her kid a rough time again. That’s it. There’s nothing else between us. Just forget whatever I blurted out in front of him that day?
Jan tried to explain himself, but Chloe just let out a laugh, loaded with irony.
She looked him straight in the eye and said, “Tan, it’s a fact–you and Andrea have a son. You’ll be raising him together, side by side, until the day you both die, isn’t that right p>
Chloe pressed on, “And during all that time, you’ll give them everything–your body, your life, your time. your money, your energy. Face it, you’re already theirs. So what exactly are you pretending for, standing here
with me p>
She shot back, “You’d defy your grandfather, go against your own parents, and even trample over our marriage just for Andrea and her son. Honestly, even I have to admit I’m almost jealous of how much you care about her. So stop painting yourself as some poor innocent victim–you’re not fooling anyone p>
They stared at each other, the room sinking into a silence so deep it was almost suffocating.
The atmosphere was so heavy, it felt hard to breathe.
After what felt like forever, lan finally spoke. “So, tell me–what is it that you really want p>
Chloe let out a bitter, self–mocking laugh. “Anytime I go against you, you threaten me–if it’s something bigger, you just have me tossed in jail. What power do I have? Like I ever had a choice p>
Her smile was empty, like all the fire inside her had burned out long ago.
A prickle of aching pain spread through Ian’s chest, so intense he staggered back a couple of steps.
His lips twitched, but for a moment, he couldn’t find his voice.
19:05 Fri, Oct 3
Chapter 117
Over D
He’d manipulated her, using whatever means he could–anything to make her give in, to keep her by his side whether she wanted to or not.
But deep down, all he ever wanted was to hold their marriage together. Hurting her was never supposed to be part of it.
Chloe saw the way lan was hurting, but her words cut right through him anyway. “Ian, I get it. The only reason you won’t admit your feelings for Andrea, the real reason you can’t just be there for her and the kid openly, is because you’re scared of Edward p>
Before lan could get a word in, Chloe thumped her chest and said, “Seriously, go ahead and love her as much as you want. Whatever comes up, I’ll handle it. You don’t have to do a thing–I’ll play the villain. I promise you, there’s no way I’m letting the woman you care about get hurt p>
With that, Chloe turned and walked straight into the bathroom.
She closed her eyes and sank into the bathtub, lying there in complete silence. In her heart, there wasn’t a shred of happiness or sorrow–just pure emptiness, not even any lingering resentment.
This crappy ending? It could never measure up to all the love she’d poured out once upon a time.
If someone’s supposed to feel regret about all this, it sure as hell isn’t going to be her.
She used to think Ian was her last haven–the only person she could ever lean on, her whole world.
But now, she finally saw things clearly.
Her comfort could come from music, from travel, from a good book or her career–just never from another
person.
‘Whatever. It’s all the same to me now,‘ Chloe thought, her heart numb.
‘I gave everything I had to love, and I can walk away just as clean,‘ she told herself.
‘I’m done with it. It’s not mine anymore,‘ Chloe decided, letting it go for good.
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