Chapter 140
apter 141
When lan spotted Arthur, his face instantly darkened.
Arthur pulled the same dark face at Tan, mocking him right back.
Then he slid over to Chloe and said, “Hey Chloe, care to share a table p>
Chloe smiled and nodded. “Mr. Logan, what do you want to eat? My treat p>
lan caught hold of Chloe’s wrist and drew her close to his side.
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He lowered his voice, his tone edged with impatience. “Chloe, did you already forget what I just told you p>
Chloe gave him a confused look. “Did you say something to me just now p>
A chill settled over Ian’s face.
Patrick strolled over from across the room and greeted them with a grin. “What a coincidence p>
Ian couldn’t help but frown when he saw Patrick.
Arthur chuckled twice and said, “I just tagged along with Chloe and Ian p>
Ian could only stare, dumbfounded.
Patrick grinned, “Since everyone’s here, let’s all grab a bite together. It’s on me p>
Ian glanced at Patrick, “Weren’t you hanging out with your friend’s crowd p>
Patrick nodded toward a nearby four–top. “Eating with friends is boring. It’s way more fun with you guys p>
Arthur looped his arm around Chloe’s and winked, “Come on, Chloe, let’s sit together p>
Jan clamped onto Arthur’s arm, his gaze sharp and serious. “Don’t make me call your grandpa over to watch you‘
The two men squared off, sparks flying in their silent showdown.
Arthur scrunched up his face, let go of Chloe, and swaggered over to Patrick with a mock–innocent smirk
Chloe ended up sitting close to lan.
Once everyone was settled, Chloe took charge and started ordering.
Patrick watched fan and Arthur still locked in their staring contest and couldn’t help but jump in. “Come on, you guys really gonna beef over a chair p>
Arthur fired back, “Why not? From what I’ve seen, Mr. Hamilton never cared this much when it was other ladies sitting next to him p>
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Ian shot Arthur a sharp warning. “If you’re not here to eat, nobody’s stopping you–door’s right there p>
Patrick piped up to stir the pot, “lan, that’s pretty rich coming from you. You and Andrea already have a son together, and it’s not like you ever worried about crossing the line. So why freak out now just because Chloe and Arthur are close p>
Ian gave Patrick a frosty glare. “If you’re not eating, door’s right there p>
Patrick and Arthur shared a look, both grinning as they said together, “Not happening p>
Chloe glanced at the three men around her, feeling at her wit’s end. ‘Honestly, dealing with these guys is more exhausting than an all–nighter,‘ she thought to herself.
She drew a sharp breath and warned, “Seriously, if you three don’t knock it off, I’m leaving p>
With just that one sentence, all three men snapped to attention and zipped it.
Outside the restaurant, Andrea and her mother, Laura, happened to glance inside and saw the four of them sharing a meal together.
Andrea stood outside, watching as Ian peeled shrimp for Chloe, Patrick poured her juice, and Arthur kept piling food onto her plate. Her eyes were practically blazing with envy. ‘Why does Chloe get all the attention?” Andrea thought, seething.
Sure, Andrea didn’t come from money, but she was still a dance major from a top arts school.
She was tall, graceful, and had a presence that could hold its own against anyone.
Plus, after a few touch–ups, her face was flawless, and she was a top influencer with millions of followers.
So what if Chloe was born with a silver spoon?‘ Andrea thought bitterly.
The Irvine family went bankrupt ages ago. She’s just a washed–up heiress leeching off her in–laws. Honestly, she’s not even as good as me.
Chloe’s just a boring doctor, her salary’s never going to break the bank.
Besides that fox–like face she uses to make every guy drool, what does she even have going for her?‘ Andrea grumbled to herself.
‘Why is everyone obsessed with her, acting like she’s the only one who matters? Andrea seethed in silent jealousy,
‘Seriously, how am I any worse than that bitch Chloe?‘ Andrea couldn’t help but stew in resentment.
Laura noticed the way Andrea’s face contorted with jealousy and, worried her daughter might lose control, hurriedly dragged her into the car.
Laura turned to Andrea and whispered, “I thought you said tan and his wife were getting divorced soon. So why are they still having dinner together like nothing’s changed p>
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Andrea clenched her fists, taking deep breaths to steady herself.
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After a long pause, she finally said, her voice trembling with irritation. “Ian’s such a catch, but his wife just keeps clinging to him, refusing to let go or sign those divorce papers p>
Laura tried to comfort her daughter, “Relax, Andrea. There are no kids tying them down, so as long as you and Clint keep egging them on and getting in the middle, that divorce will happen sooner or later. Trust me p>
Still, Laura looked skeptical. “Honestly, watching the way they act, I’m not so sure there’s nothing going on between them p>
Andrea gripped her fists tight, her chest heaving as she fought to keep herself calm.
She finally burst out, “As long as those two aren’t divorced, they’re still married, right? They’ve got the same friends, so it’s totally normal for them to grab dinner together. What’s the big deal p>
Laura pressed on, “Has Ian said anything about when he’s moving you and Clint into his place p>
Andrea’s expression flickered–first shock, then anger, and finally a barely contained frustration.
She shot back, “Mom, come on! Don’t tell me you still have no idea who Clint’s real dad is p>
Laura went quiet, not saying another word.
Andrea snapped, “Ian does feel guilty about me, but just because he feels guilty doesn’t mean he’s lost his mind. I had to scheme like crazy to get him to accept Clint as his own on paper and promise to hide the real story. Don’t you see how much he regrets it already p>
She went on, “The only reason he’s sticking this out is because he made a promise, still feels guilty, and honestly, that’s just the kind of guy he is–he keeps his word even when it’s killing him. I’d be out of my mind. to push for more right now p>
Laura saw Andrea getting all wound up and hurried to reassure her. “Don’t get upset, Andrea. Men are suckers for whatever they can’t have–the more out of reach, the more they want it. You’re his first love, and to him, nobody can ever hold a candle to you p>
Andrea just shut her eyes, totally spent.
She was lan’s first love.
But “first love” is just a label–Andrea had to chase him nonstop for a whole year before tan finally agreed to
date her.
Back when they were together, Andrea always felt a distance between them.
Ian was like some zen monk–totally indifferent, never making a move or showing even a hint of desire.
If only things had been different p>
She wouldn’t have had to lay low overseas for so long-
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If not for that, she wouldn’t have had to gamble everything on a reckless scheme–one that hurt Ian and herself–just to worm her way back into his life.
Laura urged, “You worked hard to reel in this big catch–don’t even think about letting him slip away now. The Hamiltons are the real deal in Kingsford, top–tier. People spend lifetimes chasing a chance like this, and right now, it’s yours for the taking p>
“Whether your nephews get to study abroad or not, it all comes down to you. If push comes to shove, just do whatever the old matriarch of the Hamiltons says–go all in and make a risky play. Who knows, it might just pay off huge p>
Andrea’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.
She said, “Mom, Miranda’s no pushover. What if she’s just trying to screw me over p>
Laura egged her on, “If you’re not willing to risk anything, how are you ever gonna catch something big? You’ve been plotting for years–not a chance you’re letting all that go to waste now, right p>
Andrea slumped over the steering wheel, her head throbbing.
She’d schemed, sacrificed, and risked it all just to get close to Ian. No way was she going to let all her efforts go down the drain now.
When she was little, her mom would always wait until it got dark, then sneak off to the fruit market and pick through trash bins for cheap, bruised leftovers to haul back home.
She’d hack off every rotten bit, and what was left–maybe a sliver or two–was all Andrea and her brother ever saw. Sometimes a whole apple got whittled down to a pathetic scrap.
So for all those years growing up, Andrea and her brother never once tasted an entire apple–just whatever sad little chunk their mom could salvage.
When she finally got into college, Andrea once found a pair of dance shoes, kept them hidden, and didn’t return them. That was all it took for some classmates to tag her as a thief–the rumors spread instantly, and she found herself branded,
Those girls were ruthless, chasing her around and calling her ‘poor trash‘ every chance they got. The bullying went on for an entire semester, only stopping when the leader finally transferred schools. Only then did Andrea get a break.
From that day, Andrea made herself a promise: she’d do whatever it took to get rich. No more struggling–she was never going to be looked down on again.
There’s that old saying: no matter how smart you are, it’s marrying the right guy that changes everything.
Ian Hamilton? He was her shortcut to making it big–her one–way ticket out of the ordinary.
Once Andrea had calmed herself down, she pulled out her compact and fixed her makeup.
After touching up her look, she leaned in close and whispered a few scheming words to Laura, then the two of them got out of the car.
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After a little over an hour, Chloe, Ian, Patrick, and Arthur finally stepped out of the restaurant together.
Arthur, always the one to stir up excitement, pointed toward a nearby crowd. “Hey, why’s there such a crowd over there? Looks like something’s happening p>
Patrick waved Chloe and Ian over with a grin. “Let’s go check it out together p>
AD