Chapter 153
Chapter 154
Chloe jumped, startled. “Why didn’t you knock before coming in p>
Ian’s gaze landed on the sanitary pad that Chloe hadn’t had a chance to toss yet.
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Ian stared straight at the blood–stained pad in Chloe’s hand. “Sorry, I thought no one was in here,” he said.
Ian’s eyes dimmed as he stepped out of the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind him.
Chloe quickly locked the door and let out a long sigh of relief.
Good thing she’d planned ahead.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stood a chance against Ian’s random ambushes every few days.
She had to stay on high alert until the end of the month, when she could finally make the trip to Harbor City and take care of the baby.
Chloe got herself together and stepped out of the bathroom, only to find lan wasn’t in the bedroom.
She shrugged off whatever he was up to and just went straight to bed, thinking to herself, ‘Whatever. He can do whatever he wants. I’m not losing sleep over it.
The next morning, Chloe bumped into Andrea in the outpatient clinic hallway.
It was a mild day in April, but Andrea was bundled up as if she were guarding herself against something.
When Andrea saw Chloe standing there in her white coat, calm and confident, her eyes were full of jealousy.
The two of them exchanged a glance, and Chloe turned to walk away.
Andrea hurried after her and blocked her path. “Can I have a minute of your time p>
Chloe nodded and led Andrea into an empty exam room.
Andrea took off her mask, showing just how tired and drawn she looked.
Chloe sized Andrea up from head to toe. Except for the designer brand on her clothes, there was nothing about her that had any sparkle.
Her background was average, her looks were plain, her personality was nothing special, and her abilities weren’t anything to write home about.
But even so, she was the one The Hunter Heir fell absolutely crazy for, like she was somehow the center of his universe.
Guess that’s just how love works–when someone’s crazy about you, even the plainest girl turns into a goddess in their eyes.
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Andrea spotted the disdain in Chloe’s eyes.
Her hand unconsciously tightened around the medicine bag.
She hated Chloe’s superior, dismissive attitude more than anything.
Just like she hated that old woman, Miranda.
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Andrea lifted her chin, defiant. “Chloe, you don’t have to look at me with that look in your eyes. No matter how much of a mess I am right now, I’m still the mother of Ian’s son p>
A faint smile tugged at Chloe’s lips.
She nodded coolly. “Andrea, in families like ours, there’s no room for sentiment. They’ll kick the mom out and keep the kid without a second thought. If you don’t wise up and fight for your place, even if Ian and I split, you’re not getting through the Hamilton family’s front door p>
Andrea had been feeling smug for just a second, but Chloe’s comeback left her feeling like absolute trash.
Her perfectly sculpted features twisted with anger, almost grotesque to look at.
Just then, Andrea’s phone rang.
The moment she saw the caller’s number, all the fury drained out of her.
She practically shoved the screen right in Chloe’s face.
She flashed Chloe a smug grin. “See? I don’t even have to do anything–someone from the Hamilton family can’t wait to welcome me in p>
Chloe replied sincerely, “Wish you success p>
Andrea glared at Chloe’s calm retreat, her gaze icy and vicious. ‘Just you wait, Chloe. Your luck won’t last forever p>
‘Give it a little longer, and Ian will come back to me willingly, just like before!
‘Soon, things between us will be exactly like they were when I first returned to the country.
Following the address Miranda had sent her, Andrea made her way to a café.
Andrea glanced at the coffee in front of her, then looked over at Miranda.
Miranda said, “I had no idea what you like to drink, but since you and Ian seem to get along so well, I figured your tastes are probably similar. So I just picked a coffee for you p>
Andrea couldn’t stand the bitterness of coffee.
But just to look like she belonged with the rich crowd and keep anyone from sniffing out her broke–girl background, she’d order a hand–brewed coffee every single day, convinced she actually knew a thing or two
about it.
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Andrea tried to sound as gracious as possible. “Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton. Ian and I both have a coffee habit p>
Putting on her best show of elegance, Andrea lifted the cup and took a delicate sip, trying desperately to seem sophisticated.
The bitter taste melted over her tongue, but she braced herself and managed to force it down.
“That old lady didn’t even bother to sweeten it up for me,‘ Andrea complained to herself.
‘Figures. Like she’d ever do me a favor,’ she thought.
Miranda asked, “So, can you tell if it’s Blue Mountain Coffee or Yauco Selecto Coffee p>
Andrea dipped her head, totally embarrassed.
She was used to ordering takeout coffee for a few bucks a cup–always loaded up with sugar and milk. It was never the fancy stuff, let alone anything she’d need to recognize by taste. Stuff like Blue Mountain or Yauco Selecto? No way she could tell.
Miranda is just trying to mock me,‘ Andrea thought, burning with humiliation. She was sure the old lady was doing this on purpose.
Miranda observed Andrea’s reaction and, in a calm, almost leisurely tone, said, “I really don’t mean to mock you p>
Andrea looked up in astonishment, her expression saying it all–she knew Miranda had seen right through her.
Miranda continued, “I’m just reminding you how far apart you and Ian really are. If you want to end up with him, you’ll have to work a lot harder–preferably out of sight p>
Andrea shot Miranda a skeptical look.
She probed, “Mrs. Hamilton, are you actually being straight with me p>
Miranda simply smiled. “If I wasn’t serious, you wouldn’t even qualify to be sitting here with me p>
Andrea couldn’t handle hearing the honest truth.
She was both angry and annoyed, biting back all that frustration and keeping it bottled up.
Still, that one sentence was enough to make Andrea let her guard down completely around Miranda.
She pleaded, “Mrs. Hamilton, I know the Hamilton elders all look down on me, but Clint is still part of the Hamilton family, For the sake of the child, please help me–just let lan come see us, even if it’s only for the boy p>
Miranda slowly swirled her coffee with a metal spoon.
She replied, “Andrea, I do want to help you for my grandson’s sake, but given my status–and with lan still married–I can’t take any direct action for you. If word gets out, I’ll be the one in trouble, and I won’t be able
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to bail you out again p>
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Seeing Andrea tense up, Miranda added, “Your relationship with Ian isn’t exactly a secret in our circle. If you want to see him, just take the kid and go right to him–his office, his house, wherever. I’m on your side p>
Andrea kept her head down, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
‘My son isn’t even Ian’s. What am I supposed to fight him with?‘ Andrea thought, frustration swallowing her whole.
Andrea kept quiet for a long moment, swallowing her frustration.
She put on her best act, her voice thick with fake sincerity. “Mrs. Hamilton, I can’t just make a scene with Ian without thinking about how he feels. I really do love him, and I’m willing to put up with anything for his sake. I just feel so bad for the kid–he’s got no name, no status, just tagging along with me. What if people look down on him when he grows up, call him a bastard with no dad p>
Miranda watched Andrea go through her dramatic routine, her face unreadable the whole time.
She waited until Andrea’s tears dried up before finally saying, “No matter what, Clint is my grandson. The Hamiltons won’t ever abandon you two p>
Andrea couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement inside when she heard Miranda’s promise.
Miranda continued, “I’ll make sure Ian divorces her and gives you and the boy what you deserve. But you can’t just sit and wait–you have to follow my instructions exactly p>
Andrea nodded eagerly. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Hamilton. As long as you’re truly looking out for me and my son, I’ll do whatever you ask p>
Miranda shot Andrea a glance, her face utterly unreadable, then calmly took a contract out of her bag and pushed it in front of her, slow and deliberate.
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