Chapter 257
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Ian watched Chloe move with that soft, careful touch of hers, and it felt like someone was twisting a sharp. knife in his chest. The pain made it harder and harder for him to breathe.
Ian and Chloe had grown up together as childhood friends for over twenty years. He knew she was stubborn, a neat freak, and was so concerned about him. ‘So why did I still go and take care of Andrea?‘ lan asked
himself.
lan slammed his fist into the wall, then slowly let his arm drop. A dark streak of blood stayed behind where he
hit.
More than an hour later, when Patrick and Arthur tracked down Ian, Ian was already dead drunk.
Ian pointed at Arthur with his injured right hand. “What the hell are you doing here p>
Arthur plopped down right onto the coffee table. “It’s not like the Hamiltons own this place. Why shouldn’t I be here p>
lan rolled his eyes at Arthur and poured himself another drink.
Patrick stepped up. stopping Ian and snatching the drink right out of his hand. “Mia just called me. She said your folks had a bad fight. Mrs. Hamilton already took Mia back to the Weasley place p>
Arthur let out a couple of sharp tsks. “Picking fights with one’s own wife? Man, that’s no good p>
Ian stared at Arthur, his face blank. “You’re right,” he said, “no man in my family’s ever been any good p>
Arthur eyed Ian warily, slowly getting to his feet and backing away. He jabbed a finger at Ian, turning to Patrick. “Uh. Patrick, what’s with him p>
Patrick frowned in annoyance. “He’s completely lost it. Just ignore him p>
Arthur glanced at Ian. “I heard Philip got hurt. Is it bad p>
Ian replied with a bitter edge in his voice, “Oh, he’s perfectly fine–with someone fussing over him at his bedside non–stop p>
Arthur turned to leave. “Patrick, I’m going to grab some snacks and check in on Chloe. The girl can’t pull an all – nighter, so I’m doing her a favor and covering her shift so she can crash for a bit p>
Patrick glanced at fan slumped on the couch, then followed Arthur to the door and stopped him. Patrick asked, “Arthur, you’re always acting all proud. How come you’re so good to Chloe and always do whatever she says p>
Arthur looked serious. “Isn’t it obvious? She’s gorgeous, a hell of a doctor, and she treats me right p>
Patrick glanced back at Ian in the suite and asked Arthur, “She treats you right? Seriously, I don’t get it p>
Arthur lifted his chin a little. “You wouldn’t know. Back when she first treated me, I gave her a hard time, but
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she never quit. Even introduced me to her friends.
“She knows I don’t get along with my grandpa, so she always tries to talk me around.
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One time it was pouring, she hunted me down in the middle of the night. She was so wiped out she was nearly falling asleep at the stove, but still insisted on making me food.
I’ve never met a woman that pretty and that real. If she didn’t think I was too young to date, I’d have won her over by now. I’d spoil her rotten, treat her like royalty p>
After Arthur left. Patrick headed back into the suite.
Chloe was always the genuine type, totally got it from her folks. That was just how the Irvines were. Carl especially–straightforward guy, not a bad bone in him.
Noticing lan’s off look, Patrick walked over and asked, “Where’d you put your meds? I’ll go grab them for you p>
Ian gripped the empty glass, his gaze completely vacant. Ever since he’d sworn on that island never to bother Chloe again, Ian knew his heart had already died at that moment. No amount of meds could fix what was broken inside him now.
Ian shut his eyes in agony and said, “I’m fine p>
Patrick could tell Ian wasn’t actually drunk. He settled down next to him and handed him a glass of water.
Patrick tried to encourage Ian. “Ian, you know how important you are to the Hamilton family and the Hamilton Group. You’ve got to hang in there–everyone’s worried about you p>
Ian brushed off the question. “Just let my mom and Mia stay with the Weasley family for a bit. They could both use some peace and quiet p>
“Are you sure just leaving the two old guys back home is going to work p>
Ian lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line.
Patrick let out a sigh. “Ian, Chloe’s always treating Arthur, Sir Julian, Philip–heck, everyone–so well. That’s just the way she is, just like her folks. She’s pure–hearted and real through and through p>
“And that side of her? You were the first one to see it. You’re the one who couldn’t hold on to it p>
Ian sat slumped on the couch, his suit jacket draped across his legs. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, fingers digging into his hair.
Patrick could see how much lan was hurting, but he still felt he had to say it. “lan, some mistakes can’t be undone. Try to move on. Don’t keep holding on so tight p>
Ian sprawled back, almost sinking into the couch, the weight of his body pressing heavily down. He pressed a hand to his chest, voice thick with pain. “I want to move on, but I just can’t p>
Every night, when it was just him in that empty house, lying in the bed they’d once shared, he couldn’t ever let himself fall asleep. He couldn’t even imagine how someone like Chloe–so fiery, so full of life–survived
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three years of his cold silence.
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Now she shut him out with the same coldness, leaving no room for regret. No second chances. Just watching him tear himself apart with guilt. Facing her indifference, he was hanging by a thread, losing his mind bit by
bit.
lan pulled out the crystal pendant he always kept on him. His fingers shook as he touched the photo Chloe had carefully sealed inside.
His eyes were bloodshot, his voice trembling. “I deserve whatever’s coming to me p>
Patrick stared at the crystal pendant in Ian’s hand, his brow furrowing. He urged lan. You should just toss that thing.” Patrick reached out to take it, but lan gripped it even tighter, refusing to let go.
Patrick said, “lan, that thing’s going to eat you alive p>
Chloe had already moved on, but she still made that pendant herself and gave it to lan. It wasn’t a keepsake. It felt like a curse hanging over Ian.
Ian clutched the pendant tightly in his palm, shaking his head. This is the only thing Chloe left me. I can’t lose it p>
Patrick couldn’t talk lan out of it, so he dropped it. Watching lan in that much pain, he hesitated before asking, “lan, do you even love Chloe p>
Ian squeezed the pendant in his fist, his eyes fixed on Patrick. Chloe had asked lan that very thing once before, back on the island.
Patrick caught the way lan reacted. No words needed, the answer was written all over his face.
Patrick said, “Ian, I’m just going to be straight with you. Ever since you were a kid, the way your grandpa and dad shaped your ideas about marriage and love, it’s honestly kind of twisted. None of it’s normal.
“They stamped the whole business mindset into your bones. To you, it’s all about benefits and profit, nothing else.
“If you’d ended up marrying some woman just for a business deal, someone who didn’t care about you at all, you’d probably be living easier than anyone, cold and above it all.
“But instead, you insisted on marrying Chloe, the daughter of the bankrupt Irvine family. She truly loved
but you never loved her back. From the very beginning, your relationship was doomed p>
you,
Reeling from the booze, Ian lurched to his feet and pointed accusingly at Patrick. “Then you tell me, what the hell is love, huh p>
With his eyes blazing red and his voice cracking as he lost control, lan yelled, “Patrick, I’m telling you, there’s no such thing as real love in this world p>
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Chapter 260