After Divorce, I Returned as the Army's Queen novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69 Promise Me You’ll Never Hate My Face

When the funeral finally ended, Chloe forced herself to hold back her grief. She greeted Yarfdale officials one by one, as well as her parents‘ comrades.

Geoffrey remained at her side the entire time, as though silently declaring to everyone present that even if Chloe had lost her parents, she was still a Quall. The Qualls will stand behind her.

Thoughts were brewing among the younger Quall generation.

“Looks like Chloe’s parents weren’t as simple as we thought. That’s an insane amount of officials around her. Not to mention Great–Grandpa publicly supporting her. Even Brian showed up at the funeral.”

“No kidding. I heard Brian never attends funerals unless it’s for his family.”

“Don’t tell me Brian’s actually interested in Chloe? What happens to Willow then?”

“Willow? Please, she could only hold her head high because she was using the Steele family’s guilt against them. Does she really think Brian would choose someone with a ruined eye?”

“If Willow ever loses Brian as her shield, she and her useless father will be tossed out of Quall Group in no

time.”

Just outside the restroom, Willow heard every word. She dug her nails deep into her palms.

She pushed open the door, her face cold as ice.

The restroom went dead silent. The cousins who had been whispering moments before stared at her nervously. They were the same ones who usually flattered her in front of the elders. Who knew they were gossiping about her behind her back?

Willow walked straight up to Wendy Quall and grabbed her jaw with one hand. Her cold, menacing gaze pierced through her glasses and fixed on Wendy’s face.

Wendy had been the most vocal in the group.

“I’m arrogant, huh? That my eye is ruined?” Willow’s lips curled into a vicious smile. “Why don’t I gouge one of your eyes out right now and ruin your eye too? Let’s see if Brian will protect me then.”

She tightened her grip on Wendy’s jaw, letting her finger creep toward her eye.

“Ah! No… please, don’t! I’m sorry! I take it back! Chloe is nothing compared to you,” Wendy stammered.

The others stayed quiet.

While nobody knew exactly what Chloe meant to Brian, everyone knew what Brian was to Willow.

Willow let Wendy go with a sneer. Her nails raked bloody scratches across Wendy’s face.

“Next time, think twice before you run your mouth. Otherwise, you might not even know when you might

Chapter 69 Promise Me You’ll Never Hate My Face

lose that eye.”

Wendy nodded frantically.

2/3

Willow left the restroom with a stormy expression. She knew better than anyone that her standing in the Quall family depended entirely on Brian. She couldn’t afford to lose him.

Her ruined eye was Brian’s fault. If she could keep stoking his guilt, then surely…

She froze. Not far ahead, Brian and Chloe stood together. They were chatting about something. Brian’s gaze at Chloe was calm, but Willow had never seen it that gentle.

Her stomach stopped. Brian had never looked at any woman like that. Could it be that he truly liked

Chloe?

Then, he reached toward Chloe.

Chloe quickly caught his wrist. “What are you doing?”

“Just trying to wipe away your tears,” he said.

Chloe was surprised. She glanced at his arm and saw the folded handkerchief in his hand.

“Sorry.” She let go of his hand. “I’ll do it myself.”

“Sure,” he said, opening his palm. The pale blue handkerchief lay there, waiting.

Chloe hesitated. She hadn’t brought any tissues, and with him offering so plainly, she had no choice but to

take them. She dabbed her tears away.

“Why are you crying?” Brian asked in a low voice. “Because they were your parents?”

“Is that reason not enough?” she shot back.

He lowered his gaze. “When my mom died, I didn’t shed a single tear. People said I was cold–blooded.

Some even called me a monster. Do you think that too?”

Chloe pursed her lips. If he truly were a monster, he wouldn’t have come to her parents‘ funeral.

“Was your mom cruel to you?” she asked quietly.

“She hated me. Especially this face. She couldn’t stand it,” he replied flatly, as if describing the weather.

Chloe faltered. What kind of mother despises her own child’s face?

“What about you?” Brian lifted his eyes slowly. “Would you hate my face, too?”

His gaze was steady, like a dead sea. But beneath it flickered a fragile thread of hope.

A strange feeling stirred in Chloe’s chest. “No,” she murmured.

Brian’s face was strikingly handsome. Most women could never bring themselves to hate it.

His lips curved into the faintest smile when he heard her answer. It melted the ice in his eyes.

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