Marriage Lies and a Dangerous Obsession novel Chapter 281

Chapter 281

Ian stood up, feeling completely drained, both emotionally and mentally.

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Even after living all over again, to his disappointment, he found that Edward and Shane were still just as bossy and overbearing as ever.

Ian said firmly, “Even if the wedding can’t go ahead as planned, there’s no way I’m getting engaged to Margaret.”

Edward snorted coldly. “That’s not up to you.”

Ian’s face got even darker. “Grandpa, I’m your grandson. You really want to chain me to just any random woman for the rest of my life? Is my happiness really that meaningless to you?”

Shane pointed at Ian, scolding him, “We’re doing this for your own good.”

‘There it is again,‘ Ian thought, feeling numb to those words.

He took a deep breath, completely exhausted.

Shane said, “Do the math–how much have you poured into the Irvines? You’re a businessman, not a charity.”

He continued, “Without a powerhouse family backing you, without genuine influence and status, what do you have to make people respect you, to stand out, to secure your own happiness?”

Ian stood his ground. “Even if you have all the power and status in the world, even if you’re crazy rich, none of that can buy you real love, a happy marriage, or a true family.”

Edward’s face turned livid with rage.

He stood up, trembling with anger, and pointed at Ian. “Have I just wasted all those years teaching you? Are you trying to drive me to an early grave?”

Ian tried to be as patient as he could. “Grandpa, power and wealth matter, sure–but you can’t sacrifice your happiness and your marriage just for material things.”

Edward was stubborn as ever. “Everything you have now is thanks to the Hamilton family, so you have to listen to us. There are only ten days left until the wedding. Either you marry Chloe, or you get engaged to the Goodwin girl. It’s your call.”

Seeing Edward’s anger, lan softened his tone. “Got it, Grandpa. You guys should get some rest.”

Without waiting for anyone else to say a word, lan strode out of the living room.

At the doorway, he paused and glanced back. Edward was sprawled on the couch, gasping for breath, still fuming. Shane was yelling at the servants, his face twisted with rage. And Miranda was just standing there, sighing.

Ian lowered his eyes, hiding whatever he was feeling inside. Then, he walked over to his car, leaned against

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the door, and lit a cigarette.

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‘Arguing is pointless, Ian thought to himself. “There are ten days left until the wedding. No matter where things end up, I gotta fight for what I want.‘

But over the next two or three days, nothing went right for lan.

He tried to see Chloe at the Irvine family’s house, but she locked herself in her room and wouldn’t even give him a chance.

He finally managed to run into her at the entrance of her apartment building–but she almost kicked him with a savage low blow.

Chloe refused to answer his calls or reply to any of his WhatsApp messages.

She wouldn’t touch any of the snacks he brought, and as for his gifts, she just tossed them straight into the trash without a second thought.

Every time he tried to talk to her, she’d say they were just friends, and nothing more.

But if he so much as mentioned marriage or tried to get close, she’d flip out instantly.

Ian was at his wit’s end.

If things kept going like this, they’d end up hating each other all over again—just like in their last lifetime.

There were only five days left until the wedding.

Standing outside Chloe’s apartment building, Ian called Patrick. “Hey, Patrick, can you help me out here?”

That afternoon, Chloe was out apartment hunting when Patrick intercepted her at the entrance of her complex.

Patrick swung the car door open, nodding for her to get in. “I need a word. Get in–now.”

Chloe remembered the last time Patrick tried to pull one over on her by saying lan was wasted. She wasn’t buying it this time.

She propped her foot against his car door, hands on her hips, and raised an eyebrow at him. “So, last time you told me lan was wasted. What’s it gonna be today? Are you gonna claim he’s dead drunk or just plain dead?”

Patrick gave her an awkward smile. “You sure have a sharp tongue for such a little spitfire.”

Chloe’s expression turned cold. “Well, that’s what you get for constantly trying to trick me.”

Since she’d seen right through him, Patrick dropped the act.

He shot her a look. “You’ve been glued to lan for so many years, doing everything you could to get his attention. Now that you’re finally this close, why are you suddenly pulling away?”

Chloe

put on her best poker face. “I just figured it out–I only see lan as a friend, that’s all.”

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Patrick snorted. “Come on, who are you trying to kid? As if anyone believes you’ve only ever seen Ian as a

friend.”

Chloe scrunched up her face. “I’ve been a total simp for years and ended up with nothing. Can’t a girl finally snap out of her lovesick fantasy?”

They stared each other down.

Chloe looked so determined, one’d think she was gearing up to lead a political movement.

Patrick realized things were getting real.

After Patrick left, Chloe got back to her apartment hunt.

Jill’s emerald had already been appraised and valued at the auction house, and it was now in the auction process. Chloe’d be getting the money soon.

As soon as the cash hit her account, she was going to pay off every last cent she owed Ian.

But before the end of the month, she needed to find a place to rent and move her family out of Ian’s house.

By late afternoon, Chloe finally found a small three–bedroom apartment for rent near Verdantville Hospital.

She hadn’t even gotten around to putting down the deposit when Carl called.

‘Chloe, I messed up–I broke someone’s stuff and now they want me to pay for it. Here’s the address.” He rattled off the info, and then before Chloe could get a word in, he hung up.

Chloe clicked on the location Carl sent. ‘Wait–Hamilton Private Airfield? That can’t be right.‘ She frowned.

Something felt seriously wrong. Chloe dialed Carl’s number over and over, but he wasn’t answering.

Carl was only fourteen, and he worshipped Ian–if Ian said jump, he’d ask how high.

‘Hold on, did Ian somehow rope Carl in and take advantage of him?‘ Chloe wondered, anxiety creeping in.

Then she thought, ‘Ian’s always plotting, always calculating. If anyone can pull off a scheme, it’s him.

“What if lan deliberately got Carl to mess up something on his helicopter, then turned around and made him pay for it?

“When it comes to playing dirty and pulling the strings from behind the scenes, lan’s in a league of his own.

If lan really set Carl up and hit him with some huge compensation fee, the Irvine family would just be completely under lan’s thumb, unable to do a thing about it!

Chloe was too anxious to wait–she hailed a cab and rushed over to see for herself.

Meanwhile, at Hamilton Private Airfield, Patrick nodded at Mia. “Take Carl home first, will you?”

As soon as Carl and Mia climbed into the car, lan rolled up in his own ride and parked.

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Ian got out, his long legs making him look even taller. He was rocking a sharp suit, obviously having really dressed up for this.

Watching Patrick’s sports car pull away, Ian asked, “Why is Carl here?”

Patrick rolled his eyes. “Isn’t he here to help you?”

lan frowned. “Help me?”

Patrick hustled Ian toward the plane. “Don’t worry about it–Chloe’s coming, just get up there and wait.”

If he hadn’t gotten Carl to help, there was no way he could’ve gotten Chloe to show up at the Hamilton Private Airfield.

Chloe hopped out of the cab and rushed all the way into the airfield.

She scanned the area–no sign of Carl anywhere, but she did spot Patrick waiting nearby.

Still unable to get through to Carl, Chloe–worry etched on her face–walked up to Patrick. “Hey Patrick, have you seen my brother?”

Patrick let out a sigh, his face serious as he pointed toward the helicopter’s door.

Chloe hesitated, looking worried. “What’s Carl doing on Ian’s helicopter?”

Patrick shrugged innocently. “How should I know? I just got here. Go on, check it out for yourself.”

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Chapter 281

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Patrick snorted. “Come on, who are you trying to kid? As if anyone believes you’ve only ever seen fan as a friend.

Chloe scrunched up her face. “I’ve been a total simp for years and ended up with nothing. Can’t a girl finally snap out of her lovesick fantasy?”

They stared each other down.

Chloe looked so determined, one’d think she was gearing up to lead a political movement.

Patrick realized things were getting real.

After Patrick left, Chloe got back to her apartment hunt.

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