Chapter 51
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Chloe opened the door. At the sight of lan, her first instinct was to close it.
But Ian was quick. He caught the door and stepped inside before she could shut it.
They stared at each other. It had been a week since they last saw each other.
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His gaze made Chloe’s skin crawl. She looked him straight in the eye, her expression cold. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
The divorce agreement was already signed by her, and 300 million was on the bank card. Andrea, eager to claim her place with Clint, had likely handed everything over to Ian.
There was no reason left for Chloe and Ian to cross paths, except for the divorce certificate.
Ian looked around the small apartment.
Then he walked up to Chloe, pulled a diamond necklace from his pocket, and said, “I brought you a gift from my business trip. Let me help you put it on.”
Chloe raised her arm to block him, stepping back to keep her distance.
“Ian,” she said, her voice steady, “we’ve been married for three years. Now that we’re at this point, there’s no need to keep pretending.”
Ian’s brows furrowed slightly. He bent down and placed the necklace on the coffee table.
In a low, tired voice, he said, “Chloe, you’ve got it wrong about me and Andrea. It’s really not like that.”
Chloe couldn’t stand Ian’s acting any longer.
She forced down the pain in her chest and confronted him. “You say it’s not what I think. Then tell me. You lied about not coming home for a month, booked out the entire Riverfront Promenade for Andrea and Clint, with the yacht, the flowers, homemade blueberry cake, and even showed off your love on Instagram. Was all of that fake?”
Ian pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and opened Instagram before handing it to Chloe. “I’ll admit it. I lied for the sake of Andrea and Clint, but only that one time. And yeah, that post really was up on my Instagram… for sixty seconds.”
When Andrea first returned, it stirred up old memories from lan’s heart for a moment.
But he never once considered divorce. He realized that whatever he once felt for Andrea had faded a long time ago.
Months had passed, and it was all supposed to be behind them. But hearing it from lan still sent a sharp pain through Chloe’s chest. “Even if it was just one minute, it still happened,” she said, her voice trembling as she tried to steady herself.
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Chapter 51
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Before fan could respond, Chloe continued, “We’ve been married for three years, but all the things you did for Andrea these past few months are more than you ever did for me
Jan opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Chloe bit back her tears, her voice barely steady. “Tan, I have loved for over twenty years. Can’t we just part ways without any more pain?”
Jan walked over stiffly, reaching out as if to take Chloe’s hand, but she pulled away with a look of reluctance.
His hand fell weakly to his side. Jan met Chloe’s gaze and said, “Chloe, I know you got me wrong, and I get that you’re not fond of Andrea and Clint. They’ve already moved out of our place. From now on, I’ll keep my
distance from them.”
Jan hesitated for a moment, reaching toward her again. “Chloe, don’t be mad. Just come home with me.”
Chloe shook off his hand, her tone unwavering. “Love always shows in the details. I can feel how much you care about Andrea and Clint. You said you owe them, and they bring you happiness. Just end this with me. Go and start a happy family with them. That’s the best ending for all of us.”
They stared at each other, and lan could see all the heartbreak and despair in Chloe’s eyes.
His chest suddenly tightened with a strange ache. Ian stepped closer and gently took Chloe’s hands in his.
“Chloe, I admit it when Andrea first came back, I kind of lost my head for a bit. She and Clint were both sick, so I took care of them day and night. She said I owed her a post on Instagram, so I shared something for her, but I took it down after just one minute. I kept it from you because I didn’t want you to get hurt wondering what was going on.”
Jan continued, “Since she moved back, I’ve been out late. But I never crossed the line with her, now or ever.”
In his junior year of college, lan was kidnapped, and Andrea risked her own safety to save him.
After that, Andrea started to pursue him, and Ian agreed to start dating her.
As they grew closer, lan realized Andrea was honest, pure–hearted, kind, and brave,
She was always gentle and accommodating, always going out of her way to please him.
Jan really liked Andrea, and he had seriously considered marrying her at one point.
Three years ago, when lan decided to marry Chloe, he buried his feelings for Andrea for good.
Life was more than just love. Jan was never the type to let romance dictate his life.
Chloe’s eyes looked hollow as she stared at lan, her face numb. “True love is about giving, not owning. And all of this, it only proves you love Andrea more than you ever realized.”
Jan’s hands gently slid from Chloe’s arms to her shoulders.
He stood there, silent for a long moment.
Chapter 51
Finally, in a low voice, he asked, “Chloe, is that really what you think of me?”
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“Then tell me, lan. Did you ever love me? Even for a single minute?” Chloe asked, her voice steady but filled with pain.
They locked eyes, and suddenly the room felt unbearably quiet.
Ian’s gaze dropped, and his hands slowly slipped from Chloe’s shoulders.
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