Chapter 92
The whole issue was resolved smoothly, and Chloe and Jan walked out of the venue together.
Chloe kept her eyes glued to her phone screen as she walked, constantly refreshing her feed.
lan was giving off a vibe that made people want to stay away.
The driver opened the car door, and Chloe bent down to get in.
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Meanwhile, in the makeup room of a top influencer company in Kingsford, Andrea glared furiously at the livestream as lan and Chloe showed up at the press conference to sort out the whole mess. Her rage boiling over, she swept all the makeup off the table in a single motion.
She’d thought this would be easy, almost effortless.
If only the media dug a little deeper, her connection with Ian would be laid bare for everyone to see.
But she never expected that after just one night, that bitch Chloe would dissolve all the drama with a few
clever lines.
As Andrea watched Chloe flirting shamelessly with Ian on screen–and Ian gazing back at Chloe like she was the only girl in the world–jealousy burned in her chest, and she ripped her headband off in frustration.
She was Ian’s first love, the only woman he’d ever truly loved. As long as she was around, that bitch Chloe would be out of the picture sooner or later.
Andrea stared at her increasingly flawless features in the mirror, quickly composed herself, and then dialed
Jan’s number.
The black Bentley cruised down the streets of Kingsford.
Chloe and lan sat quietly in the back seat of the luxury car, when Ian’s phone suddenly rang, the shrill ringtone snapping through the stillness.
Jan shot a glance at the caller ID, then turned towards Chloe, a hint of wariness in his eyes.
Chloe slipped her phone into her bag and zipped it shut.
Catching Jan’s eyes, she tilted her head and said, “If you need some privacy, I can step outside.”
She said it so casually, completely indifferent, like it was the most routine thing in the world.
With that, Chloe instructed the driver to pull over.
Jan’s
gaze was intense and cutting, like it could slice straight into Chloe’s soul, digging for secrets she kept hidden deep inside.
The black Bentley rolled to a stop at a nearby parking spot, and Chloe pushed the door open.
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Chapter 92
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Ian snapped out of his daze just in time to see Chloe already stepping out, one foot on the pavement.
Ian hung up and caught Chloe by the wrist.
He said, “I turned off the call. You don’t have to leave.”
Chloe threw lan a glance, but shook off his grip and stepped out of the car anyway.
Standing outside, Chloe looked in through the window and reminded him with calm concern, “You really should call her back. She’s struggling with depression and she’s totally head over heels for you. If she can’t handle it and does something drastic, I’m worried that’s something you’ll never be able to undo.”
After saying that, Chloe turned away with total calm, stepped onto the sidewalk, and pulled out her phone to order a ride.
Ian felt suffocated by Chloe’s words, a tightness in his chest that made it hard to breathe.
His breathing was heavy and uneven as he slipped out of the car from the opposite side, circling around the vehicle.
Chloe heard the car door open and shut, and suddenly Ian was standing right in front of her.
Chloe glanced at him and asked, “Now that the press conference is over, do you still need anything else from me?”
Ian wore a stormy expression, eyes locked on Chloe as he tried to read her face.
He said, “Chloe, if you’ve got a problem or something’s bothering you, just say it. You don’t have to act like this with me.”
Chloe set down her phone, her gaze unmistakably detached as she looked at Ian.
She said, “What’s the point of being upset? It’s not like I can walk away from this marriage.”
She went on, “What good does it do to feel wronged? I’m stuck–I signed that agreement, and now I’m at your mercy. I’m scared you’ll threaten me, scared you’ll have me thrown in jail. All I can do is deal with it.”
She finished, “And even if I say all this–would it really change anything? Is it up to me to save myself, or are you ever going to let me go?”
They stood on the edge of the sidewalk, face to face, so close neither one was willing to look away.
Chloe shot her questions one after another, her expression totally unbothered–her words laced with scorn, almost like she couldn’t care less.
Ian looked furious, his face dark as thunder, breathing so hard it seemed like he was barely holding it together.
His Adam’s apple moved as he struggled to swallow, and his eyes showed a jumble of pain, confusion, and uncertainty.
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Chapter 92
His expression shifted through a mess of emotions before finally settling–calm returning to his eyes at last.
He caught Chloe by the arm and gently pulled her closer. Then, sounding softer, he said, “Your mom’s leaving the hospital today. I’ll go with you.”
Chloe reminded him in a calm voice, “lan, you know as well as I do–my family really doesn’t want to see
you.”
Ian felt stifled, her words pressing heavily on his chest.
He nodded, “Alright. I’ll pick you up tonight so we can go back to Hamilton Manor
The rideshare pulled up to the curb, and Chloe quietly slipped her arm from fan’s grip, got in, and disappeared without another word.
Ian just stood there on the sidewalk, watching as her car faded into the stream of traffic and out of sight.
The driver’s reminder snapped him out of it, and Ian finally got back into his own car.
The car stayed idle as Ian rolled down the window and lit up a cigarette, obviously annoyed.
A WhatsApp chat from Andrea popped up on his phone. Ian barely glanced at it and didn’t bother to reply.
By midday, Chloe had finally picked up her parents and little brother from the hospital and brought them back to their spacious condo downtown.
As soon as they stepped inside, Jill grabbed Chloe and dragged her straight into the bedroom.
Muttering anxiously, Jill asked, “Chloe, what’s up with all that stuff in the news lately?”
Chloe flashed a smile and tried to ease her mom’s worries. “Mom, seriously, whenever you see stuff like this online, don’t let it bother you. Life among the rich and powerful? Most of it’s just for show–don’t get caught up in the drama.”
Jill let out a sigh.
It looked like Chloe was finally starting to move on from Ian.
Jill took Chloe’s hand and said, “Money isn’t everything, sweetheart. Your health comes first. No matter what life throws at you, don’t let yourself suffer–promise me, okay?”
Chloe’s heart clenched with bitterness, but she couldn’t let her mom see her pain. Just keep smiling, don’t let it show,’ she told herself, forcing a smile anyway.
At noon, Chloe finally got to sit down and have a proper meal with her family.
She spent the whole afternoon helping her family clean up the house from top to bottom.
She packed the balcony with potted plants and splashed fresh flowers all over the living room, making the whole place feel like spring.
13:37 Thu, Oct 24…
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