**CHLOE**I scoffed internally. Robert is really something.A fucking bastard indeed. So he had pretended to love me then, while sleeping with his brother's fiance and planning his death. I took a large bite of my cone. How epic.“Hey!” Audrey called out. “Should I go?”“There's nothing more to see,” I mumbled, nudging Audrey's elbow. “We should get out of here before someone catches us spying.”“What's wrong?” Audrey asked, putting her phone down and sitting beside me.“It's nothing,” I murmured.“We're best friends, remember? And best friends tell each other everything.”I took a deep, calming breath.“Do you still like Robert?” She asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.“I don't,” I countered immediately. “I just feel really angry whenever he's around. He deceived me all the while he was pretending to be something he's not.” I munched on my ice cream angrily. “All the while, he was dating his brother's fiance, and they even planned his death. And then, after finding out about all

**CHLOE**Jeffrey sat up and clenched his fists. “Hello, man. Are you there?” Richard asked over the phone. “Are you there?” He repeated, but Jeffrey was silent.He got up from the bed and paced the length of the room like a caged animal.His phone rang a few more times, I'm sure it was Richard calling but Jeffrey didn't pick up.I remained glued to bed, unable to say anything. Laura…Things just keep getting worse. We had just seen her this evening…I feel worse trying to imagine how Jeffrey must be feeling. But how did she already know that she'd been caught. I stood up from the bed and walked towards Jeffrey. I hugged him and I could feel the reluctance in his body language but he eventually softened up. “It'll be fine,” I said, hugging him even tighter.“I'm good, Chloe,” he mumbled. “I don't even want to set my eyes on her again.”He tried so hard to act like it was fine but I could see through him.“It'll be fine,” I murmured again, planting a kiss on his cheeks. He pull

**CHLOE**I saw Helen standing in the hallway. “Good evening, ma'am,” I said politely.She put out her cigarette and then turned to me. “Perhaps some tea?”"Sure, ma'am,” I replied.I entered the kitchen again, this time with Helen walking in front of me. “You can sit.”"Oh, okay,” I murmured.She reached for some tea cups in the cupboard and then heated up water afterwards.“This is fine tea; you'll enjoy it,” she said, smiling as she added the tea to the water. I gave back a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes in response.What did she want to talk about? She'd pay me a huge amount of money if I decided to stay away from her son? That's how it usually happens in movies.How much would she offer? Ten million dollars? No, that seems too small for her status.Maybe twenty? I won't leave Jeffrey regardless, but…“Jeffrey adores you a lot,” she muttered, filling our cups with the contents of the tea pot.“Thank you, ma'am,” I blurted out, smiling uneasily. “I adore him too.”Phew…

**CHLOE**After Jeffrey left for work the next morning, I took a shower and headed to Dad's room. "Hey, Chloe,” Lily said with a smile as I walked in. “Where are you here so early?” I snapped at Lily playfully. “I was even worried about waking Dad up, but here you are.”We all chuckled, and then I turned to Dad. “She didn't allow you to sleep well, right?” Dad smiled. “I was already awake before she came.”“I know Dad's just covering up for you.” I rolled my eyes at her playfully and tried to pull her away from Dad, but she clung on to him even tighter. “Dad, please tell her to stop,” Lily squealed.“Chloe, leave your sister alone,” he warned playfully, and I let go of Lily's hand, both of us panting heavily.“You two still act like my little girls, despite how big you've grown,” Dad said, and we laughed. “Chloe, you know that you can't keep acting like you're Lily's age.”I gasped, and Lily laughed. “Dad, I'm only a year older than Lily. Not even up to a year technically. My birth

**JEFFREY** “I have to get ready for work, baby,” I whispered into Chloe's ears.She was silent and didn't make any attempt to pull away from me. “I'll be back home early, okay?” I murmured. “Maybe you could go shopping with Audrey or Lily to keep yourself distracted before I'm back.”I didn't want to leave her, especially when she was like this, but I had an important meeting.“Okay, just give me five minutes more,” she mumbled, snuggling into my arms even tighter. I got to work around ten, just about thirty minutes before my meeting was due to start. “Good morning, Mr. Blakes,” Cilia greeted me as I walked in.“Good morning,” I replied. “Have everything perfect at my villa before Friday; I'm going there with my wife.”“Which of the villas, sir?” She asked politely. “The one in Paris,” I said, and I headed to my office. I stopped at the door and turned. "And, uh… clear my schedule; I won't be available throughout next week.” I got into my office and had a quick cup of coffee be