Chapter 247 Let's Meet Up
Charlotte clasped her hands and whispered, "Patrick might look tough, but he's got a soft spot for you! Make yourself at home here, or crash with us. Lola's into Gavin too."
Chloe nodded.
Charlotte held up a blingy diamond necklace, designed by some big-shot designer. It had a super rare deep-sea pearl.
She gently put it on Chloe and said, "Chloe, I'm so stoked you're back!"
Chloe touched the fancy pearl, tears starting to well up.
She got that Charlotte wanted her to be the old Chloe again, not some outsider tiptoeing around.
She started bawling, right there in the busy café.
Charlotte hugged her tight.
By nine that night, Charlotte finally rolled back to the villa.
Soft yellow light spilled from the hall, casting a warm glow at the entrance.
Lola was jamming on the piano, with Frederick chilling next to her.
He was rocking a classic three-piece suit, minus the jacket, his vest showing off his tall, lean frame. Seeing Charlotte, he swirled his wine glass and asked, "How was your day out?"
Charlotte dropped her bag and flopped onto the sofa, rubbing her sore legs.
Lola wanted to run over.
She had started learning the piano to find her mom, but now she couldn't quit!
Frederick gently held Lola back and said seriously, "Play this piece five more times!"
'Dad, you're so mean. When you wanted me to help you win Mom over, you weren't like this!' Lola thought to herself.
She kept playing, speeding up!
Charlotte, both amused and annoyed, said to Frederick, "She's only four. Why push her so hard?"
Frederick knelt in front of her, massaging her feet, his voice low and gentle. "She's got talent! Charlotte, I've always wanted to say sorry, but no amount of 'sorry' can fix your feet. So, I want to give Lola more options!"
Charlotte stayed quiet, just looking at him. She rarely looked at him like this because she'd always tried to avoid catching feelings for him again.
After a long pause, she whispered, "Even so, don't push her too hard! I want Lola to live freely. Besides, with you around, she won't lack anything in the future."
Frederick smiled faintly. "It's rare to hear you say anything nice about me."
They switched topics and chatted about Chloe for a bit.
Frederick seemed to have done a lot of thinking during the day. Holding her fair feet, he said softly, "I won't force you or make you do anything because of Chloe!"
Charlotte looked at him under the light. Her gaze was softer than usual, naturally so, not just to make him feel better.
Frederick was moved. His voice came out rough. "Charlotte, do you like me, even just a little?"
Charlotte reached out and gently touched his handsome face. "Maybe a little."
Frederick chuckled softly.
Just as they were both getting all emotional, Lola finished her five pieces and ran over, demanding Frederick massage her feet.
Frederick doted on her.
He scooped Lola up, massaging not just her feet but also her hands.
Lola finally stopped being mad, lying in his arms, a bit embarrassed.
Charlotte patted her little head and said to Frederick, "She really likes you."
Frederick playfully tapped her nose. "You're so grown up, yet you're jealous of a kid."
That night, Charlotte still slept with Lola.
Frederick didn't bring up the idea of her sleeping in the master bedroom again, nor did he ask for intimacy. The way he had treated her in the dressing room during the day, she hadn't pushed him away, which meant she wasn't entirely opposed to him.
He wasn't in a hurry.
This time, he wanted to take it slow with her.
At night, Chloe stood on the balcony.
Gavin was with Laura, making this probably the most relaxed evening she had had in years. She should have been happy, but after everything she had been through, she could no longer be the carefree girl she once was.
Suddenly, the phone rang inside the room. She went to answer it; it was an unfamiliar number.
Chloe didn't think much and immediately picked up, "Hello!"
The person on the other end didn't speak at first. After a long pause, a hoarse voice said, "It's me."
Chloe's blood froze.
It was Andrew.
She had never thought she would receive his call again. After all, their parting had been unpleasant, at least for her, as she had left with despair and hatred.
Her lips moved slightly, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.
In contrast, Andrew seemed much calmer. He asked in a low voice, "Frederick said you haven't been home for two years. Is that true?"
Chloe's throat felt blocked. After a long struggle, she managed to squeeze out, "Mr. Devereux, why are you calling? We made it clear back then that we wouldn't contact each other again."
Andrew's tone carried a hint of gentleness, just like when he used to comfort her, "Frederick said you weren't doing well."
Chloe closed her eyes slightly. "I'm doing just fine now!"
They both fell silent.
After a long pause, Andrew said softly, "I'm in Syeattel. Can we meet? I'm still at that apartment."
Chloe finally exploded.
"Meet? Mr. Devereux, what do you take me for? Am I just some snack you got bored of and now remember, or one of your many flings? Am I that shameful?"
Andrew's breath hitched.
His voice stayed calm. "Chloe, it's just a meeting and a meal together."
Chloe held back and said softly, "Mr. Devereux, I won't go!"
She abruptly hung up the phone.
Late at night, she cried alone on the balcony for a long time.
She didn't know when she had fallen for Andrew. Maybe it was watching him work in the hospital, seeing him smoke alone late at night, or perhaps she saw the loneliness in a man.
She called him Andrew.
She was afraid he would blame Frederick, so she always carefully followed him, trying to make him happy.
Over time, he allowed her to stay by his side.
He often stayed up late, and sometimes when she was tired, she would sleep on the sofa in his small office. One night, she woke up to find him covering her with a blanket. Under the fluorescent light, his face was particularly attractive, and she couldn't help but call out, "Andrew."
Later, they kissed.
Andrew was much older than her, a very mature man who could easily handle women.
That night, he teased her playfully. But he didn't sleep with her.
It was the first time she realized how skilled a man could be. For the next few days, she avoided him, not daring to see him.
He didn't seek her out again.
Until the night they were to send Lola away, Andrew got drunk, and she went to check on him out of concern.
Drunk Andrew was very attractive.
She couldn't help but kiss him. Later, they made love.
On that small sofa, she kept calling out "Andrew," sinking deeper and deeper under him. At that time, she didn't even realize how much she liked him; she just knew everything about him attracted her.
She thought they would only have a one night stand.
But later, he frequently traveled to Seattle on business.
He bought a very nice apartment, decorated it beautifully, and every time he came, he would find her.
In that apartment, they were sweet and loving.
He would cook for her, and after eating, he would taste her.
During that time, she was like a woman possessed, knowing she shouldn't but still falling for his charm. He never talked about marriage or the future, and she couldn't help but go to Copenhegan to find him.
It was only then that she realized they were impossible!
They were both single.
But what he could give her, from beginning to end, was only the secret sweetness inside the apartment.
She was never allowed to be public with him!
Andrew sat in the car.
The car was parked downstairs from the apartment, and he made the call from there.
He shouldn't have come, but he couldn't help making the trip, even hiding it from his personal secretary.
Chloe refused, unwilling to come.
Andrew still went upstairs, opening the apartment door, which had already been cleaned.
Everything was as it was, except Chloe was no longer here.
Andrew, who had calculated his whole life, rarely felt such a sense of loss, rarely wanted to see someone so badly.
He sat on the apartment sofa all night.
He thought of their past passion, of her lying in his arms, calling out "Andrew."
No girl had ever been as pure as she was.
Who around him wasn't a schemer?
Someone like him had long lost his true heart, yet in his early forties, he found himself lost in a love game with a young girl. He liked her, but he didn't want her to be tainted by his world.
His world was too dangerous.
And she couldn't protect herself, needing him to be distracted to protect her.
So after that incident, not only was she heartbroken and desperate, but he also felt they were unsuitable. After more than two years apart, he thought he had forgotten, but Frederick broke that illusion.
It turned out he hadn't let go.
The first rays of morning sunlight shone into the apartment.
Andrew got up and made breakfast. After finishing, he habitually went to the bedroom, intending to wake the women for breakfast as he used to. She ate a lot but was easy to please. She loved junk food.
The bedroom was empty.
The bed no longer carried her scent.
Andrew slowly backed out of the bedroom and ate breakfast alone.
Nathan called, saying there was a meeting at ten.
Andrew said calmly, "Postpone it to tomorrow. I'm in Syeattel and want to see Charlotte and Lola."
Nathan understood. He sighed, thinking, 'If Mr. Devereux had wronged anyone in this life, it was only Chloe!'
Andrew did go to see Charlotte.
He bought toys that Lola liked and went early. Fortunately, Frederick had left on a business trip, so they didn't run into each other.
But Charlotte knew the situation, and their meeting was somewhat awkward.
Watching Andrew play with Lola, his face full of affection, Charlotte couldn't help but think of Gavin.
She asked softly, "Andrew, have you ever thought about starting a family?"
Andrew smiled. "What? Are you here to persuade me on behalf of your grandmother?"
Charlotte said nothing, silently brewing coffee.
After a while, she said softly, "I just see that you really like children."
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