Chapter 328 I'm Over You (Part 1)
At 2 PM, Nathan rolled up to scoop him.
As soon as Andrew hopped in, Nathan couldn't resist, "Dude, you look energetic today!"
Andrew gave a half-smile. "Chloe's been all over me; where's the energy after it? It's just draining!"
Nathan chuckled.
After the meeting, Andrew stormed out, looking seriously pissed.
Nathan sidled up and whispered, "What's up?"
"I'll spill in the car!"
Once they were in the car, Andrew yanked down all the window shades and sighed. "Remember that project from six months ago?"
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
Andrew loosened his shirt collar, his voice tight. "I vouched for Luke Jackson! But today, I found out in the meeting that Luke and his wife died in a car crash!"
Nathan was floored, speechless.
Andrew lit a cigarette, but his hands were shaking. It took him a minute to take a drag. What he didn't tell Nathan was that Luke and his wife had clear signs of being beaten!
In the end, Luke used his and his wife's lives to protect the data.
The project needed a new lead.
Andrew was the chosen one, and this time he couldn't dodge it.
He held the cigarette with trembling fingers, slowly taking a drag. With his other hand, he pulled out a velvet box from his pocket. He had planned to pop the question to Chloe today and then tie the knot.
But now, could he still go through with it?
The image of Luke's wife dying horribly haunted him.
Though he didn't say it, Nathan, being sharp, had already pieced it together. He stayed quiet.
Just then, the black Audi got slammed hard, throwing Andrew in the back seat forward.
The car stopped, and a guy in black on a bike peered inside, his gaze piercing.
The driver cursed and moved to get out.
Andrew, wincing from the pain in his head, stopped him. "Don't get out!"
Getting out would be even riskier!
Sure enough, seeing the car stay put, the guy rode off.
Nathan climbed into the back seat to check on him. "Mr. Devereux, you okay?"
Andrew clutched his waist and stomach. Probably cracked a rib.
His face was blank. "Just got the news during the meeting. This overseas company is really out of control!"
He wanted so badly to hunt these people down and avenge Luke and his wife, but right now, he had to look out for himself.
The phone rang.
It was Chloe. Andrew hesitated before answering softly, "Chloe, something urgent came up in Copenhegan, I gotta head back first!"
Chloe sounded bummed.
Andrew knew the score.
But now, he didn't dare go back to the apartment; too many eyes were on him.
He sweet-talked her for a bit.
After hanging up, he told Nathan, "Make sure someone keeps an eye on her until she's home safe."
Nathan nodded.
That night, Andrew crashed at a private hospital in Copenhegan. With a busted rib and a concussion, he should've been resting, but sleep was a no-show. He stood by the window, puffing away, all night long.
At 4 AM, Nathan walked in after wrapping up his tasks.
Seeing Andrew standing and smoking, he yelled, "Dude, you're messed up! How can you still be smoking? Lie down and rest; the doc said you need to be flat on your back for at least a week."
He helped him lie down and noticed the diamond ring in Andrew's hand, going silent.
Andrew leaned against the headboard, giving a bitter smile. "Nathan, look at me. I'm old and still messing with a young girl's feelings! What will I be like in four years? I always say Chloe's young, but she's 28 now. In four years, she'll be in her early thirties; she can't waste time on me like this."
Besides, he really didn't want to think about what would happen to Chloe if those people found out about her.
He couldn't take that risk!
Nathan kept his mouth shut, knowing Andrew was in a tough spot.
Andrew only stayed in the hospital for three days.
On the day he got out, Chloe called him. He stared at the phone for a long time before gently hanging up.
When he hung up, his heart felt like it was being squeezed.
He thought, 'Chloe must not know that I'm letting her go. She'd definitely cry if she knew I was starting to pull away from her.'
It was easy for him to manipulate Chloe. He didn't ghost her all at once but gradually distanced himself. While torturing her, he was also hurting deep inside.
After the New Year, he got super busy, diving back into his old life.
He and Gregory started hanging out again.
After the New Year, Chloe had lost a lot of weight. She couldn't reach Andrew often, and when she did, it was Nathan who picked up.
Nathan's tone was always apologetic.
Even the most clueless person could feel his distance, but she didn't have the guts to confront him. She just kept going to the apartment, hoping to catch him.
Sometimes she waited all day, forgetting to eat.
On Valentine's Day, she saw news about Andrew.
He was watching Grace's performance. After the show, Grace was with Andrew, and Andrew had his arm around her waist, looking like they were made for each other.
The newspaper slipped from her fingers.
Turns out he was in Syeattel, but he didn't bother to see her.
Chloe's eyes welled up, but she still dialed his number. She needed answers.
Andrew was at the club.
When the phone rang, he paused his game and stared at the number.
Gregory and the crew teased, "What? Chloe chasing you again?"
Andrew composed himself and flashed a charming smile. "She's just a kid."
He said casually, "Grace, pick it up for me."
Grace was momentarily thrown by his request. As a woman, she could sense the deep connection between Andrew and Chloe. There was a time when Andrew had ignored her.
For some reason, they had reconnected recently.
But only she knew that while he was warm in public, he hadn't touched her in private.
She hesitated, and Andrew urged, "Answer it!"
Grace had no choice but to answer, her voice soft and sweet. "Miss Hawkins, Andrew's at the club. Why don't you come over and join us?"
On the other end, Chloe's breathing quickened.
After a moment, the call was gently hung up.
Later, Andrew smirked. "See, she's just acting out like a kid. This won't last, but she keeps calling; it's annoying!"
He was smiling, but his eyes were cold.
Playing until late at night, he got into the car, and Nathan asked softly, "Mr. Devereux, where to?"
Andrew looked out the car window, lost in thought.
After a while, he said, "Let's check the apartment."
In the middle of the night, he returned to the place that had given him countless sweet memories. As expected, Chloe was still there.
She had fallen asleep on the dining table.
There were still traces of dried tears at the corners of her eyes.
Andrew stood at the door, his eyes moist. He didn't know how long she had waited. She didn't even go to the bedroom to sleep. Did she like him that much?
He walked over and gently picked her up, but Chloe woke up as soon as he moved.
Her eyes were filled with tears, looking at him in panic.
She silently mouthed "Andrew," and then tears started falling, but she didn't dare to cry out loud, just kept looking at him, wanting an explanation.
Andrew's heart ached.
He gently placed her on the sofa, squatted down, and stroked her head, his voice soft. "Chloe, don't wait for me anymore."
She looked confused, as if she understood his meaning, but also didn't.
Andrew steeled himself and continued smiling. "I'm too old for a stable relationship, and I'm not a good man."
This time, she fully understood.
But she didn't want to believe it.
She had once been loved by Andrew; he had even taken her to Copenhegan to meet Adeline, and they had made love in his bedroom.
She trembled, her lips quivering, and softly said, "I don't believe it!"
Andrew sat beside her, lit a cigarette, and took a drag.
Thin smoke rose, blurring their eyes.
He smiled lightly and said, "We've been together for half a year, right? I'm kinda over it. Chloe, you probably don't get how things work between men and women; it's just a few months of excitement at most. Do you think we should get married if we don't break up? Look at our cultural backgrounds and our social circles, do we fit for marriage?"
Chloe's face turned pale.
She didn't know how much strength it took not to faint.
She just looked at him!
At this moment, his expression was exactly the same as when he was with Grace.
So, she was just like Grace! No, even worse; at least he went back to Grace, but for her, it was phone calls that would never be answered.
Chloe sat there, motionless.
She didn't know how to argue.
She loved him deeply and couldn't act like a shrew.
She couldn't even do what she used to, taking three sleeping pills to make Frederick care for her.
She couldn't do anything.
Andrew got up and walked to the window, silently smoking.
He said some things, like compensation for her, thanking her for the past six months.
She didn't respond, just quietly cried, stubbornly sitting there, hoping Andrew would suddenly turn around, hug her, and tell her it was all a lie.
That everything was just a joke.
She waited for a long time, but his embrace never came, and the night grew colder.
Finally, she spoke softly, "Mr. Devereux, don't worry. I won't cling to you."
Andrew slowly turned around.
Under the light, their eyes met, no longer filled with the sweetness of the past.
Not long ago, she was still clinging to him, biting him gently while calling him Andrew warmly, and he would pull her hair to stop her from biting.
She left.
She cried as she left, her pure nature not bothering to hide it.
She didn't ask for an explanation, seemingly accepting the fact that her Andrew didn't want her.
The door closed softly.
Andrew's eyes glistened, and he trembled as he finished the cigarette in his hand.
Later, he sat at the dining table.
There was a bowl of pasta, probably made by Chloe.
He calmly ate the pasta, finishing it quickly.
Then he didn't know what to do!
Because without Chloe in this apartment, he didn't know why he came or what he could do.
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