Chapter 356 Stay Tonight
Gabriel spotted her right away.
It was Tina, Ethan's old flame.
He shut the car door and strolled over. "So, what's up?"
Tina stared at his young, handsome face, a bit lost. "You look just like him!"
Gabriel kept quiet.
They ended up at a nearby café, perfect for a low-key chat.
Tina was skinnier than he remembered.
But she still tried to work her charm on the 24-year-old, flipping her hair and smiling. "You're only gonna be the third male lead in Charlotte's movie. Come work with me instead."
Gabriel just stared.
Tina pulled out a contract from her bag. "I'll sign you for 5 years. Two lead roles in movies, two TV series, plus other gigs, and we split fifty-fifty."
Pretty sweet deal for a newbie.
But Gabriel wasn't chasing fame.
He tapped the contract with his long fingers and asked softly, "Tina, any extra strings attached?"
Tina placed her hand over his.
Gabriel looked down, then back up at her.
Tina got straight to the point, "Be my lover!"
Gabriel pulled his hand away and looked at her calmly. "Sorry, not interested."
Tina got pissed and sneered. "Do you know how many people would kill for this chance?"
Gabriel walked away. He hated being a stand-in; Tina saw him as a younger Ethan.
Charlotte thought he looked like him too.
But Charlotte's look was gentle, like she wanted to cherish those young years. To Gabriel, Charlotte was someone worth protecting.
He once liked someone that amazing.
It made him feel warm inside.
Tina was hell-bent on making it big in Syeattel, but her connections were weak. The only person she managed to promote, Elizabeth, had totally sided with Charlotte, and Gabriel wasn't playing ball either!
'These people are so dumb. Charlotte would never truly care about them,' she cursed silently.
On Christmas Eve, the movie Charlotte invested in wrapped up.
Charlotte invited Andrew, and of course, the Hawkins family too.
Andrew handed Grace a bouquet of flowers.
In the audience, Gavin blinked and asked Chloe, "Mom, why's Dad giving flowers to someone else?"
Chloe felt a bit uneasy.
Even though Andrew and Grace were ancient history, and Grace was married with kids, Andrew's neglect of boundaries was just plain shameless.
Of course, she couldn't let the kid get upset.
So she gently patted her son's head. "He and Grace are just friends."
Gavin looked confused. "Are you and Dad friends too?"
Right then, Andrew came down from the stage.
Outside, he kept his distance from Chloe, like they were just acquaintances. He looked at Gavin and asked, "Why'd you bring him here?"
Tonight, Chloe was rocking a handmade diamond dress, looking stunning.
Chloe softly said, "He really wanted to see you and wouldn't take no for an answer!" She glanced at Grace as she spoke.
Andrew looked at her.
Then, he picked up Gavin and kissed him. Gavin, being young, still had that sweet, milky scent.
Andrew held him close, taking in the smell, feeling a softness in his heart.
He thought, 'thank God we don't live together, or I'd be too wrapped up in holding him every day to get anything done.'
"Do you miss me?" he asked softly.
Gavin shyly kissed him.
On stage, a performance was going on. Andrew sat down with Gavin in his arms and whispered to Chloe, "I'll take you home later."
Chloe looked at the stage.
Andrew knew she was mad and couldn't help but smile. "Are you still jealous? You're a mom now! By the way, aren't you cold wearing so little?"
Andrew's special status meant he shouldn't stay long.
He came mostly to see Chloe. When he was about to leave, Gavin looked at him with those big, sad eyes.
Andrew's heart melted.
He whispered something, and Gavin lit up.
As the wrap party was winding down, Chloe left with Gavin first.
Andrew waited for them in the underground parking lot.
Chloe walked over, and Nathan quickly got out of the car to open the door for them.
"Mr. Devereux has been waiting for you for a while."
Chloe softly said, "It was just because Gavin wanted to see him."
Nathan smiled helplessly, shielding the car roof as they got in.
The car quickly drove away.
Unexpectedly, the car arrived at a quiet villa community with hardly any residents. Nathan parked the car and smiled. "This is Mr. Devereux's new place."
Chloe turned to look at Andrew, who simply picked up Gavin and got out of the car.
Chloe's heart started to race.
She followed him into the villa, which was warmly decorated, not like a bachelor pad.
There was even a toy horse in the living room.
At that moment, Gavin was sitting on the toy horse, slowly rocking back and forth.
Andrew patted his son's head. "Do you like it?"
Gavin looked up with his little face.
Gavin happily said, "Dad, I really like it."
Andrew patted his head again and teased, "Silly boy!"
Such a scene could make anyone tear up.
Chloe lowered her head, not wanting to show her emotions.
Andrew turned around, looked at her gently, and walked over, whispering, "Don't cry! You're all grown up. Why are you still crying?"
He pulled her to the sofa and went to pour her some milk.
Sitting beside her, he said softly, "I've got some good news to share."
Chloe, trying to be tough, said, "Why don't you share it with Grace?"
Andrew chuckled.
He reached out and patted her head, saying softly, "Still mad? Grace helped me out a few times over the past couple of years. I was just returning the favor and giving Charlotte some respect."
"I didn't mean it like that!"
Andrew smiled and got serious, "My project's a success! It's already being used in the latest aviation tech and will launch next week. I've asked Nathan to arrange for you and Gavin to see it, okay?"
He had spent four years on this.
Soon, they'd be reunited.
At such a moment, he wanted the people he cared about most to be with him.
Then he'd retire in glory!
Andrew had it all planned out; once this was over, he'd resign from all his positions.
The Devereux Group had plenty of businesses to manage.
Besides, he wasn't that old, and it wasn't too late to start fresh in the business world.
Most importantly, he wanted to give Chloe a stable future.
He spoke sincerely.
Chloe was moved, and she thought of that diamond ring.
Andrew remembered it too, his voice a bit hoarse. "Do you still have the diamond ring? It wasn't easy for me to save up for it! I still have it to propose to you!"
Chloe was touched, but as a woman, she was always a bit delicate.
She teased him, "I'll give it back to you. You can use it to propose to someone else!"
Andrew's eyes got misty; the girl from back then had come back.
He wanted to be close to her, but with their son around, he was cautious. He whispered, "Stay tonight. We won't have to sneak around anymore."
Chloe didn't immediately agree.
They had been apart for several years, and although they had kept in touch, the hurt was still deep.
She was about to refuse.
But Gavin heard and softly pleaded, "Mom, I want to stay."
She didn't say it explicitly, but it meant she agreed to stay.
Andrew wasn't in a hurry. He personally went to the kitchen to cook for them. His food was delicious, and Chloe ate quietly.
Andrew took care of the kid and gently said, "You've gotten a lot quieter over the years. I remember you used to be so lively."
Chloe lowered her eyes. "People grow up."
Andrew quietly gazed at her.
He knew she was now quite capable of making money and came from a good family. She had many choices, but he still desperately wanted to have her.
Late at night, Gavin was tired, and Andrew personally bathed him and put on his pajamas.
Gavin lay on the big bed and fell asleep.
Andrew sat by the bed, gently stroking his son's face for a long time.
In this life, besides Chloe, the person he felt most sorry for was his son.
After a long time, he got up and left.
He found Chloe in the guest room. She was standing by the bed, holding a bathrobe, seemingly in a dilemma.
Andrew walked over, placed his hands on her shoulders from behind, and softly said, "Sleep in the master bedroom. The three of us have never slept together."
Chloe gently shook her head.
But Andrew held her waist tightly, his face resting on her thin shoulder, and whispered, "Chloe, I've waited a long time for this day! I owe you a lot. Give me a chance to make it up to you, okay?"
Chloe cried quietly. She had been abandoned by him time and again, and now he said he wanted her.
Andrew felt bad too.
He turned her around, wiped her tears with his hand, and kissed her. "I won't do anything rash. I'll sleep with our son."
Chloe wanted to ask many things, but in the end, she couldn't say a word.
Andrew held her and took her to the master bedroom.
He didn't touch her, patiently waiting for her to finish her bath. The three of them lay on one bed.
Between them was the little guy.
Andrew held her hand across the child.
Andrew's voice was very low. He had unconsciously started treating her as a woman, no longer the naive girl she once was. He talked to her about many things, like the future, and Gavin's education.
Chloe felt it was unreal. No matter how stubborn she was, she couldn't deny that she had been waiting for this day. But when it finally came, she felt lost.
When Andrew leaned over the child and kissed her, she closed her eyes slightly.
Her voice trembled. "Andrew, I'm scared."
She was afraid it was all a dream.
Andrew felt heartache and kissed her to comfort her.
In the end, he couldn't bear to take her. He whispered in her ear, "Let's save it for our wedding day!"
Chloe thought he was shameless.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
