Chapter 421 Gave Him a Hard Slap
Andrew was floored. Gavin was missing?
He could see Chloe was a wreck and tried to calm her down, "I'll call the driver and check."
Chloe's voice was ice-cold. "I already did! There was traffic, and the driver left him at the kindergarten gate. Andrew, I've never stopped you from taking Gavin because he's your son too, but you can't keep ignoring him! He's only five; he needs his dad."
She was choking up by the end. "I don't care where you are; come help me find Gavin now."
Before she hung up, he called out, "Chloe!"
She paused for a couple of seconds but still hung up.
Andrew stood in the hospital corridor, feeling like ice.
He remembered getting a call from the villa early in the morning, saying Molly couldn't speak. He rushed over and had the driver take Gavin, but Gavin didn't want to go.
Gavin clung to his leg.
Andrew's eyes stung, and he tilted his head back.
Just then, Nathan came over with a test report, saying, "This might be serious!"
Andrew lowered his voice. "Stay with her!"
Nathan was shocked.
Andrew said, "Gavin is missing."
The test report slipped from Nathan's hand.
Gavin came from a big-shot family.
The Hawkins and Devereux families got everyone searching for him. But after a long time, still no sign of him.
Frederick was dealing with the cops.
Andrew and Chloe drove to every place Gavin might have gone.
Night was falling.
Andrew parked by the roadside and got Chloe a sandwich.
Chloe had just taken a few calls and was leaning against the seat, eyes wet.
Andrew urged her to eat something.
She looked up at him, her gaze cold and distant. She'd never looked at him like that before.
Andrew handed her the sandwich and said, "Chloe, let's find Gavin first."
"Where? Andrew, tell me where? It's dark, and Gavin's scared of the dark," Chloe said, leaning back and crying helplessly.
She couldn't stay in the car any longer.
She opened the door and ran into the street, where the lights were just coming on, and cars were everywhere.
"Gavin!" she called out.
Her tears glistened under the streetlights, making her look especially helpless.
Andrew hugged her from behind. "Chloe, calm down!"
"How can I calm down?" A slap echoed in the night.
She slapped Andrew.
She was much younger than him, always so obedient and gentle, but today she slapped him.
Given Andrew's past status, besides Adeline, probably no one would dare to hit him.
He was momentarily dazed, quietly watching Chloe.
At this moment, she wasn't the naive girl; she was a parent like him. He was a lousy father, and she had every right to be mad.
Andrew didn't lose his cool. He gently took her hand and rubbed it lightly.
"Eat something before we keep looking!"
"I can't eat!"
Chloe pushed him away and stumbled forward, her mind full of Gavin, fearing something had happened to him.
The sky was completely dark.
She ran through countless streets, almost like a madwoman.
Andrew caught up with her. "Chloe!"
Chloe looked at Andrew, her voice trembling. "There's one more place! He must be there!"
They got into the car.
Half an hour later, the car pulled up in a sketchy, narrow alley.
The ground was all jacked up with potholes.
Wires overhead were like a spider's web, all tangled and messy.
The old buildings looked like they could crumble any second.
Andrew's heart was breaking.
Had Chloe and Gavin really lived here for those two years?
The corridor was dark and gross, with rats running around, but Chloe didn't even flinch. She bolted up to the fourth floor.
In the darkness, a little boy was sitting on the ground by the door.
It was the apartment they used to live in.
He was hugging his head, looking like he was asleep.
Chloe's voice cracked with tears. "Gavin?"
Gavin didn't respond. Chloe squatted down and gently touched his head.
He was burning up!
"He's got a fever!" Chloe's voice was shaking.
Andrew quickly scooped up his son and felt his forehead; he was definitely burning up. "Let's get him to the hospital."
He rushed downstairs, Chloe right behind him.
Half an hour later, Gavin was lying quietly on a hospital bed, an IV drip in his hand.
The doc said he had caught a cold and hadn't eaten for a long time, which caused the fever.
The Hawkins family had all shown up.
Laura was crying her eyes out.
Patrick looked worried but still called Andrew outside.
Patrick said, "Andrew, I don't blame you for the wedding mess; it just wasn't meant to be! Chloe isn't the right girl for you, but today's mess is all on you."
Andrew said hoarsely, "Yeah, it's my fault!"
Patrick's eyes were a bit red.
He didn't really want to lecture Andrew, especially with a kid and Charlotte involved. But he also felt for Chloe.
He had thought about it a lot on the way and finally said, "From now on, just keep a bit more distance! It's better for both of you."
Andrew rarely called him dad, but he did this time.
Patrick felt sad.
He patted Andrew's shoulder and said, "I didn't oppose you two before because Chloe loved you, and I couldn't control her. Her mom introduced her to many great guys, but she turned them all down. Now, you two still can't be together."
Patrick was genuinely sad. He didn't say much more and went to the corridor to smoke.
Frederick and Charlotte also came.
Charlotte was about to give birth, and Frederick didn't want her to come, but she insisted. Seeing Gavin with an IV drip, Charlotte felt really bad for him.
She stayed with Gavin for a bit and then went into the inner room.
Chloe was in the bathroom.
Seeing Charlotte, her eyes filled with tears. "Charlotte!"
Charlotte closed the door.
Chloe, who usually leaned on her, lightly rested on her shoulder and sobbed, "I've never regretted it all these years, but when Gavin went missing, I really wished I had never met him."
Without that amazing encounter in their youth, there wouldn't be today's pain.
Charlotte got it. She thought Chloe really wanted to divorce Andrew; she was heartbroken, but she couldn't talk her out of it.
She gently stroked Chloe's hair and softly said, "The most important thing is to be happy!"
In families like theirs, they didn't have to worry about the cost of raising a kid alone.
If Chloe didn't want to keep going, then she shouldn't.
Chloe still cried. She felt useless, always crying when things went south, but Charlotte thought she was super brave for being able to let go of this long-awaited and deeply held love.
Gavin had a fever all night. The doc kept coming and going.
Everyone else left, leaving Andrew and Chloe to stay with their son.
At four in the morning, Chloe was still sitting there, quietly watching Gavin. Andrew told her to rest, but she refused.
While washing up in the morning, she bent over, and someone hugged her.
Chloe's body stiffened a bit.
In the past, she had been thrilled by his touch, but now she was repulsed. She didn't struggle but said coldly, "Let go."
Andrew pressed his face against her thin back, his voice a bit pained. "Chloe, let me make it up to you both."
In the past, he had wanted to know about Chloe's life during those two years, but she never told him. It wasn't until last night that he saw it and was totally shocked.
She was born a princess with a silver spoon.
But because of him, she gave birth to Gavin in such a rundown place, all alone.
His heart ached.
Chloe slowly put the towel down, straightened up, and turned to face him.
She smiled faintly. "Make it up? With what? A villa, some jewelry, or a wedding that means nothing to you? Andrew, the Hawkins family has all those things! Even if the Hawkins family didn't, I can now earn money to give Gavin a good life! I don't stop you from taking him because he likes you, but how do you treat him?"
"Celeste's daughter can't speak."
"Couldn't you have dropped Gavin off before going to the hospital? Couldn't you see the disappointment in Gavin's eyes? You knew it all! You just don't love him that much!"
After saying this, Chloe gave a dazed smile. "Andrew, you shouldn't have resigned! You were actually very suited for that position; you're not suited for a family."
Chloe pushed past him and walked out.
Andrew felt a deep sense of despair.
She didn't make it out.
Not only did she not make it out, but she was also pressed against the door, with Andrew holding her wrists with one hand, kissing her like a madman.
She refused to open her mouth.
Andrew pinched her chin, forcing her to open it.
He kissed her urgently, stirring desperately, hoping this kiss would rekindle her memories of the past.
But Chloe only felt repulsed.
The difference in strength between men and women was clear; she couldn't break free, so she simply stopped struggling.
She let him kiss her.
Andrew suddenly stopped.
He held her, his refined face buried in her neck, breathing lightly. His voice was hoarse beyond recognition. "Chloe, won't you give me any reaction? Do you really not want me to make it up to you?"
"No!" Her voice trembled.
Andrew didn't let go of her. He just held her, feeling her warmth.
He suddenly remembered something. That year, he brought things girls liked to see her. She was being courted in the square. Fireworks were blooming in the sky.
At that time, her face was so young and dazzling, her gaze at him bright and filled with emotions she couldn't hide.
Now, she was a mature woman. But they had ended up like this.
Andrew's voice trembled slightly. "I don't want to let go!"
Chloe turned her face away. "Suit yourself!"
Just as they were entangled, there was a commotion at the door; it was Adeline who had rushed over from Copenhegan.
Seeing Andrew like that made Adeline angry.
Gavin was so sick, and he still had the mood to bully his wife.
Adeline slapped Andrew twice.
After slapping him, she ignored him and went straight to take care of Gavin.
She also said to Chloe, "Don't worry! I'll make sure he doesn't bother you anymore! Someone like him deserves to be single for life."
Chloe was in tears. She liked Adeline.
Adeline was a powerhouse, and with her around, Andrew could only wait outside, with Nathan keeping him company.
Luckily, kids bounce back fast.
Three days later, Gavin was back to his lively self.
But he didn't talk about his time away, and the adults were too scared to bring it up.
When Gavin saw Andrew, he didn't call him dad as much.
Andrew patted his little head. "Why aren't you calling me dad?"
Gavin suddenly said, "Actually, when you were my great-uncle, I was really happy!"
Because back then, no other kid was more important than him. Every time Andrew saw him, he would give him the best and have someone take him to the hotel, spending the whole day playing with him.
Kids are brutally honest.
Andrew's eyes reddened. He went outside to smoke, the smoke drifting away with the wind.
A little girl holding a doll watched him from a distance.
Her pretty little face showed fear.
Molly was also in the hospital. For several days, Andrew hadn't visited her.
She had sneaked up.
She heard Andrew arguing with a beautiful woman outside, arguing about her. Because of her, Andrew's wedding was canceled, and they were getting a divorce.
Molly had thought about running away.
But she thought Andrew would definitely find her, and then they would argue again.
So she obediently stayed quiet.
She didn't demand to see Andrew, thinking maybe they wouldn't argue, and Andrew wouldn't be so upset, standing there smoking.
Molly slowly turned back.
She returned to her room and wrote a line on a piece of paper.
[I don't want treatment anymore! I want to go home!]
The servant, knowing about the trouble in Andrew's family, didn't dare disturb him and quickly took the child out of the hospital.
From the age of six, Molly never spoke again.
On the day Gavin was discharged, Chloe packed his things, and the driver was already waiting downstairs.
Andrew rushed over from the company.
He looked at the things and said softly, "Come stay at my place for a while."
Chloe shook her head.
Andrew knew her thoughts and didn't dare force her. "Going to your parents' place is fine too; there will be someone to take care of the child."
Chloe shook her head.
She stood by the window and said softly, "Andrew! I want to start a new life!"
What did that mean?
She looked at the car below, her voice even softer. "I've hired two reliable people to help me take care of Gavin. I'll plan my life well. If you want to see him, you can make an appointment a week in advance."
Andrew gently clenched his fist.
He understood her meaning; she not only wanted a divorce but also wanted custody of the child.
If he wanted to visit, he could only see the child, not her.
Andrew slowly walked over.
He looked at her slender back and asked hoarsely, "Can't we take care of the child together?"
Chloe turned around.
She said seriously, "Andrew, sign the papers! We're done!"
"Chloe!" He suppressed his emotions. "Is there nothing I can do? No matter what, are you going to take our son and leave me? For the sake of the past, forgive me!"
"I don't want you anymore!" She said. "It's not about forgiving!"
'Andrew's forehead veins pop out. The position is exactly the same as Charlotte's,' Chloe thought, somewhat dazed.
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