Chapter 35 Paying the Price
"Why aren't you heading down yet?" asked Paisley, who had approached.
With a heavy heart and noted anger, Donovan closed Andrew's diary and said, "I'm on my way."
Paisley was already there.
"What's this?" she inquired, picking up a photo of Andrew Price from Chloe's suitcase.
Paisley knew this was Chloe's luggage. A man like Donovan wouldn't use such a suitcase.
She also realized the notebook in Donovan's hands was connected to Chloe.
Donovan had likely delayed leaving because he had discovered something unsettling.
"Donovan, this guy looks a lot like you," Paisley remarked in surprise.
Actually, Andrew Price and Donovan only had a slight resemblance, but with Paisley's comments, it seemed much more pronounced.
"Really?" Donovan's face turned steely, and then he forced a smile.
Paisley caught the edge in Donovan's tone and continued, "Especially when he smiles, he looks even more like you."
"Let's go, let's head downstairs," Donovan suggested. He took the photograph from Paisley's hands, placed it in the journal, and returned everything neatly as it was.
"Who is this guy anyway? How come he looks so much like you?" Paisley questioned, pretending she was clueless, subtly stirring the pot.
"Nobody important," Donovan responded, and his expression grew even more solemn.
After Paisley left, Chloe and Maya returned together at nine o'clock.
Maya had been waiting outside the exam venue for Chloe to finish her test.
Samuel asked Chloe how the test went. "Really well, Samuel, thanks to all the international business law content you helped me with. Otherwise, I would have struggled," Chloe said while eating, ravenous from hunger.
Donovan didn't say a word. He was always reserved, and Chloe didn't mind.
"Don't just praise me to be polite," Samuel responded, beaming with joy.
"No, really, I'm serious. I've never studied international business law before. it's like a whole other world to me," Chloe spoke earnestly.
Samuel had studied civil and commercial law, of which international business law was a subset and also a part of economic law.
"Get your things ready. You have a business trip tomorrow," Donovan said.
"A business trip? Where to?" Chloe was somewhat confused.
"It's a last-minute decision by the finance department. I've agreed to it." Donovan said.
Chloe still felt a little lost, thinking, 'Although she'd miss Samuel, staying at home too long could also lead to slip-ups.'
Samuel inquired, "Chloe is going on a business trip?" He, reluctant to let her go, knew better than to hold back Chloe's career advancement.
"Yes," Donovan responded.
"How long?"
"Not sure. It depends on the situation."
After dinner, they went upstairs. Donovan spoke to Chloe, "The trip is just a cover, you're going to live out for a while, your dorm room has been empty."
Chloe slowly nodded in acknowledgment, murmuring an agreement without fully understanding the reason.
"I'm just worried..." Chloe stammered.
"Can't sleep?" Donovan asked with a hint of sarcasm.
Chloe's face flushed, said, "No, I'm just worried it might affect Samuel."
"It won't, your part is done," Donovan responded coldly.
Donovan was the client, and Chloe didn't ponder too much over his words. Although they had lived together for a little over twenty days, they were far from reaching a point of heart-to-heart conversations. In fact, their interaction was just as sparse as before, except now they knew each other's bodies all too well.
"I'll pay you what was promised, the full five million dollars." Donovan continued.
Chloe didn't argue when Donovan laid out the matter of money so bluntly. She was in it for the cash, after all, and saw no point in pretending to be above it. Since he put it that way, she left it at that.
Chloe declared, "I'll go pack my bags." She went to the balcony to grab her suitcase and quickly stuffed her clothes into it. Donovan watched all of this with an indifferent gaze.
The next day, after saying goodbye to Samuel, Chloe put her suitcase in Donovan's car and carried her luggage toward her dorm.
The whispers started up again as she walked.
"She broke up with Mr. Blake," "Guess Mr. Blake was just having fun, and when he's done, naturally he sends her back," "She returns crestfallen, how embarrassing." Snickers followed.
Chloe ignored all the stares and comments as she headed back to her room.
Sofia knew Chloe was coming back from Mr. Blake's house, lugging her suitcase, which would be awkward for her friend, so she didn't ask any questions. Instead, she simply said, "Have you eaten yet? Let's go to work. It's almost time."
Chloe didn't take the whispers of others seriously and quickly settled back into a busy week.
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