168
990 Words
Knowing that Xavier had already arrived, Chloe finally stepped out of the car.
Guided by a server, she approached the private pavilion. She spotted Xavier’s elite security detail flanking the entrance, but she didn't see Xavier himself, who was currently engaged in a low-toned conversation with Dr. Aris at the far end of the garden corridor. In truth, Xavier had only just pulled up moments before her.
A staff member stepped forward and pushed open the heavy, ornate doors for her.
The suite was a masterpiece of luxury and unique design. As the room opened up, Chloe saw the expansive circular table. She saw the Han-Sin couple seated prominently, she saw Liam Martin, and she saw several other familiar and unfamiliar faces—but her eyes searched in vain for Xavier.
The moment Mrs. Han saw her, she bolted upright. With a wide, radiant smile, she walked toward Chloe with open arms. "Little girl! It’s been far too long."
Chloe looked at the woman before her—over forty yet still strikingly beautiful—and felt her own lips curve into a genuine smile. She stepped into the warm embrace, whispering into Mrs. Han’s ear, "Mrs. Han, it has been a while. You look more radiant than ever."
Mrs. Han laughed heartily. "It’s all thanks to those skincare secrets you gave me! They worked wonders, far better than any of those expensive brands I was using before."
Chloe gave a playful wink. "Then you really do owe me a huge thank you."
"You bet I do!" Mrs. Han said with her signature frankness. "I brought you a ton of wonderful things from Korea. I'll show them to you in a bit."
Chloe didn't stand on ceremony. "I’d love that!"
Today, Chloe was dressed in a floor-length gown of soft, ethereal pink. Her makeup was meticulous and glowing, her long, dark curls draped elegantly over one shoulder. Her beauty was of the natural, effortless kind—radiant and spirited, with a touch of the otherworldly. Her skin, seemingly filtered by nature itself, was translucent and flawless, like a peach blossom in early spring.
Mrs. Han held Chloe’s hands, her eyes filled with increasing affection. She often lamented not having a son; if she did, she would have done everything in her power to spirit Chloe away to South Korea as her daughter-in-law. Despite being childless after years of marriage, the Hans remained as devoted to each other as newlyweds.
"Alright, how long are you two going to stand there?"
The speaker was Mr. Han. Though in his early forties, he maintained a fit, commanding physique and exuded the sophisticated charm of a mature man of power.
"We’re coming! Can't we women have a few secrets?" Mrs. Han called back. She glanced over at Liam Martin and noticed his gaze was fixed on Chloe, unable to look away for even a second.
Mrs. Han smiled knowingly and began leading Chloe toward the table. Seeing that Mrs. Han was heading straight for the empty seat beside Liam Martin, Chloe’s footsteps faltered.
"Mrs. Han, I think I'll sit over there," Chloe suggested, pointing to a neutral, unoccupied chair further down the table.
Mrs. Han frowned slightly and, with a firm but gentle tug, maneuvered Chloe toward the seat next to Liam. "Nonsense. You're sitting right here."
Mrs. Han was entirely in the dark about the bitterness of their breakup. To her, young couples quarreled and reconciled all the time. She believed they were deeply in love and that a permanent split would be a tragedy, so she was determined to play matchmaker and push them back together.
Chloe knew she couldn't possibly sit there. If Xavier walked in and saw her nestled next to her ex-fiancé, she would be back on the street by midnight. The moment Mrs. Han released her arm, Chloe started to stand back up.
But Mrs. Han was faster. She caught Chloe’s shoulder and pressed her back into the chair, her expression turning uncharacteristically stern. "Can't you just sit here and chat with me for a while?"
At Mrs. Han’s words, every head at the table turned toward Chloe. Liam Martin also turned his head, his eyes burning with an intense, unblinking focus as he stared at her.
Chloe was trapped—standing would be rude to her host, but sitting was a death sentence. At that moment, she realized Mrs. Han’s true intention. If she didn't clear the air immediately, she would only end up hurting Mrs. Han’s feelings later.
"I’m so sorry, Mrs. Han," Chloe began, her voice steady as she prepared to drop the truth. "But I’m already marr—"
Chloe wanted to explain that she was married, that her husband was here tonight, and that sitting next to Liam was entirely inappropriate. She hoped for Mrs. Han's understanding.
But before the word could leave her lips, the double doors swung open with a resounding thud. The tall, imposing silhouette of Xavier Grayson appeared in the doorway.
The Air in the Room
The atmosphere shifted instantly from a warm social gathering to a high-voltage standoff. Xavier stood there, his presence radiating a bone-chilling cold that seemed to freeze the very wine in the glasses. His eyes swept the room and landed directly on Chloe, who was currently pinned into the seat right next to Liam Martin.
To an outsider, it looked like an intimate reunion. To Xavier, it looked like a betrayal.
Chloe’s heart stopped. She was caught between the two men who defined her life—the one she once loved with a "sparkling" devotion, and the one who currently owned her world. As Xavier walks toward the table, will he cause a scene in front of the international investors, or will Chloe find a way to bridge the gap before the "Demon" burns the room down?
Should Chloe stay seated to save face for the Hans, or should she immediately bolt to Xavier’s side?
- Writer
