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954 Words
Xavier had clearly noticed her. Across the expanse of the shimmering ballroom, his gaze remained as sharp and frigid as a winter gale. There was no intent in his posture to move toward her, no flicker of recognition that she was his legal wife.
Chloe felt a thin, bitter chill settle in her chest. A self-deprecating smirk touched her lips. What is it, Xavier? Are you afraid that standing next to me will embarrass you? It was a farcical scene. A newlywed couple attending the same prestigious banquet, yet the husband’s arm was draped in the fabric of another woman’s gown. Every socialite in the room was acutely aware that Chloe had practically delivered herself to the Grayson doorstep. Xavier’s blatant disregard was a public broadcast to the elite: Chloe Bishop held no status in his home; she was a ghost in a gilded cage.
"Do you understand now?"
That distinctive, magnetic voice drifted into her ear, laced with a trace of dark amusement.
Chloe retracted her gaze from the man who was supposed to protect her and looked up at the towering figure before her. Donovan Tang was a master of presence—his military discipline combined with a rebellious, untamable edge made him look like a god of war in a modern suit. Chloe’s smile finally reached her eyes. "Big Brother Donovan, it’s been a long time."
Donovan’s lips curved into a predatory yet fond smirk. He reached out and ruffled the hair at the crown of her head, the movement natural and brimming with a terrifyingly intimate indulgence. "Ten years," he murmured. "My little girl has finally grown up."
Chloe stiffened momentarily. After a decade of distance, the sudden physical closeness felt alien, yet hauntingly familiar. Donovan had always touched her this way when they were children, back before the world became complicated by titles and betrayals. The gesture pulled a phantom memory of Liam Martin to the surface—he, too, had loved to touch her hair in that exact way.
Fortunately, Donovan sensed her unease and withdrew his hand, a flash of shadowed disappointment flickering in his dark eyes before he masked it with a playful pout. "It seems you’ve forgotten everything but my name."
"How could I?" Chloe countered, her voice regaining its playful spark. "I spent my childhood trailing behind you like a shadow. Whenever I got into trouble, you were the one who took the hit. I’d be an ungrateful wretch to forget a debt like that."
The memories, though dusty, were etched deep. She remembered being the stubborn daughter of Charles Bishop, a girl with no talent for business and even less interest in studying. She had spent her days running wild with the neighborhood boys, often returning home to face her father’s stern discipline, only for Donovan to step in and take the blame.
Donovan looked genuinely pleased with her answer. "As long as you remember. I took quite a few beatings on your behalf, you know."
Chloe let out a soft, bright laugh, her features glowing under the chandelier light. "I know, I know. I’ll treat you to dinner soon to repay my 'Life Debt.' How does that sound?"
Donovan didn't hesitate. "Fine. But one meal won't be enough to settle the score."
"Then as many meals as you want. Here, take my number." Chloe was refreshingly blunt, pulling out her phone to exchange contacts. "Do you remember Lyra and Sarah? I’ll call them too, and we can all have a proper reunion."
Donovan watched her—the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed, the way she seemed to glow despite the underlying paleness of her skin. "I remember. Let’s get everyone together."
"Great. Add me on WeChat too, so I can send you the details when we plan something."
Old Mrs. Tang watched the pair from a few feet away, her heart aching with a renewed sense of what might have been. They looked like a perfect match—the General and the Socialite—a match that should have been written in the stars if only the timing hadn't been so cruel.
Not far away, the temperature around Xavier Grayson had dropped to sub-zero levels. His aura was so oppressive and lethal that the businessman he had been talking to began to tremble, sweating through his expensive silk shirt. The man looked desperately toward Yvonne Blue for help, but she only offered a subtle, helpless shake of her head.
Yvonne’s gaze was also fixed on the intimate interaction between Chloe and Donovan. She offered a soft, seemingly innocent smile. "Chloe seems to have a very... close relationship with General Tang."
Xavier’s lips thinned into a chilling line. Close? That’s an understatement. His jaw tightened as he watched his wife—the woman who had nearly died in his garden less than twenty-four hours ago—now radiant and flirting with a high-ranking military officer. Was this banquet so vital to her that she was willing to drag her feverish body out of bed just to show off?
The Cold Observation
Xavier is watching Chloe's every smile through a lens of simmering rage. To him, her "recovery" looks like a calculated move to seek out her old flame the moment his back is turned.
The "Demon" is reaching his limit. With Yvonne Blue by his side and Donovan Tang claiming Chloe's attention, the social balance of the banquet is a ticking time bomb. Will Xavier stay in the shadows and watch his wife "betray" him, or will he make a scene that will be the talk of the city for years to come?
What do you think Xavier will do when he sees Chloe and Donovan heading toward the dance floor?
- Writer
