Chloe Marshall shook her head. "You’re so handso. You could have any woman you want. I really don’t get why you’d still go on blind dates."
"Because my family insisted on setting up. I had no choice. To my surprise, I found you quite agreeable. I’m already lowering my standards, and you’re still not willing!" His words ca out in a quick, clear rush.
Chloe Marshall finally asked, "Are you being serious about all this?"
"Why not give a chance and find out?"
Chloe Marshall nodded, and they exchanged phone numbers.
She then walked him downstairs.
When they reached his car, Liam Preston said with a grin, "You’re my girlfriend now. Wait for my call. We’ll go on our first date."
With that, he hopped into his sports car and drove off.
Chloe Marshall turned to go back inside. But just as she reached the building’s entrance, she froze.
Ethan Ellsworth was leaning against the wall, apparently waiting for her.
"Your new boyfriend?"
A smile blood on Chloe Marshall’s face as she grinned at him. "Yes. What do you think, Boss Ellsworth?"
The cigarette between Ethan Ellsworth’s fingers suddenly dropped. He turned, his eyes fixed on her. "You’re asking what I think? How dare you—ask —"
Chloe Marshall remained impassive. "If you don’t want to answer, Boss Ellsworth, then don’t. It’s getting late. Good night."
She started to walk past him, but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. "You... are you doing this on purpose?"
"Are you kidding ? What motive would I have? I just want to find a kind man who can give a warm ho. Didn’t you say we should just leave things as they are? Well, this is leaving things as they are. What are you still so hung up on?"
Ethan Ellsworth’s grip gradually loosened.
"Don’t do this again. It wouldn’t look good if Miss Grant saw."
She turned and strode toward the elevator. In that exact instant, all the lights abruptly went out.
It wasn’t a deliberate act; the power had gone out in the entire complex.
Chloe Marshall didn’t have her phone. She fumbled in the dark for the stairs, trying to make her way up.
But his footsteps drew closer, step by step. Chloe’s heart pounded wildly. She scrambled up the stairs as fast as she could, but he kept following right behind her.
On the landing between the third and fourth floors, Ethan Ellsworth suddenly pulled her into his arms.
A jolt went through them both.
"I don’t know why." His voice was terribly hoarse. "When I saw you with that guy, I felt like I was going to lose my mind. I know I shouldn’t, but... it feels like everything’s a ss. You idiot, tell , what’s wrong with ?"
Chloe Marshall went rigid and struggled slightly. "I don’t know."
Ethan Ellsworth turned her to face him. They couldn’t see each other’s faces in the darkness, but they could feel the warmth of each other’s breath with painful clarity.
His hand brushed against her soft lips, and he found he couldn’t pull it away.
"I think... I got used to you sleeping here. I haven’t slept well these past two nights. Just tossing and turning."
At his words, Chloe Marshall grew annoyed. "Shouldn’t you be with Miss Grant, Boss Ellsworth? If you go sleep beside her at night, your insomnia will be cured. You two are the real deal now. I already made my humiliating retreat."
Ethan Ellsworth didn’t move. "Tonight, I want to sleep here again."
Chloe Marshall refused flatly. "You can’t, Boss Ellsworth. I have a boyfriend now. What if he finds out you’re sleeping here? How could I face him? And how could you face Miss Grant? The woman you’ve loved for so long, Boss Ellsworth!"
Ethan Ellsworth grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs. When they reached her apartnt door on the fourth floor, he simply pushed it open.
Chloe’s heart pounded in her chest, uncertain of his intentions.
"Do you really want to date that guy?"
Chloe Marshall nodded. "Yes. I need to forget you and start a new life. I’m dating him with marriage in mind."
"Who gave you permission to decide that?"
"I gave myself permission."
"And who gave you permission to give yourself permission!" His voice rose. Even though she couldn’t see his face, Chloe Marshall could feel his anger radiating in the dark.
"Boss Ellsworth, what are you so angry about? What does this have to do with you in the slightest? You—"
He cut her off with a kiss, pinning her against the wall so she couldn’t move, forcing himself on her.
’I’m furious,’ Chloe thought. ’I had already given up, so why is *he* the one who can’t let go?’
It took only an instant for her to raise her hand and let it fall.
The slap landed squarely on his face.
The sharp sound hung in the air between them, creating a rift.
His lips left hers. He stared at her in disbelief. ’She actually dared to hit ?’
"Don’t push too far, Boss Ellsworth! Don’t think I won’t fight back. Don’t think I’m just so accessory of yours that revolves around you. I’m a person, too! I want to have a real relationship, and if you can’t give that, then don’t treat like this."
Ethan Ellsworth said nothing. In that mont, he realized Chloe Marshall was like a kitten brandishing its sharp claws.
Seeing his silence, Chloe also fell quiet.
Just then, light flooded in from the window. The power was back on.
She reached out and flicked on the light switch.
They could see each other clearly now.
"Fine. Since you’re so insistent, then go ahead and date him."
His words stabbed right into Chloe Marshall’s heart.
It’s a common belief that won often say the opposite of what they an. When a woman says it’s over, half the ti she’s just testing him. If the man just coaxes her a little, the problem is easily resolved.
But many n don’t understand this simple truth.
Chloe Marshall forced a smile. "Boss Ellsworth, since things have co to this, it’s no longer appropriate for to be your assistant. You should start looking for a replacent."
She was quitting.
A storm brewed in Ethan Ellsworth’s eyes. "Quit? Don’t even think about it!"
His single sentence was an undeniable rebuttal, leaving no room for negotiation.
Chloe Marshall looked at him. "This is for the best, for both of us. I’ve already decided to let go completely. Let’s just do each other this favor."
He watched her with an unreadable expression. "I’m used to you. I can’t adapt to soone else. I’ll give you a raise. You make three thousand a month now; I’ll raise it to five thousand."
When she remained silent, he continued, "Ten thousand?"
"Twenty thousand?"
Chloe Marshall let out a long breath and nodded. "Twenty thousand it is. A salary that high is a huge jump. For a woman who loves money as much as I do, of course I’ll keep working."
He turned to leave. "Then just do your job well."
The door closed, and she was once again alone in the empty room.
She sank weakly onto the sofa, pressing her fingers to her temples, which felt sore and numb.
’So things,’ she thought, ’have spun far beyond my imagination, spiraling out of control.’
*
「The next day.」
Nora Ainsworth and Quentin Grant packed their luggage and boarded a private jet early in the morning. They were flying to Yarnia, the country with the world’s most advanced dical care, to et the reclusive Sage of dicine.
After a four-hour flight, they arrived in the Capital of Yarnia.
From there, they switched to a car and drove for a long ti before finally reaching the recluse’s hideaway.
It was an incredibly difficult place to find. If Quentin Grant hadn’t sent people to scour the area for information, it would have been nearly impossible to locate.
The car finally ca to a stop.
The first thing they saw was a gate crafted from wood.
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