Chloe The moment the car door opened, I sighed loudly. This had to be the longest, most stressful car ride of my entire life. Never, had I tried this hard to control myself over something. And it was all because of this man beside me. Who, for the past thirty minutes, had been casually brushing his fingers along my thighs. Skimming the fabric. Letting his knuckles graze my skin as if it was an accident. But I knew it wasn’t. Not with the way that insufferable smirk kept dancing across his lips as he stared out the window like he was innocent. My whole body was on fire, and I had to physically stop myself from grabbing Alexander by the collar and into the backseat to make him stop teasing and actually do something. But I didn’t, because I had just enough pride and I felt bad for the poor driver. So when the door finally opened and I could breathe real air again, I felt like I’d just survived a war. Alexander stepped out first. And the moment his shoes hit the ground, the men stat
Chloe I smoothed my hand down the front of my outfit, still not used to the way it hugged and complimented my body. Joshua really went all out. A cream satin bralette, paired with a high-waisted, ruched maxi skirt that hugged my curves, and a long matching coat draped effortlessly over my shoulders. The whole look was chic, bold, and elegant. It was nothing like what I normally wore. Nothing like the modest dresses my mother-in-law picked for me. Or the neutral tones that helped me disappear at family dinners. Right now, I didn’t look like someone’s obedient wife, I looked like a rich, and powerful heiress. I glanced at the glass door in front of me, and saw Alexander standing outside, leaning against the sleek black car like he’d stepped out of a magazine ad. Under the streetlight, his black coat swayed slightly in the breeze, one hand tucked in his pocket. Eyes lazily on the ground. He was waiting. After the kiss, I made him leave, so that I could get dressed. Because if he’
Alexander I wasn’t the type to plan all this. Honestly, I didn’t even know what I was doing. The shopping was Joshua’s idea. He said something about surprising her and seeing her shock and happy face. When I first heard it, I thought it was a waste of time. Like I said, I wasn’t the kind of man to drag things out with dramatic gestures. I just wanted to get it over with, ask her on a proper date, take her somewhere and enjoy my time with her. But Joshua had been adamant. And the thought of seeing her face, that expression she gets when she’s caught off guard and trying not to smile was tempting. But God. They never said she’d look like this. Tempting didn’t even begin to cover it. I was this close to forgetting everything, to taking her right here on this counter and making her scream my name. The image alone made it hard to concentrate. She blinked up at me, lips parted slightly. That innocent look was ruining my entire sense of control. “D-Date?” she said, flustered. Her ch
Chloe “Oh my god.” “She’s stunning.” “She’s one of the few women who’s ever left us completely speechless.” “I know right!” Compliments poured in from every corner of the salon. I sat still, my face warming as I tried to remain indifferent. But it was impossible. I could feel my cheeks turning pink, my heart fluttering against my ribs. They weren’t mocking me. They weren’t being polite. They meant it. I glanced at the mirror again. My hair had been styled in soft, cascading waves, tumbling down my shoulders. My makeup was minimal, and glowing. It was just enough to enhance my features. And for a second, I stared at my reflection like I was seeing myself for the first time in years. I’d almost forgotten what I looked like when I took care of myself. I looked beautiful. Joshua had dyed his hair blond during the process, the color making his already charming features pop. He looked like someone who’d walked off a designer billboard. He smiled at me. “You’re stunning, Chloe.
Chloe “This dress has only two pieces in the world,” the store manager said. “It was gently crafted and designed by the famous Chen Lily herself.” Her words slid into one ear and out the other. I stared down at my hands, blinking slowly. My fingers twitched slightly in my lap, and I wasn’t sure if it was from nerves or fatigue. The soft scent of expensive fabric, and perfume filled the VIP suite, but it all felt distant. That thought was still clawing at my mind, refusing to leave. “Chloe? Are you okay?” a voice called softly. I felt a light tap on my hand and looked up, startled. Joshua was watching me, concern etched in his eyes. “You’ve been out of it for a while,” he said. “Did something happen?” I blinked at him, then at the store manager standing nearby. I licked my lips, trying to gather my thoughts. Come on, Chloe. Calm down. Don’t act strange. I forced a small smile. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep well last night.” Joshua smiled gently and gav
ChloeI looked at Joshua, confused. He just said Dad. If that man was Joshua’s father, did that mean he was Alexander’s father too?I turned to him slowly. “Did you just say… Dad?”He froze, as if I’d just slapped him. His entire body went still, and he turned to me with wide eyes, swallowing hard. For a moment, he looked like a child caught in a lie. Then he sighed, like he already regretted what he was about to say.“Oh, no,” he said quickly. “He’s not our real father, Chloe.”I stared at him. “But, you called him dad just now.”Joshua let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s just…he looked so much like my father. I must’ve gotten confused for a second.”“Confused?”He smiled faintly, eyes dropping to the floor. “Yeah. Actually, we lost our dad a few years ago. He passed away. It was hard, especially for me. I was really close to him. He was the kind of man who’d dance in the kitchen just to make us laugh. The kind who lived on his own terms. So sometimes, when