Chloe felt a flutter in her chest as Max appeared at her doorstep, exuding effortless charm and style. His striped polo shirt seemed to cling to his well-defined chest, hinting at the strength hidden underneath, and his jeans perfectly complemented his casual yet attractive appearance. Despite his informal attire, he looked incredibly dashing, and Chloe couldn't help but feel a warm flutter in her stomach.Chloe, unprepared and initially hesitant to leave the comfort of her home, adorned a simple dress that accentuated her natural beauty, and gathered her hair into a haphazard bun - her signature look for lounging at home.Her eyes shifted from Max’s warm face to the small parcel in his hand. When he saw that she was looking at it, he raised it. "Chocolate ice cream," he said. "It was hard to guess the flavor you’d like, but I know every lady loves chocolate."Chloe wasn’t a lover of chocolate or ice cream, but she smiled her thanks. If ever she wanted a cup of ice cream, she would pi
Upon waking up, Chloe's mind immediately turned to the positive memories of her evening with Max, giving her a small glimmer of hope amidst her shattered dreams.Starting again was not going to be easy, but she was ready to do everything to recreate her designs just in time for the audition, which was a few weeks away.The auditioning was going to be a three-day program aimed at sifting through those who would be qualified to make it into the fashion display. It was going to be Chloe’s first time, and she was optimistic about being selected.It would be the milestone Girly Lux needed to seep further into the international market and win the hearts of investors.Her eyes moved to the brown envelope resting on the stool beside her bed, and she reached for it. When she opened it, she took out the photographs that the envelope carried. She had stumbled upon it the previous day at Kylian’s house. The first time she had seen the pictures, she flung them at Kylian, wishing not to see them ag
The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful as if it had been painted by a master artist. The air was alive with the sweet melody of birds singing in the valley, and the soft breeze caressed Chloe's cheeks. If she closed her eyes and focused, she could hear the gentle murmur of a stream as it flowed between the two towering cliffs.Chloe was dressed for adventure, wearing practical three-quarter khaki shorts and a fitted black tank top that showed off her toned arms. Her brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she wore a sweatband around her forehead to keep her hair out of her face. She carried a hydration waist pack around her waist, the liter bottle almost empty after just thirty minutes of hiking.Max walked beside her, keeping up with her pace as they silently climbed the summit of the mountain. Ollie was a few meters down and had given up on the quest to get to the summit, attributing her inability to her convalescing state.Chloe stared at the terrain from the highes
Chloe quickly took some steps away, trying to hide her nervousness, as she went on with her questions. "So…” she began, her palms rubbing up and down her arms as she cleared her throat. “why then are you single?"Max watched her. He observed the playful dance of Chloe's eyebrow, and he was yet to know what it meant."Let’s say I haven’t found the right woman yet." He responded, his voice calm and collected, almost as if he hadn't been the same person who had sparked a fire of desire in her just moments ago. He sure had his charms that could make any woman weak at the knees, even without much effort."And what do you think of me? Another wrong woman?""You…?" Max's brows creased in a subtle expression of surprise and confusion.As soon as the words left her lips, a wave of realization washed over Chloe like a strong wave crashing onto the shore, and she regretted asking the question. The atmosphere between them had been charged with something inexplicable, and she had been momentarily
Chloe could feel the suffocating pressure of the heavy atmosphere closing in on her, like a vice grip around her chest. She came to a halt in her restless pacing, attempting to take deep breaths in an effort to calm herself down, but the anger only seemed to intensify."Chloe," Max's voice pierced through the thin fabric of her tent, calling out to her. Chloe heard him, but she didn't respond immediately. The tent was translucent, so there was no way for her to hide. "Are you okay? You left suddenly."Chloe clenched her jaw, her resolve hardening. She had had enough of this trip and all the emotions it had stirred up. She hastily gathered her things, stuffing them into her duvet bag, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall."Is something wrong? Can I come in?"With a sudden jolt, Chloe sprang up from her seated position. "Don't you dare come in here!" she yelled. Her eyes blazed with fury, as her hands balled into tight fists. "Actually, you know what? Just get the
Chloe sniffled and sat up on the bed. She knew that crying wouldn't solve anything and would only leave her with puffy eyes and a weakened immune system. She couldn't afford to miss work on Monday, especially since she needed to focus on coming up with new designs.She pushed herself off the bed, her feet hitting the floor with a dull thud. She knew there was only one place that could numb the pain she felt, and that was Stone’s.Despite the memories it held of her time with Kylian, as they both frequented the place before things went sour, she knew it was the safest place where she could numb her pain and get drunk without having to worry about being molested on the streets, thereby exposing her to another monster in the guise of a prince charming.She reached for a pair of dark shades and added some color to her lips.She was careful not to let her appearance raise more unnecessary stares than she had been getting as the newest divorcee in the city.***Emma admired the elegant red
Emma was incensed and the only thing that staved off an outburst from her was the fact that they were in a public place.Kylian had arrived tardily for the date, keeping her waiting for almost thirty minutes before he walked in with a flimsy excuse that he had been unavoidably delayed by a last-minute business conference that he simply could not miss. Then, his phone didn’t stop ringing, interrupting their conversation each time she tried to summon up the courage to bring up a conversation about the money he promised her.At the fifth ring, she leaped to her feet and shoved the chair back, the metal legs scraping loudly against the cool marble floor. With a fiery determination in her eyes, she stormed out of the room, her heels clicking sharply with every step.She strode forward, acutely aware that all eyes were on her, the center of attention in her stunning outfit.It was too bad that Kylian had ruined her mood.As she approached the exit, the uniformed man by the door rose to his
Chloe jerked up in bed at the sound of the front door slamming shut, causing her to swiftly get out of bed.Emma had found the conscience to return home after days.She sat up, waiting for her. The worrisome thought of seeing Max’s car at Stones’ was a question Emma was going to answer.Emma had a peace offering in her hand when she walked in. As usual. She scowled as Emma lifted the box of chocolate to her.“The way you left tells me how terribly mad you are at me.”With a sigh, Chloe made her way towards one of the cushions in the room, sinking into it and folding her arms across her chest."“A box of chocolate isn’t going to solve this, Emma. Not this time.”Emma dropped the box and moved to the bed, facing her grimacing cousin. “What’s the problem?”She was certain that she hadn’t seen Kylian. Knowing her cousin too well, she knew the kind of reaction she’d display if she had seen her ex-husband with her.“What were you doing with Max? What’s your relationship with him?”All night