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All Chapters of When the Snow Settles: Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

19 Chapters

Chapter 11

Wren looked displeased. "Tessa, this has nothing to do with you. This is a business negotiation between Mr. Monroe and me.""How does it have nothing to do with me?" Tessa raised an eyebrow, then casually draped an arm around Kaleb's shoulders. The gesture was relaxed, yet carried a clear message."His business is my business now, Uncle Lewis. Are we racing or not? If not, we're leaving. Sign the contract with whoever you want."Her almost shameless show of support left Kaleb stunned and Wren momentarily speechless.Wren seemed to have some reservations about Tessa. In the end, he gritted his teeth. "Fine! You two can team up. Usual rules apply!"Soon, they were seated inside a modified race car.Kaleb checked the instruments and familiarized himself with the controls.Tessa quickly fastened her seat belt and picked up the radio and the course notes. In an instant, her expression became intensely focused, completely different from her playful demeanor a moment earlier."Do you

Chapter 12

The restaurant Tessa chose wasn’t some luxurious establishment. It was a small family-run place tucked deep inside an old neighborhood.The space was modest, with warm yellow lighting and wooden tables and chairs polished to a shine. The comforting aroma of food filled the air."Here?" Kaleb looked a little surprised.Given Tessa’s status and first impression, he expected somewhere trendier, or perhaps a place that required reservations."Don’t underestimate this place." Tessa led him farther inside with the ease of a regular. "The couple who own it have been cooking here for thirty years. Their food is amazing."She gave him a thumbs-up. "When I’m exhausted from filming or feeling homesick, I come here. It’s clean, the food’s good, and nobody bothers me."Kaleb nodded as she slid the menu toward him. "See what you want. Their soup is incredible. You’ve probably been exhausted lately. A nice bowl of soup will make you feel better."Her concern came naturally. Kaleb took her advi

Chapter 13

Another message followed.[Just saw this after wrapping up. Thought you might like it. When you’re tired, look at something wide open. It might help you feel better. Don’t reply. Get some rest.]As Kaleb looked at the photo, the tension in his nerves began to ease.He walked to the window and gazed out at the night in this foreign land. For the first time, he didn’t feel lonely or cold.He still poured most of his energy into work and caring for his family, and the walls around his heart remained high.But Tessa was like a persistent ray of sunshine, always finding a crack to slip through and bringing a little warmth with her.Kaleb knew she was pursuing him. Her feelings were obvious. She had never tried to hide them.He also knew he wasn’t ready yet.But sometimes, when he found himself laughing at one of her silly jokes, or received a late-night reminder from her to close the windows because the weather was about to change…He would find himself wondering whether taking thi

Chapter 14

Kaleb stood still as the night breeze stirred his hair.Every word she said seemed to tap gently against his heart.Just then, something cold landed on his face. A moment later, more and more tiny flakes drifted down through the halos of streetlights and headlights, swirling softly as they fell."Oh! It’s snowing!" a couple waiting for a ride nearby exclaimed in delight."It really is! I heard it’s been almost two years since we had any real snow here. Winter came early this year, and the snow started so suddenly…"Kaleb stared blankly at the increasingly thick curtain of snow.At some point, Tessa had leaned slightly toward him. Her fresh, clean scent surrounded him.Her voice dropped to a whisper beside his ear. "Kaleb, you’re supposed to make a wish when the first snow falls."A memory buried deep in his heart surged uncontrollably to the surface.He had stood in his family’s yard, smiling at the back of someone who was always cold toward him, and said, "Khloe, you’re suppo

Chapter 15

Tessa laughed even harder. "It's fine. Better late than never. Besides, being a 'top star' is just a title. When I'm with you, I'm just Tessa Brooks."Then she changed the subject, her tone teasing. "You might have to get used to being photographed whenever you're out with me, though. Does that scare you?"Kaleb looked out at the streets illuminated by neon lights and reflected snow, then shook his head.Scared?After weathering overt attacks and hidden traps in the business world and enduring the bone-deep cold of his marriage, a little public attention was nothing.Besides…"Being with you, there's nothing to be afraid of." His voice was soft, but Tessa heard every word clearly.At almost the same moment, in the CEO's office at Allen Group, Khloe had just finished a lengthy international video conference.Over the past two years, the Allen Group had gradually recovered from its slump under her ruthless restructuring and renewed strategic focus. But the damage from internal po

Chapter 16

A few days later, the trial Kaleb had been waiting for finally began.He had returned to the country not only to handle business, but also for one other reason: he wasn't going to let the man responsible for his father's coma get away with what he had done.From the gallery, he watched the man at the defendant's table, his face ashen.There was no satisfaction in seeing him there, only the detached calm of a matter finally settled.On the day the verdict was delivered, Diego was convicted on multiple charges and sentenced to prison.The fall of the gavel marked not only the punishment for his crimes, but also the end of an absurd and painful chapter in Kaleb's life.Before Diego was taken into custody, however, he made a request through his lawyer. He wanted to see Kaleb one last time.Kaleb had no desire to meet him again, but after a moment's thought, he went. Some things, perhaps, needed to be settled face-to-face.In the visitation room, separated by a sheet of cold glass,

Chapter 17

"I think it's absurd," Kaleb answered honestly. "I hate him, yet he wants to entrust his daughter to me. And somehow, I'm actually hesitating.""It's normal to hesitate," Tessa said calmly. "It means you have a heart. You're weighing the consequences, and you can't help feeling for her.""But raising a child is no small thing, especially when she's..." Kaleb frowned."Especially when she's the adopted daughter of your former rival in love?" Tessa finished for him with a smile. "Kaleb, since when have you needed to worry about what other people think? You only need to ask yourself whether you want to do this, whether you're willing to, and whether you can take responsibility for her."Her playful expression faded, and she grew serious. "If you're willing, we'll do it together. If you feel it's too much, we'll find her a reliable guardian and make sure she has a stable life and grows up safely."But don't make a hasty decision because you hate Diego or because you're afraid of what

Chapter 18

Khloe Allen's POV.When my secretary brought the divorce certificate into my office, a light snow was falling outside.I opened the folder and stared at the divorce decree bearing both our names. My fingertips felt cold.Kaleb Monroe.His name had run through the past seven years of my life like a shadow I couldn't ignore, or a fire that burned to the touch.At first, I truly hated him.When I was nineteen, I fell into the water. My consciousness was fading when someone dragged me ashore. He said, "I saved your life. You have to marry me."I thought he was insane.But the Monroe family had the power to make it happen.The small company my parents ran was on the verge of collapse, and they practically begged me to accept the marriage."Khloe, just do it for the family..."The wedding was so extravagant that the whole city took notice.On our wedding night, I stood in the guest room and heard muffled sobbing coming from the master bedroom.I told myself he'd brought it on hi

Chapter 19

I should have trusted him.But instead, I chose to question him. It was probably the stupidest decision I've ever made in my life.Later, he struck back in an even more forceful way.At the gallery's anniversary celebration, when he revealed the evidence against Diego, I watched him standing in the middle of the crowd, his gaze icy.In the gallery's lounge, I told him I was going to launch a takeover of the Monroe Group.I hadn't meant it. I was angry and wanted to scare him. I never even made the call.But he believed me. He slapped me across the face. His hand was shaking, and his eyes were so bloodshot they looked ready to bleed.At that moment, my heart felt as if it had been torn apart.I wanted to tell him that wasn't true, that I'd never intended to go after the Monroe Group for real.Those projects I'd used to make things difficult for his parents were just meant to force him to give in. I wanted him to come to me like he used to, even if it was only to argue.But he

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