[126] a
After talking with Adrianna last night, Chloe felt more at peace. It felt like she had found a solution. Her mind became more focused on one point: Darren. Adrianna had supported her relationship with Darren from the beginning compared to Leonel. Although her feelings couldn’t be denied, she realized-just now, in fact-that she still had some lingering feelings for Leonel. It was foolish. She was especially considering how much her ex-husband had hurt her: the betrayal, the frustrating behavior, and his treatment of Chloe in the past.
Based on this, Chloe kept her distance from Leonel. She didn’t care what actions he might take or how he tried to disrupt her life. Chloe continued living her life as if Leonel wasn’t a disturbance. Although she grew tired of it and sometimes needed the help of others to push Leonel away, she couldn’t avoid him forever, right?
Chloe hoped for Darren’s return as soon as possible. The news he gave her was brief. Chloe tried to understand; perhaps her behavior before Darren left for Surabaya triggered how he was treating her now. She attempted to be patient and understanding, determined to improve herself and her relationship with Darren.
A week it was passed.
The news of Darren’s return made Chloe happy again. Even though it was just a short message and their chat conversations were not extensive. It differed from their chats before Darren went to his parent’s house. It felt wrong to ask too many questions on the phone or through messages. After Darren returned, Chloe would surely ask him everything.
Darren: [I’m coming back tomorrow. I’m still getting ready. If I contact you during the journey, I’ll let you know. Take care of your health, Chloe.]
Chloe had memorized every word displayed on her phone screen from reading it many times. She smiled faintly. Her heart also started to warm up. At least when Darren met her, he would have much to say. What else made Chloe happy? Well, she could meet and tightly hug her beloved. Her day wouldn’t be empty and certainly be more colorful because Darren would be back. Whether it was spending time together finishing work and commuting or simply having lunch together. It made Chloe happy. Just imagining it, Chloe couldn’t wait to meet and embrace Darren.
Tonight, even though it was late, there was a glimmer of hope that Chloe began to plant, hoping it would grow stronger. She let the breeze tangle her loose hair for a moment. From the balcony of her two-story house, she also enjoyed the beautiful view of the night.
“You have to choose between the two of them. If you still have feelings for Leonel, then go back to him! But never blame the circumstances, talk, or confide in me about how Leonel treats you again, causing you to be hurt once more and possibly even worse. Have you ever thought, let’s fantasize, Chloe? What if… Ester hadn’t done anything? Truly, she was a faithful snake sitting by Leonel’s side and continuously tempting him until you two divorced. Would Leonel now chase after your love? I don’t think so, Sa,” Adrianna said with a determined look. “Leonel is behaving like this because he feels guilty. But it’s a different kind of guilt. We don’t know the future of you, me, Leonel, Darren, and everyone else on this Earth. But at least you’ve experienced something bad. Don’t you want genuine happiness? But if you don’t want to get hurt, start a new chapter with someone new,”
That statement always danced in Chloe’s mind, leaving her feeling torn. Adrianna’s words were not wrong. Chloe thought they were very accurate. She couldn’t deny that she felt comfortable with Darren. What hadn’t Darren done for her? If Chloe were to compare, Darren had sacrificed too much for her. So why was she still hesitating? However, there were still lingering feelings toward her ex-husband’s transformation. Chloe felt haunted by the dilemma of choosing between the two, especially now.
Not wanting to dwell in negative thoughts, Chloe reached for her flat object on the nightstand and scrolled through her phone to find Adrianna’s name. She asked Adrianna to come to her house urgently. More than talking to Adrianna was needed for Chloe.
[Can you come to my house now?]
Send.
While waiting for Adrianna’s response, Chloe walked toward the balcony. She stood with half of her body leaning against the railing. Chloe felt relieved, often enjoying the view from that tall building as if she were appreciating the entire world. Then she took a slow breath, trying to calm her mind and the dilemma in her heart, but it had been half an hour, and Adrianna had not yet responded to her message.
However, there has yet to be a response from Adrianna. Suddenly, a new message appeared on Chloe’s phone that morning.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
Ding!
Chloe quickly reached for the flat object to see who notified her. She hoped it was Adrianna because Chloe still wanted to talk to her more. Especially now that her mind was in chaos and she needed some enlightenment. It seemed that Chloe couldn’t make up her mind.
However, what Chloe hoped for didn’t match reality. It was Darren. He sent Chloe a message stating that he was on his way back. Darren would hurry home to Beverly Hills and resume his usual work, especially to meet Chloe.
Darren: I’m heading to the airport. It is the last flight. I still have some business to attend to this afternoon. I see you’re online, Sa. It’s already late. Get enough rest, Chloe.
A sweet smile formed on Chloe’s face. She looked happy when Darren informed her about his return, which was currently underway.
[Take care on the road. I’ll be waiting for your return here. Don’t overthink about me. Take care of yourself too, Darren. If you’re not tired, can we meet tomorrow?]
Send.
Chloe held her phone close, smiling, taking a slow breath, and vividly remembering Darren’s face and voice. She couldn’t wait to meet her lover, who had been separated for a week due to distance and other matters. Darren had to go to his parent’s house in Santa Monica for something.
But Chloe’s thoughts turned gloomy when she remembered her message to Adrianna, which received no response from the girl. She hoped Adrianna would quickly reply to her message because she wanted someone to talk to. But unfortunately, Adrianna seemed busy and had yet to answer or even read the news.
“Just wait; if we meet later, I’ll give you a lesson for making me annoyed, waiting for a response to my message that you didn’t even bother to reply to,” Chloe grumbled, looking at her message to Adrianna that hadn’t been read, let alone replied to by the girl.
Wait.