Matilda refused to be shamed by him. She threw her face to the side and sneered, “At least it’s better than buying her some cheap looking necklace.” Honey reached to touch the dog tag around her neck gently and raised her eyes to look at Ethan. “I love it, daddy!” Ethan smiled back at her before he raised a brow, “Do you want to know something about this necklace?” She nodded and Ethan leaned closer to her ear. Whatever he told her made her happier because she turned to face him fully and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. When they disengaged, Chloe reached into her bag for a big rectangular box wrapped in wrapping paper. Honey was about to tear of the wrapping paper when Chloe shook her head. “I want you to open it tomorrow.” Honey was hesitant, but still nodded and dropped it on the table. Claire was still in a mood after finding out the betrothal she thought she had was actually misunderstanding, but she still flashed Honey a warm smile. “Your gift was too big

Chloe’s eyes fluttered open 8 hours later to see a familiar figure standing rigidly by the side of the bed. It took her a moment before she realized the person was Ethan. The man was holding a white tray which contained a glass of water and milk. When he saw she was awake, he lifted the glass of water and stretched it towards her. However, her eyes went behind him and settled on the clock on the wall. “9:37am! Wh-why? You should’ve woken me! Why didn’t you wake me, Ethan?!” She half-shouted, trying to leave the bed, but quickly stopped when she realized she had no clothes on under the duvet she was under. Ethan stared at her seriously before saying, “Because I didn’t think you’d be fit to work today.” Chloe’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment as the events of last night flooded back to her. She closed her eyes and pressed two fingers against her forehead as if trying to push the memory to the back of her mind. If she wasn’t in a hurry to get to work, she wouldn’t have the heart t

For the next two days, Matilda and Scott were on their best behavior. Chloe would hear them arguing in their room, but the minute they came out, she would hear nothing. She heard them arguing in the living room monday morning as she got ready for work. However, when she came down, Scott hurriedly left while Matilda tried to run in the opposite direction, but Chloe stopped her. “Mom.” Matilda feigned ignorance and smiled at her warmly, “What are you still doing at home, Chloe? You should hurry to work, you’re almost late.” Chloe frowned slightly and moved closer to check her mother’s temperature. “Your temperature’s normal which means you’re not sick. Did you fight with dad and he, perhaps, hit your head on the wall by mistake?” Matilda shrugged off her hand on her forehead and huffed quietly. “Why would you ask that?” Chloe dropped her hands beside her and said seriously, I’ve lived with you and father my entire life and this is the first time you’ve both gone without scream

Claire frowned hard when he felt someone’s hand on her wrist and turned to see it was Chloe. She tried to pry her hands away from her wrist and when she couldn’t, she scoffed impatiently, “What are you doing? He called you a bitch. Someone needs to yank those lips of yours and if you won’t do it, I will.” Chloe shook her head slowly and said calmly, “You going outside will only make him happy. Ignore him. The security will throw him out soon.” Unfortunately, when Claire moved, Lewis saw her side profile and recognized her immediately. Then his eyes settled on the familiar back of the woman standing beside her. Seeing them inside the building gave him a sudden adrenaline rush. He suddenly broke out of the grip of the security guards dragging him outside and rushed into the building. He stretched his hand towards Chloe’s hair to pull her around with it when Levi suddenly stepped in front of her and shoved him roughly to the floor. Lewis got up immediately and tried to lunge himse

The women froze, then their faces reddened in embarrassment before the one in the middle parted her lips to say something, but Claire beat her to it. “From the right, Sally Brody, Trish Field and Regina Connors. Don’t you remember them?” Chloe turned to her, confusion still written all over her face as shook her head in refusal. Claire shrugged and continued, “It doesn’t surprise me. They weren’t exactly model students. Sally Brody was what I would call a delinquent.” “Regina Connors, I don’t quite remember but I hear she was a crackhead. Smoked anything that had smoke coming out of it.” “Trish Field liked to feel among, so she was always with the rich kids. People like Regina Connors and Sally Brody. I don’t really know what her deal was.” By the time she finished, the three women were trembling with rage. “Delinquent? Do you see how well a delinquent turned out? Unlike you and your sister, I don’t have to rely on men to get into places like this!” Sally Brody said through cle