[127] a
Considering Darren’s return, Chloe felt extremely happy. She felt like she had a friend to talk to and fill her days with, just like before. They would spend a lot of time together, whether it was having lunch together or, well, doing other activities. Thinking about it made Chloe have a little smile on her face.
Still, at the restaurant where they had breakfast together before Chloe started her work at the café, the couple truly enjoyed each other’s company, finally reunited after a week apart. For Darren, their closeness solidified his determination to have Chloe, no matter what. Not Irena or any other woman. He had a week to persuade Chloe to visit and meet his parents. He would make Chloe agree to it. He needed certainty and felt guilty about leaving Chloe hanging like that.
As for Chloe, being by Darren’s side confirmed her heart’s decision. She no longer wanted to think about Leonel, no matter what. Her mind was made up, and she was going with Darren’s flow. The relationship she desired was heading towards a much more severe stage than before.
“Is something wrong?” Darren asked, noticing that Chloe seemed brighter than usual.
“Nothing,” Chloe replied, taking a bite of her salad. “Everything is fine.”
“Is… Leonel still in Beverly Hills?”
Chloe put down her spoon. Her eyes locked with Darren’s, who had been looking at her first. Chloe didn’t want to hide anything from Darren. She tried to be honest with him. “Yes. And he still hasn’t returned, as far as I know.”
Darren clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Is he bothering you?” His simmering emotions slowly started to boil. He felt resentful and regretful for leaving Chloe in Beverly Hills without keeping a closer watch on her. Various negative thoughts began to fill his mind.
“Kind of,” Chloe said, savoring her food. “But I don’t care. It’s up to him what he wants to do. I don’t want to know. I’ve pushed him away many times, but it seems he has no shame.”
“Indeed,” Darren quickly replied. His face was no longer friendly as before.
Seeing Darren’s expression made Chloe happy. Despite his busy schedule in Surabaya, jealousy still lingered in his heart. Though Chloe found it strange that Darren restricted their communication, it made her think a lot. And in the end, this was her choice. To accept Darren. Besides, falling in love with him didn’t seem difficult.
The fact that Darren got worked up just from hearing about Leonel was proof enough.
“Relax,” Chloe said, gripping Darren’s hand tightly. It made him repeatedly glance at Chloe and their intertwined hands. “I don’t care about Leonel’s presence.”
Finally, Darren’s smile was filled with relief. They resumed their breakfast while occasionally discussing trivial matters. Fortunately, Darren didn’t have to work today because he was too tired from traveling from Surabaya to Beverly Hills. But he always tried to make Chloe love him more with his gentle demeanor and understanding.
However, unknown to Chloe, Darren’s return to Beverly Hills had another purpose. It was to ensure their relationship. His parents had been pressuring him to introduce Chloe to them because if Darren didn’t do it soon, one way out was to arrange a marriage between Darren and Irena.
Their breakfast session concluded, but a few snacks remained for them to nibble on while they continued their conversation. Chloe’s position sitting across from Darren prompted him to take the initiative to change seats. He wanted to be closer to his beloved.
“What’s wrong?” Chloe asked curiously.
“Is it not allowed?” Darren grinned mischievously. “I miss you, Sa.”
Chloe just laughed. She shifted her position so Darren could sit next to her. Then she felt her shoulder being slightly heavier. Darren had wrapped his arm around her affectionately. “Lean on me, Sa.”
“This is a public place, Darren,” Chloe said, her face red as a tomato. She didn’t expect him to act so childish!
“What’s wrong with that?” Darren moved even closer. Chloe couldn’t do anything but accept what Darren was doing. She was getting lost in his embrace, unaware that time was passing. But it didn’t matter. After all, she was the owner of the café, right? If she happened to be late to work today, she would get understanding. Moreover, when she left earlier, Peni knew who she was with. So it wouldn’t hurt to be late occasionally.
Darren took the opportunity to think about how to start the conversation with Chloe. Despite their proximity, the scent of Chloe’s perfume filling his lungs, and the softness of her hair that he was gently caressing, he still couldn’t find the right words to say in the simplest way possible without making Chloe overthink things.
He didn’t want his words to create distance between them.
“What do you want to say? I’ve been waiting,” Chloe said, tilting her head slightly. Their faces were so close that they almost touched. It was clear that neither wanted to let go of each other. Not only that, Chloe also looked comfortable in Darren’s embrace. Unbeknownst to her, Leonel observed them from a distance, feeling a surge of jealousy in his heart.
“Can we not ruin this intimacy, Chloe?”
Chloe pouted, but she felt Darren’s pull getting stronger.
“Patience, my dear. I’m filling the void of missing you by my side for a week,” he said.
“You were the one who stayed in Surabaya for too long.”
Darren chuckled at Chloe’s words and complaints.
“Do you want us to spend the day alone together?” Darren asked Chloe cautiously. He deliberately discussed the topic to see if Chloe would make time for him. Darren wanted to discuss the seriousness and future of their relationship. He didn’t want to go along with the arranged marriage his parents had in mind with Irena in Surabaya. He only wanted to marry Chloe.
Only Chloe.
Upon hearing Darren’s question, Chloe furrowed her brow, not understanding why he suddenly brought it up. Although Darren didn’t know that Chloe had spent most of yesterday at home, trying to calm herself down, his request worried her.
“What’s wrong?” Even though Chloe took a day off yesterday, it wasn’t a big deal. At most, she received some messages or calls asking about delayed reports. Besides, she had Peni she could rely on.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
Due to her suspicion, Chloe distanced herself from Darren’s embrace. She looked up and stared closely at him, wondering why he acted this way. Did something happen? At a time when she was setting her goals? Oh God! Chloe started to worry even more. She preferred to stare at Darren’s face, which now seemed downcast.
“No,” Darren exclaimed in surprise. He looked at his girlfriend’s somber expression, feeling restless. “I didn’t mean anything, Sa. I was asking if you wanted to spend time alone together. Can you take the day off? I want to spend the day with you,” Darren said to Chloe. He lifted her chin, seeing the tenderness in Chloe’s eyes filling his vision. “Come on, don’t overthink it. I want to fulfill my longing.”
Chloe remained silent momentarily, trying to understand the meaning behind Darren’s words.
“Why suddenly? Are you planning to end our relationship?” Chloe asked, slightly confused by Darren’s behavior. His previous statement caught Darren off guard.
“End our relationship?”