So I promise to make up for it. I will be the man you can rely on, Chloe. Even if it will cost me everything,' Vernon swore in his heart. 'As long as it doesn't cost you, then I can do anything for you.'
Meanwhile, Chloe had something else in mind. She knew Vernon was smoking because he was stressed about the whole ordeal with Vincent and the company's affair.
Chloe also saw the amount of stress that Vincent had to handle, but he didn't smoke.
Instead, Vincent would beat and torment her until she cried, and then he would be satisfied. It was his way of de-stressing, and Chloe stupidly thought she could be the martyr. Her daughter would be safe and happy if she endured all the abuse.
'But I'm still a human in the end. I can't endure too much pain. So I filed for divorce and ran away….'
Honestly, Chloe was still doubtful in her heart.
The fear of Vincent's wrath was deeply ingrained in her, making her subconsciously want to return to him, not because he loved that bastard.
That love was gone because Vincent crushed her heart over the years until it couldn't be pieced together anymore.
But she wanted to return so Vincent could unleash his rage on her. Maybe that would also be the end of her.
But at least Vincent wouldn't unleash his rage on other innocent lives. Chloe certainly didn't want her daughter or Vernon to get hurt because of her.
'But he made me want to be a little more reckless than usual. Instead of sacrificing myself, I want to… struggle a little….'
"Vernon… Do you still remember everything you said to me today?" Chloe suddenly asked, and Vernon nodded in response.
He had a good memory, especially when it was about Chloe. He remembered vividly almost everything she told him when he was still young.
"Well, you might not remember this, but you said something that makes me want to… fight a little…." Chloe said. She had never felt this open to someone in her life because she liked to keep all her ideas and opinions inside her mind.
But that was mostly because she was afraid of getting berated by Vincent.
Now with Vernon, she was assured that he wouldn't berate her, would he?
"Did I?" Vernon was genuinely caught off guard by that. All he said to her today was something that he said to protect her from any harm.
But he didn't remember ever giving any kind of encouragement to her, 'Which I should. Why am I so slow? Ugh!'
Chloe nodded lightly and parroted what Vernon said to her, word by word;
"Discard any stupid idea of yours, and trust me."
Vernon was stunned as Chloe parroted his words. Of course, he remembered when he said that.
He said it when Chloe was at home, alone.
He was afraid that Chloe would do something unthinkable. After all, she looked like someone who had just lost her soul and will to live.
But he didn't understand why that sentence became her source to retaliate.
"Vernon, I— I do have a stupid idea when I was alone in the house today," Chloe confessed. But she didn't mention specifically what kind of stupid idea she had, as she was also ashamed of it.
"But you called me at the right moment, I was ready to leave everything— to leave you. I was still thinking about it until you said that sentence to me."
"Vernon Phoenix Gray, you told me to discard my stupid idea and trust you, and so I did…." Chloe said. She turned and faced Vernon.
Then she slowly drew near until there was only a small gap between their bodies. Chloe looked up as her height was only at his shoulder level.
She gave Vernon a gentle smile, "So I will trust you— a little. I don't know what I can do, but I will support you in any way. This is not because of my job, but because I… I want to have someone to lean on…."
Chloe was a little embarrassed, but she gathered enough courage to request something, "C—Can I… um… hug you? I don't want to get weird, but— WHA!"
Chloe's eyes widened, and her body stiffened instantly when Vernon suddenly embraced her and wrapped his arms tightly around her small body.
"V—Vernon—?"
"Don't ever dare to give in to your stupid idea. I will not let you," Vernon said. His voice was hoarse, as he was holding such heavy emotion in him right now.
Vernon was triggered when Chloe said that she said that she was ready to leave everything, including him.
In his mind, she must've been thinking about…
Suicide.
Vernon wrapped his arms around her tighter than before until Chloe felt a little stuffy.
"Let me go, Vernon…." Chloe asked weakly.
"I refuse," Vernon replied calmly, yet with so much burden in his voice. "You're not allowed to leave me."
'You already left me once when I saw your wedding picture. I was devastated. I realized that I have lost you to my Big brother….'
'I can't imagine losing you again, especially not when you're thinking about killing yourself.'
'If you did that, I will—' Vernon stopped himself before it was too late. He might be saying all of this in his mind right now. But he knew he would follow Chloe to the afterlife if she dared to do such a thing.
Living without Chloe for the past ten years had been nothing but a nightmare to him. He couldn't imagine living forever without her by his side.
Chloe knew that she couldn't break free from Vernon's bear hug. She realized he seemed to be holding on to a heavy emotion in his heart.
So, she reciprocated by hugging him.
Since she wasn't as big as him, her hands could only be wrapped halfway around his broad back.
"I will not leave, Vernon," Chloe said. "Not when I promise myself to struggle a little against him."
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m