Chloe sighed as she sat on the couch, watching random TV shows she had never watched before.
Honestly, she wasn't all that interested, mostly because she wasn't used to just sitting idly and doing nothing.
She was used to being busy with house chores, so busy that she had no time to relax. She would find something to do if all of her tasks were done.
Vernon wouldn't even allow her to cook because she needed rest.
Vernon made breakfast for them and even prepared his own suit. He told Chloe to just sit and watch TV or random youtube videos while he was away.
Chloe could only nod and hum as she saw left to go to work.
She knew that Vernon was a grown adult man who could take care of himself. But Vernon grew up with a gold spoon. He was so spoiled and pampered that he would always depend on Chloe for small things in life.
'Now look at him. He's now a powerful man, smart and handsome too. He can even care for his small family while I can't do anything….'
Chloe always saw Vernon as a baby and continued to see him because she practically raised him. And seeing him being so independent without needing her help depressed her a little.
The only thing he didn't do to replace her today was drive Mackie to her school, though it was because Mackie had a week break after the autumn festival in her school.
It was a relief for Chloe because Chloe would not allow Mackie to go to school, at least not now when she couldn't trust Mackie alone inside a school controlled by Vincent's people.
'I don't know if Vincent would do something crazy like kidnapping my daughter. He has the capability to do so if he wants,' Chloe thought.
She checked at Mackie, sitting on the carpet in front of the TV. She was playing with her barbie doll, the one that Vincent bought the moment after she filed for divorce.
She had been thinking about replacing that Barbie doll with the same doll but with what she bought with her own money. It might not matter much for Mackie, but for Chloe, it could be proof that she didn't need that man in her life anymore.
'January is near, I will get my salary soon and I'll buy her one… or two… or three. I want to spoil her a bit…' Chloe thought.
The day passed without much going on. Chloe just sat or slept and then constantly checked on Mackie all day long. Though, it looked more like Mackie was the one who watched over her.
Because whenever she was about to do the laundry or cook something, Mackie would stop her and drag her back to the couch to sit idly. She was like a pesky security guard, seriously.
They waited until dusk when Vernon opened the penthouse's main door and saw Chloe and Mackie sitting on a couch in the foyer.
His face brightened instantly, and he asked, "Who's ready for dinner?"
Mackie darted her eyes at the door and sprung up excitedly. She rushed towards her Uncle and hugged his wrist, "Me! Me! Uncle, I'm so hungry, please cook something!" Mackie demanded. She glanced at Mommy and reported, "Uncle, I've stopped Mommy from cooking three times, doing laundry two times, cleaning the fridge four times, and cleaning your bed five times!"
"That much?" Vernon raised his brow, surprised by how many times Chloe forced herself to do something. He shifted his gaze at Chloe, who looked away ashamedly as if she were a kid caught stealing candy.
"I'm just bored with nothing to do," Chloe replied.
Vernon sighed, "The doctor said that you shouldn't use your hand too often while it's recovering. Why's that so hard to follow?"
"I'm just not used being useless..." Chloe muttered.
"What do you mean being useless? Just because you're wounded and can't do chores for a few weeks, now you're suddenly useless?" Vernon clicked his tongue annoyedly. "Stop being so self-defeating, Chloe."
Vernon picked Mackie up and carried the little girl with one arm. He walked towards Chloe and sat beside her on the couch.
Mackie jumped off and her butt landed on the spot between her mother and Uncle. She looked at Mommy, who was still looking away, then at Uncle, who scratched the back of his head.
The atmosphere was awkward, and Mackie didn't like that.
'Maybe because I'm here with them?' Mackie wondered.
She could hear Uncle and Mommy talking and giggling harmoniously whenever she wasn't around. Sometimes Mommy would make weird noises that the little girl couldn't comprehend when Uncle bullied Mommy with a big police stick.
She was curious, but no matter how often she asked what they were doing inside Uncle's room, Mommy would always blush and refuse to answer.
Though her curiosity hadn't been satiated, she didn't question further— at least for now. As long as Mommy was happy, then Mackie would be happy too!
Thus, she jumped off the sofa and said, "Uncle, I'll go to my room! I want to read a book!" Mackie found her random alibi and left Uncle and Mommy alone.
…
…
The atmosphere got even more awkward than before. Both remembered their conversation last night and how their sweet moments were cut short because Vernon accidentally said the forbidden word.
"I… uh… I'm sorry for last night. I was caught up in the mood. So let's just forget it, okay?"
Chloe turned her head and frowned while staring at Vernon. Her mouth was zipped, but Chloe's eyes spoke everything in her mind, 'How could I forget something like that?!'
Chloe was actually offended. She always saw love and marriage as sacred things that shouldn't be put as a joke or something said because he was 'caught up in the moment.'
But she had no way to say that she wanted Vernon to either be serious when talking about it or never talk about it at all.
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