CHapter 6

"Chloe... please... help me..."

"Please find this man for me." The woman's voice sounded hoarse. Her breaths were labored and appeared to be struggling.

Chloe leaned in, trying to understand what the woman next to her was saying.

"Which man? And why should I find him, sis?" she asked, confused. She couldn't grasp the meaning behind Nathalie's words.

A teardrop fell from Nathalie's eyelids. She struggled to answer her sister's question, but there was little she could do. Her entire body felt stiff.

"Because only you can find him," she whispered weakly.

This time, Chloe shook her head repeatedly.

"No! You have to get better and find this man yourself," she firmly refused. She openly declined Nathalie's request.

"I don't have much time left..." Nathalie uttered softly, her voice getting weaker.

"The man's business card is in my purse. Please, find him for me."

Chloe reached for Nathalie's wrist, holding it tightly as if afraid to be left alone.

"Why do I have to find him, sis? Did he cause all of this? Is he the one who hurt you?" Chloe persisted as Nathalie's condition worsened.

"Please... promise me you'll find him. This man is the one who..."

Before Nathalie could finish her sentence, her breath caught. Soon after, she lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead.

Shaken, Chloe reached for Nathalie's handbag, carefully searching for the business card her sister referred to. Eventually, she found a business card and a handkerchief that belonged to a man who had infuriated her for so long.

***

Chloe woke up with a heavy head. As her consciousness fully returned, she sat up, grabbed a glass of water on the nightstand, and drank it all in one go.

Countless nightmares had haunted her sleep. Nathalie's death from a few years ago left a big puzzle that needed to be solved. She was certain that her older sister died under suspicious circumstances. Chloe distinctly remembered the doctor's statement back then.

"There are many bruises all over her body. According to the autopsy, your sister suffered significant physical violence. If you look closely, the lower lip is even torn. Possibly from a powerful slap, supported by the handprint on her cheek."

Chloe could feel Nathalie's pain, how she was treated like an animal. Moreover, another revelation from the medical team made her heart shatter into pieces.

"What you need to know is that Miss Nathalie did not die alone. There was an unborn baby in her womb, which also became a victim."

Chloe almost went insane upon hearing this statement.

"What do you mean, doctor?"

"Yes, your sister was pregnant. The pregnancy had already reached four months."

Upon hearing this fact, Chloe could only sit down weakly. She cursed fate for being so cruel to Nathalie. The woman who had loved, protected, and cared for her all this time. Why did it have to be Nathalie? The woman who had always been kind to everyone.

Chloe herself went through great efforts to keep all these facts hidden from Dylan. She fabricated a story that Nathalie died due to an accident. She didn't want her father, who was then recovering from heart surgery, to know the truth.

"I swear I will kill that bastard, sis!" Chloe muttered. She tightly gripped a photo frame showing her and Nathalie embracing.

"But... before he dies, I must make him suffer first. I want him to feel the pain you felt. I want him to know what it's like to love and then suddenly suffer the loss."

Vengeance consumed Chloe. Her determination was resolute. She had already planned everything meticulously to see the man who hurt her sister suffer. Yes, Chloe wanted to ensure she herself destroyed that man to ashes.

After cleaning up and taking her medicine, Chloe decided to go downstairs to the ground floor. Her father was already sitting, enjoying breakfast alone. Intending to join him, she approached Dylan.

"Morning, Dad," greeted Chloe, giving her father a peck on the cheek.

"Morning, Darling. How did you sleep?" Dylan asked while taking a bite of his sandwich.

"I didn't sleep well last night."

Dylan paused his eating and looked puzzled for a moment, but then his expression returned to normal.

"Nightmares? Or was it because you got drunk again?"

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. She didn't answer definitively what caused her restless sleep.

"I've told you to cut down on drinking. Luckily, there was a nice man who escorted you last night. If some bad person hurt you or engaged in dangerous criminal activity, I'd go crazy losing you."

"A nice man?" Chloe asked, her expression now showing surprise.

Dylan nodded.

"Yes, the security and maid said that a man escorted you last night."

Chloe fell silent for a moment, trying to guess who might have taken her home. She completely forgot what happened last night. The pain of remembering Nathalie was too overwhelming, which led her to spend time at the American Bar. All she remembered was drinking too much vodka, and after that, everything became a blur.

Chloe took a deep breath and then spoke.

"Never mind. I don't care who escorted me. The important thing is that I'm fine now. I even joined you for breakfast this morning."

Dylan smiled and reached for Chloe's hand.

"Sure, that's what matters. By the way, if you're not feeling well today, you should rest. Let your secretary handle the work."

Chloe nodded, agreeing with Dylan's suggestion. After ensuring his daughter was stable, he prepared to leave for work.

****

For over thirty minutes, Kenzi and Richard sat in front of Edward, feeling ignored like mosquitoes buzzing around. Earlier, the three of them had made plans to have lunch together at a favorite restaurant. However, when they arrived, they found Edward acting strangely.

He had been sitting silently, seemingly fixated on something. Kenzi was convinced that Edward was looking at a photo of someone stored on his phone.

Feeling uncomfortable after being ignored for so long, Richard reluctantly decided to speak up.

"Ed, I think you need to see a doctor," Richard initiated the conversation.

Edward diverted his gaze from the phone, shifting it between Kenzi and Richard.

"Why should I see a doctor? Who's sick?" he asked in bewilderment.

Richard snorted.

"You need medical attention. I've been watching you smile for half an hour like a crazy person without any reason." Richard teased, knowing well how to banter.

Edward scowled, not accepting the jest.

"How dare you! I'm like this because I'm extremely happy, Rich. Somehow, each day, I become more convinced that the woman I slept with the other day is truly heaven-sent for me."

Richard leaned forward, reaching his right hand to touch Edward's forehead, checking his temperature.

"It seems like you're really sick, Ed."

Kenzi, who had been quiet all this time, finally chuckled in response to Richard's antics. She understood what was making her friend so happy. Could he be falling in love?

Sebastian Eduardo Martin, a man who previously didn't believe in commitment, suddenly falling in love. Truly something to be celebrated.

Still in disbelief, Kenzi leaned forward in her chair and asked, "What makes you so sure that she's the one for you?"

Edward smiled and said, "How many times do we have to try to avoid each other, but God keeps bringing us together? Isn't that fate?" He looked proud with each sentence. "Last night, we even accidentally ran into each other again."

Sitting in his chair, Richard smirked sarcastically. "That's not fate, Ed. Just a coincidence," he enjoyed messing with the happiness of the man in front of him.

"Damn it!" Just as he finished cursing, Edward reflexively furrowed his brow. He noticed the hard-to-interpret look in Kenzi's eyes. "Why?" he asked.

Kenzi took a brief breath. "I hope your instincts about fate are right this time. I just don't want you to make the wrong decision. If you've forgotten, you didn't even know this woman before."

Kenzi's statement startled Edward. The jocular expression that usually adorned his face disappeared instantly. Kenzi was right; Chloe was someone he didn't know at all before.

"I've asked Hans to investigate. There's nothing suspicious about Chloe. If you want to know, she's the youngest daughter of Dylan Arley."

"The owner of the Arley hotel chain?" Richard asked.

Edward nodded confidently. "Yes, she's the daughter of the Arley conglomerate."

"If that's the information you've got, then this woman should meet the requirements to be a suitable companion for a Martin noble descendant," Kenzi responded.

"Yes, that's why I---"

"It's useless, Ken," Richard cut in deliberately. "You shouldn't be asking about her background. The real question is, does this woman want to be the wife of an Sebastian Eduardo Martin?"

Edward's face darkened. "Bastard! You make it sound as if I'm not worthy of being anyone's companion, Rich."

Richard and Kenzi chuckled in unison. Edward quickly rose from his seat. But before leaving, he spoke again. "I'll prove to you both that she is my true match. Even if she keeps rejecting me, I swear I'll make her crazy for me, no matter what it takes."

****

After spending lunchtime with Kenzi and Richard, Edward hurriedly drove his car to a coffee shop on the outskirts of London. There was a reason he went there. Earlier, Hans had sent him a text message saying that Chloe was spending time alone at a nearby coffee shop. Not wanting to miss the chance, Edward decided to join her.

Hans was right. As he entered the coffee shop, Edward spotted Chloe sitting alone not far from the cashier's counter. He quickly made his way over.

"It seems like you enjoy being alone," he said.

Chloe's eyes blinked once, and her face looked as expressionless as usual. "What else do you want now?" she asked.

Edward remained silent for a moment before speaking again, "I just want to return your bag that you left in my car." He then handed Chloe her handbag that was accidentally left behind last night. Thankfully, he could use it as an excuse to meet her.

"Okay..." Chloe took the bag offered by Edward. "Thank you," she said, succinct and clear. That was all Chloe said.

Taking a deep breath, Edward leaned back on his chair. "Are you always this sparing with words? Or is it just with me?" he asked curiously, very curious this time. Was this behavior only directed at him, or was Chloe naturally a cold woman?

"Feel free to speculate however you want. I have no obligation to answer your questions." Chloe responded tersely once again.

"My goodness, Chloe. What did I do wrong? I even offered to take responsibility for our actions some time ago. I tried so hard to convince you. Actually, why do you always avoid me?" Edward interrogated. There was a hint of frustration in his tone.

The woman took a sip of her green tea before answering. "Because you don't fit my criteria, Mr. Sebastian Eduardo Martin. So stop following me."

Chloe then got up from her seat, choosing to leave Edward behind. When she reached the exit, Edward stood up as well and called out, "Chloe..."

She turned around, arching both eyebrows in question. But instead of responding, Chloe simply smiled bitterly and turned away, leaving Edward with his thoughts.