Chapter 4

Chloe fiercely wiped her lips, her expression full of anger. "Do you have no shame?!" Following their exchange, Chloe forcefully pushed Ethan away and swung open the car door with a resounding bang. Ethan took a step forward, forcefully slamming the half-open car door shut. A nonchalant expression adorned his face once again as he remarked, "Aiden didn't come home yesterday. Do you know what he was doing?" "He was having a great time at the bar, laughing and chatting with beautiful women. So, do you not care about that?" he added. Chloe's face remained cold, revealing no emotions, "So what?" Ethan's demeanor instantly turned cold, "Marrying him is like a transaction for you. Why not make a deal with me?" Chloe's hand clenched suddenly, her eyes fixed on Ethan. "Ethan, I will never marry you, no matter who I marry!" Ethan stiffened all over. Meanwhile, the car roared to life, leaving the parking lot. Chloe lowered the car window, letting the cold night wind hit her face. The sensation was cold, and in a moment, her eyes turned red. The radio played a male voice, deep and full of charm, narrating what sounded like a story. "We've experienced too many wounds along the way, forgetting the initial smiles. Time makes us fragile yet strong--" The following day, Chloe isolated herself in her room, diligently preparing the draft. "A Wealthy Man Burns the Incense Street." She understood Ethan's intentions very well. The incident was perceived by Ethan as a form of humiliation, but for Chloe, it had long lost its impact. Strangely, each attempt to resume writing seemed to encounter an obstacle. A ringing interrupted her thoughts- a call that caught her attention. Glancing at her phone, she saw her father's name, Henry Hollis. "Dad, what's going on?" "Chloe, do you have any money?" Henry asked cautiously. Chloe's heart tightened, "Have those people found you?" Following the Hollis family's bankruptcy, several debt collectors had been showing up. However, Chloe's parents couldn't endure the harassment, prompting Chloe to send them back to their hometown, Greenwood. "No," Henry quickly denied. "It's about your mom; she was hospitalized two days ago and needs a minor surgery. Don't worry; it's not a big problem. I have no choice but to call you..." Towards the end, Henry's voice lowered. Listening to her once tough father speaking with such caution, Chloe's eyes welled up with tears. She spoke in a hushed tone, concealing her emotions, "I have money; I'll transfer it right away." Chloe heard her father breathe a sigh of relief, and her eyes quickly reddened. After ending the call, she promptly made the money transfer. When she resumed sketching the draft, the earlier doubts about Ethan seemed to dissipate. After completing the draft, Chloe sent it to Elijah, the bar manager she had collaborated with before. Shortly after, Elijah messaged her, stating that the boss wanted to inspect personally and instructed her to bring the items to the bar. Chloe, in haste, readied herself and headed to the bar. During the daytime closure, only Elijah behind the bar and a stylish lady with long hair, dressed in Chanel, were present. Ethan was not there. Chloe walked toward the bar, and immediately, Elijah started explaining to her. "Miss Hollis, the boss got delayed on the way; we have to wait for a while," he said, gesturing towards the lady at the bar. "This is our boss's fiancée, Miss Skylar Kenyon."