Our Anniversary, You Chose Her – I Chose Divorce

The smile on Preston Vance’s lips widened. He said warmly, ”You’re recovering very well. And please, don’t be so formal with me. If you keep acting like this, I might really get upset.”

Chloe Reed gave a faint smile, her clear, almond-shaped eyes exceptionally bright and dewy.

Preston Vance gazed at her and said, ”Chloe, you look so beautiful when you smile. When I saw you before, it was as if you were constantly under a dark cloud. It made my heart ache to see you like that.”

Walker Grant’s flat voice cut in, ”Mr. Vance must have a lot of free time on his hands, to be feeling sorry for another man’s wife.”

Preston Vance looked at him, his expression cooling. ”If the person who should be closest to her doesn’t care for her, then of course someone else will have to step in.”

Walker Grant scoffed. ”What, were you hiding under our bed? How do you know I don’t care for her?”

Seeing that the two of them were about to start arguing again, Chloe Reed abruptly stood up. ”Go.”

She spoke the single word with surprising force.

Walker Grant immediately shot to his feet, his tone softening. ”Chloe, I’ll go with you.”

Preston Vance stood up as well. ”Chloe, what are your plans? I’m free today. Wherever you’re headed, I can give you a ride.”

Walker Grant said coolly, ”We have more than enough cars. We wouldn’t dare trouble Mr. Vance to act as our chauffeur.”

Preston Vance replied gently, ”I prefer driving myself; it’s more spontaneous, less formal. Chloe has a free-spirited personality, too. I’m sure she doesn’t like being constrained, right?”

Chloe Reed: ”...”

’Fiona Linton was getting really excited. It was just a shame there were no sunflower seeds. If she’d known, she would’ve asked the waiter for some earlier.’

’Brilliant!’

’Absolutely brilliant!’

’Watching two men fight over someone was just too entertaining.’

Chloe Reed had no desire to listen to any more of this. She flashed her phone at Preston Vance, signaling that she would message him. Then, she grabbed Walker Grant’s arm and pulled him out of The Gilded Pavilion.

Seeing this, Fiona Linton hurried to follow them. As she passed Preston Vance, she gave him a small cheering gesture and whispered, ”You’ve got to step up your game! I’m rooting for you, you know!”

Preston Vance gave a faint smile. Watching them leave, he reached up and adjusted his glasses.

A moment later, his phone chimed. He took it out and saw a message from Chloe Reed.

Chloe Reed: [Sorry, Preston. We had to leave.]

Preston Vance: [No problem. Just remember you owe me a meal.]

Chloe Reed: [Don’t worry, I will.]

Preston Vance: [Mr. Aldridge told me there’s hope for Mr. Grant’s eyes to recover. You don’t have to carry such a heavy burden anymore.]

Chloe Reed: [Yeah.]

Preston Vance: [I’ll let you go. Remember to tell me if you need anything. Don’t be a stranger.]

Chloe Reed: [Okay.]

...

The atmosphere in the car was tense. Chloe Reed put her phone away, and only then did Walker Grant’s somber voice break the silence. ”Chloe, his motives aren’t pure.”

Chloe immediately looked at him, her brow furrowed as she typed: ”Can you stop being so unreasonable? He helped you, and you’re still saying his motives aren’t pure?”

Walker Grant’s thin lips pressed into a line. ”He helped me so he could steal you away from me. *That’s* why his motives aren’t pure.”

Fiona Linton couldn’t resist chiming in. ”Chloe is her own person. It’s her right to choose who she wants to be with. Even if you’re married, she doesn’t belong to you. She belongs to herself.”

Walker Grant turned to face her. Even through the layer of white gauze, Fiona could feel his oppressive aura.

Fiona Linton’s eyelid twitched violently. She was suddenly reminded of the thirty million.