[70]
Chris couldn’t believe what he had just discovered. He repeatedly checked to ensure there were no mistakes and confirmed that his eyes saw the list of names, which he had obtained earlier in the afternoon after nearly a week of searching.
Since the last time he met Leonel, Chris’s days, he had been occupied with an assumption that couldn’t be easily dismissed. His strong intuition as a lawyer led him to another purpose that Josh Corp had. Although there hadn’t been any significant developments apart from their decent collaboration, Chris felt that there was something more.
“Are you still working?” his wife asked as she brought a cup of tea and a snack. “I think it’s getting late, honey. Don’t overexert yourself. If you get sick, everyone will be in trouble.”
Chris placed the pen that had been between his fingers on the table. He had used it several times to mark essential points he would discuss with Leonel at the office. What his wife had just said was true. It was getting late. Glancing briefly at the tray she brought, two cups of tea were there. “Do you… want to accompany me?”
“Just thirty minutes, darling, the rest you need to rest.”
Chris chuckled but immediately agreed with his wife’s words. “I just need to check this section.”
The woman nodded softly. “I hope everything inside Grisham is resolved soon. Despite Leonel’s actions, the Grisham family should handle it gracefully.”
Chris agreed with this. “That’s why I’m working hard, honey. It’s been almost a month, and I haven’t found out who is behind this. It’s frustrating, personally. It’s rare for me to face such a dead end.”
His conversation partner nodded in understanding.
“I believe you can find out.”
Chris nodded with confidence. Meanwhile, elsewhere, Leonel, who chose to stay at his mother’s house instead of his apartment or Ester’s place, sat thoughtfully on the balcony. His hand held a sheet of paper that he suspected had something to do with everything happening.
The events of the past few days, especially Ester’s tantrums, had not bothered him at all. He acted as if nothing was wrong. And his parents only brought up work.
“Why is Josh’s name here?” he asked repeatedly. “Chris hasn’t given me any updates either. What’s Josh’s connection to all of this?”
There were no answers for Leonel here, except for the night’s gentle breeze that was enough to make him shiver. Perhaps it was because it had rained heavily in New York City earlier in the afternoon, causing the surrounding temperature to drop a few degrees.
It didn’t matter. Leonel just needed to go inside and warm himself up. But he wasn’t ready to do that because his mind was still filled with thoughts of Josh Corp. Deborah’s report on his father’s meeting with Josh revealed nothing suspicious. Everything went smoothly, and…
“Josh mentioned wanting to help me with the media. He did offer assistance, but it feels…” Leonel rubbed his chin, recalling their conversations with quite exciting projects.
“I feel like I need to investigate further.” Leonel sighed softly. He reached for his phone on the round table near where he sat. He needed to talk to Chris or discuss this tomorrow, but his cell phone had already displayed Ester’s name.
He didn’t want to answer a call from that annoying woman. Seriously. Even though Ester had never managed to make Leonel half as angry before, since she started talking about things beyond reason, Leonel honestly couldn’t believe she could do something so absurd.
He still remembered their argument in the apartment after Leonel managed to find her when he had to maintain his composure and appearance outside the office and his house. He knew that there were still many journalists chasing news about him.
It was the first time Leonel had fought so fiercely with Ester during their time together when he finally realized how much she tested his patience.
“I won’t touch Chloe if that’s what you want,” he said with a sly smile. The hand that used to awaken his hidden desires and yearning to be satisfied suddenly disappeared. After Leonel learned the reason for Ester’s irrational actions, her name wasn’t associated with bad news. But when Ester revealed she was forced into a hotel room with photos of them together, all accusations started pointing toward Leonel.
Unfortunately, Leonel couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t even stop the news from spreading. Leonel felt powerless in front of Ester, despite knowing about her actions in the entertainment industry. He had also investigated who was behind Ester but found no connections, including any relationship with high-ranking TV station executives or online news outlets.
Leonel reluctantly agreed to protect Chloe from the news. Luckily, Ester kept her promise.
“Yes?” Unable to bear the constant ringing of his phone, he finally gave in. He slid the green icon to answer the call.
“Are you busy?” Ester asked with a pleading tone.
“Yes.”
“Darling, I feel like you’re growing distant from me. Why? Isn’t this what you wanted? To marry me?”
Leonel closed his eyes. “Yes.”
“Leonel!”
“Can you stop whining, Ester? You’re acting like a spoiled child. Do you even know what my goals are? I’ve fulfilled them, haven’t I? I still have to deal with many work and obstacles because of the cheap gossip you spread!”
On the other end, Ester laughed contentedly. “You’re right. But if I hadn’t thrown that at you, you wouldn’t have moved quickly, would you? How long do I have to wait?”
“Are you done talking?”
“Damn you, Leonel!”
With hesitation, Leonel ended the call and immediately dialed Chris, hoping it was still possible to make the call.
***
Josh had been visiting Chloe’s house frequently for the past week. They would have dinner together or spend time over tea and snacks. Besides being addicted to her, Josh intended to get closer to Chloe.
He no longer needed to pretend when it came to his feelings. He had once wanted to fight for her, but the timing wasn’t right. Chloe ended up getting married through an arranged marriage. It didn’t bother Josh much. He was happy if Chloe was happy, and he would find happiness in Chloe’s married life. But he became frustrated as he followed Chloe’s developments and marriage. Angry. Disappointed.
This only solidified Josh’s determination for revenge. He would reveal his intentions to Chloe after ensuring her comfort in being around him. He had promised himself that.
“You seem relaxed for a CEO, Josh,” Chloe said, offering him some mildly sweet snacks. It was evident that either Josh’s taste buds had changed to match Chloe’s, or he was making small talk, but it was clear that he wasn’t forcing it.
“I work hard at the office. But once I’m outside, should I still be busy with meetings?”
Chloe chuckled. “Who knows, maybe you can’t be bothered at all.”
“The fact that I can visit you like this proves otherwise.”
Chloe’s smile widened.
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” Chloe answered firmly with a shake of her head. “But I didn’t prepare dinner because your arrival was a bit late.”
Josh laughed. “Forgive me for not informing you about this visit since the afternoon. I should have left a message with Emir.”
They remained silent while enjoying the snacks. Chloe observed closely as Josh finished the treats. “You seem quite hungry.”
“I can’t resist delicious food like this.”
Chloe smirked.
“How’s your recovery going?”
“So far, so good, and you can see for yourself. I no longer need glasses.”
“Are you still seeing that doctor? What’s his name? It’s hard for me to remember his name, being your competitor.”
Chloe burst into laughter. “Competitor? You always speak your mind, don’t you?”
“I’m serious, Chloe. Darren is indeed my competitor.”
Chloe snapped her fingers. “What a competitor? You say whatever comes to your mind.”
“You’re right. Darren is my rival,” Josh admitted defeat.
Chloe nodded. “Yes, yes, yes. I remember. You’ve mentioned his name countless times when discussing your therapy these past few months. I’m not someone who easily forgets, Chloe.”
“I’ve only told you about him recently, Josh.”
He gave a subtle nod. “How about my offer for this weekend?”
The beautiful woman pondered for a moment. “Are you not busy?”
“Not at all.”
“Alright then.” Chloe couldn’t refuse what Josh offered her. It wasn’t without reason, as she strongly desired to start a business around Beverly Hills. She had also prepared herself to move there if necessary.
Beverly Hills was relatively peaceful, and she wouldn’t have to encounter Agatha frequently. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to the kind-hearted woman. Not at all. But Chloe intended to distance herself from anything related to Grisham.
Being with Darren was enjoyable, but she felt he was a valuable friend for some reason, especially with Adrianna’s presence.
She had tried to understand her feelings for Darren multiple times, and that’s what she felt.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
Josh, on the other hand, was different. Perhaps it was because of their shared past, which made it easy for Chloe to converse with him.
“Emir has found several suitable locations for us to visit first. Do you mind if we make several stops?”
“Do I look like I mind?”
Josh chuckled. “Alright then. I’ll pick you up at 9 a. m. Please bring a small suitcase, just in case we stay overnight.”
“You… Are you joking?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
Chloe beamed with joy. “Okay then. I’ll wait for you to pick me up tomorrow. I’ll prepare breakfast before we set off.”
Josh returned the smile, equally wide. This time, he dared to touch Chloe’s face. “Thank you.”