Chloe looked puzzled as she descended the stairs and found Edward already visiting her house early in the morning. Furthermore, the tall and imposing man was seen enjoying breakfast with her father, Dylan Arley.
Chloe admitted that the Scottish-blooded man was relentless in trying to win her heart. And with full support from her father, Edward seemed to have the upper hand.
However, despite all of Edward’s efforts to capture her attention, Chloe remained determined to remain indifferent. She tried to maintain her composure and not fall into the arms of the notorious playboy.
“Good morning, Honey,” Dylan, realizing Chloe’s presence, greeted her warmly. He waved, signaling her to join them in the breakfast ritual.
Edward smiled and focused on enjoying the food the maids had served on the table.
“Good morning, Dad.” Chloe kissed her father’s cheek briefly, pulled out a chair, sat down, and joined them for breakfast without paying much attention to Edward’s presence.
“How did you sleep last night? Was it restful?” Chloe asked as she spread blueberry jam on her toast.
“Of course. I slept soundly last night,” she replied.
“Probably because you spent a lovely night with Edward,” Dylan confidently guessed.
Chloe cringed, but then she smiled, seemingly teasing him. “Oh my, Dad. I slept so well last night, and it had nothing to do with Edward.”
Edward raised his face, still smiling, and grabbed a glass of water in front of him. He took a sip nonchalantly before joining the conversation.
“Maybe Chloe is too embarrassed to admit it, Dad. It’s okay. I like women who are shy.”
Dylan chuckled softly, agreeing with what Edward had said. “Ah, you’re right, Ed. Women are like that sometimes. They can still be shy.”
Dylan then sipped his green tea on his left. After finishing it, he stood up from his seat and grabbed his work bag, which he had intentionally placed not far from the dining table.
“I’ll have to leave first, Honey,” Dylan quickly said. “I have a meeting with a notary this morning to process some permits.”
Chloe frowned. “Wait, Dad.” She immediately put down the knife and fork she held. “Let’s go to the office together —”
“Papa’s in a hurry, Sweetheart,” Dylan quickly interrupted. “Besides, Edward is here to pick you up this morning to drop you off at work.” Dylan’s gaze then shifted to Edward, who was still leisurely enjoying his breakfast. “Ed, take care of Chloe. Make sure she arrives at the office on time.”
Edward looked up and nodded. “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll make sure your beautiful daughter arrives safely and on time.”
Without saying anything more, Dylan left, leaving Chloe and Edward still seated.
They ate in silence, neither Chloe nor Edward uttering a word. Each of them chose to remain silent until they headed to the car. Edward promptly drove Chloe to the Hotel Le Meridien Piccadilly.
“Don’t be too happy just because you managed to drop me off at work this morning,” Chloe said as Edward’s car stopped in the VIP guest parking lot of the hotel.
Edward turned to her. As usual, he maintained his smile while gazing intently at the beautiful woman beside him. “Why do you hate me so much? What have I done wrong all this time?”
Chloe turned away. Instead of returning his gaze, she looked straight ahead. “Your mistake is being too confident in approaching me. I’ve already told you, you’re not —”
“My type? Is that it?” Edward interjected. He didn’t seem offended by Chloe’s words. Instead, he chose to observe how she was preparing to leave the car. “Then, please tell me what the ideal type of man is according to Chloe Arley. Perhaps after this, I can learn to be more suitable.”
“Do I really have to?” the woman continued. “We are like heaven and earth. We won’t fit together.”
Taking a moment to compose himself, Edward chuckled inwardly. He admired Chloe’s determination. She was trying her best to avoid him.
“Oh, come on. You’re too quick to jump to conclusions, Sweetheart. Why not just give it a try? I’m sure you’ll fall in love with me,” Edward said with a smile.
Chloe didn’t respond. Feeling fed up, she quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and rushed out of the car, leaving Edward still wearing a smile on his lips.
Typical woman.
We’ll see about that.
Don’t call my name, Edward, if you can’t conquer your heart, Chloe Arley.
***