After returning from a business trip in Turkey a few days ago, Edward’s demeanor completely changed, 180 degrees from before. Chloe never saw the warm, teasing, or playful side of him again.
Edward became someone cold and seemingly indifferent. He left for work very early in the morning while Chloe was still asleep and returned home very late. They hardly ever had direct interactions or conversations.
For instance, this morning, when Chloe opened her eyes, she once again didn’t find Edward beside her. Asking the household assistant, she got the same answer she received every day.
“Mr. Edward left early, ma’am. He seemed to be in a hurry today and didn’t even have time for breakfast,” explained Leta. “But before he left…” Leta continued, “Mr. Edward specifically asked us to make sure you finish the breakfast provided.”
Having just finished her milk, Chloe immediately retorted, “Why doesn’t he tell me directly? What a strange man!”
Leta was unsure how to respond. She also didn’t understand what was happening to Edward. He had never been this cold before. “I apologize if I’m being forward, ma’am,” Leta said. “But Mr. Edward’s behavior has been odd for the past few days. Before this, he was always so friendly and cheerful. We all know how kind and cheerful your husband is.”
Chloe took a deep breath. She should be happy that she didn’t have to engage in too many conversations with Edward. After all, this is what she wanted, right? So, why is she feeling confused now?
Even at the office, Chloe continued to be the same. Quietly pondering Edward’s recent change in behavior. Samuel could even clearly see how uneasy she looked at her desk.
“Are you still thinking about Mr. Edward?” Samuel asked straightforwardly. He wasn’t one for small talk.
Chloe shrugged her shoulders. Her eyes looked empty. “Hmmm…” She shook her head. “Why should I think about him? Just so you know, I don’t care what Edward does,” she said nonchalantly.
“Really?” Samuel asked skeptically, almost teasingly. To him, Chloe’s words didn’t align with reality. Her mouth said no, but her heart seemed to say otherwise. “Your facial expression can’t lie, ma’am. I’m quite sure you’re thinking about him.”
“Nonsense, Sam!” Chloe responded irritably. Her emotions were triggered.
This time, Samuel couldn’t help but laugh. No matter how hard Chloe tried to hide it, Samuel could still clearly read the worry that was plaguing her.
Samuel never forgot how Chloe used to despise Edward. Always considering him to be at fault. She went to great lengths to protect herself from falling in love with her husband.
Instead of feeling happy, Chloe looked lost in thought. She seemed reluctant that her husband was ignoring her like this. Ah, typical woman behavior. They always act like that. They like to ignore men, but when they are ignored in return, they get upset.
“My advice for all of this to be resolved quickly is for you to take the initiative to reconcile with Mr. Edward. Just invite him to have lunch or dinner together. Who knows, your relationship might improve afterward,” suggested Samuel.
Chloe immediately scowled in disagreement, pointing her index finger at herself. “Me? Reconcile with Edward? Are you crazy! He’ll become arrogant if I do that. He’ll probably think I really like him.”
Samuel chuckled but was also puzzled about how to get his boss to reconcile with her husband. “Is there any other option besides reconciling? What else can you do? If you and Edward continue to keep your distance like this, I doubt all the carefully laid-out plans will be easily realized. And if you let it go on like this, there’s a possibility that you’ll end up separating. Do you want that to happen?”
Chloe fell silent again, trying to think clearly about whether she should follow Samuel’s advice to reconcile with her husband. Because honestly, she didn’t like being ignored like this.
However, she also thought that taking the initiative to reconcile with Edward wasn’t the right choice. It could hurt her pride if she did all that.
Chloe pondered all of Samuel’s words, carefully considering what action to take. Eventually, she made up her mind to do something.
****
Since morning, Edward had been busy with various work deadlines that needed to be completed urgently. He skipped breakfast and lunch as he continued to work.
Nicholas had reprimanded him several times to take a break, but Edward kept on with his work. Soon after, Ariana, his secretary, entered the room with news that someone wanted to meet him.
“A woman?” He glanced briefly but soon refocused his gaze on the pile of papers on his desk. “Yes, Mister. This woman wants to meet you.”
“Is it my wife?” Ariana shook her head.
“No, Mister. It’s not Mrs. Chloe who wants to meet you. Honestly, I’ve never seen this woman before.”
Edward seemed to contemplate, thinking for a moment whether to accept this visitor or not. After considering, he finally responded, “Tell the woman to come in and meet me.”
“Alright, Mister.”
While Edward continued to work, Arina hurried out to call the visitor and then ushered her in.
“Edward… am I disturbing you?”
A young woman greeted him, stepping forward and approaching where Edward was sitting.
“Olivia…”
When Edward looked up, he saw the woman he had struggled so hard to forget. He wondered why she suddenly appeared in his office.
“Why are you here?” Edward stood up and approached Olivia, guiding her to sit on the sofa. “Are you alone?”
Olivia smiled and nodded. “Tristan has some business in London, and I decided to go with him. Right now, he’s at Kenzi’s office-”
“Wait a minute…” Edward cut her off impatiently. “Don’t tell me you went to Turkey with Tristan last week too?”
Olivia immediately nodded, confirming Edward’s guess. “Tristan also told me that he met and had a conversation with you during the meeting with Emaar Properties,” she said. “I’ve been in London with Tristan for almost a week now, and he knows that I’m visiting you.”
“Ahem…” Edward cleared his throat softly, trying to dispel the awkwardness before continuing their conversation. “It’s been a long time since we last met.”
Olivia nodded, a smile on her beautiful face-a face that had once captivated Edward.
“It’s been a very long time. You were the one avoiding me, right? Even though I missed you so much.”
Edward took a deep breath several times. Although it had been a while since he had been in a relationship with Olivia, his affection for her hadn’t entirely faded.
“I wasn’t avoiding you,” he explained. “I just didn’t want to be trapped in the shadows of the past. We both have our own lives now, don’t we?”
Again, Olivia nodded. “But there’s nothing wrong with us being friends instead of enemies, Ed.”
Edward grinned. He wanted to maintain their relationship, even if it was just as friends. However, on the other hand, he was afraid of getting hurt again if he remembered the events of the past.
“Olivia…” Edward called her again. “I hope my question after this is not impudent or hurtful. But, can I know if Tristan treats you well? Has he ever hurt you after getting married?”
Olivia smiled and without hesitation, she reached for Edward’s wrist and held it tightly. “I’m doing fine, Ed. Tristan treats me well. I also know that he loves me just as much as I love him. So, you don’t have to worry about me.”
“But, Olivia…”
Chloe stood frozen by the door, watching the emotional scene between Edward and Olivia. Her heart sank as she witnessed them embracing and reconciling after years of animosity. A mix of emotions swirled inside her-jealousy, hurt, and confusion.
“Chloe…” Edward called her name softly, breaking the silence in the room.
Slowly, Chloe stepped forward, but she kept her distance. Her eyes were averted, avoiding direct eye contact with either of them.
“Forgive me for intruding,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Olivia, still in Edward’s embrace, gently pulled away and turned her attention to Chloe. She could sense the tension in the room.
“Chloe, it’s okay,” Olivia said with a reassuring smile. “I’m glad to see you again. I hope we can be friends too.”
Chloe managed a weak smile, trying her best to hide her emotions. “I hope so too.”
Edward looked between the two women, sensing the discomfort in the air. “Olivia, this is my wife, Chloe. Chloe, this is Olivia, an old friend.”
Chloe nodded in acknowledgment, though her heart was heavy with conflicting feelings. She tried to be cordial despite her inner turmoil.
“It’s nice to meet you, Olivia,” Chloe said with a forced smile.
Olivia, however, could read between the lines and the unease in Chloe’s expression. She understood that this situation was delicate, and she didn’t want to add to Chloe’s discomfort.
“I should get going,” Olivia said, standing up from the sofa. “Thank you for welcoming me, Edward. And, Chloe, I hope we can talk more in the future.”
Before leaving, Olivia walked over to Chloe and gently hugged her. Chloe hesitated for a moment before returning the hug.
“Take care, both of you,” Olivia said, her voice filled with genuine warmth.
As Olivia left the room, Chloe and Edward were left alone. The silence hung heavily in the air.
“I didn’t expect to see her here,” Chloe finally said, breaking the silence.
Edward sighed, trying to find the right words. “It was unexpected for me too. We talked, and… we decided to put the past behind us.”
Chloe looked at him, her eyes searching for the truth. “Are you okay with that? I mean, she was your ex.”
Edward took a deep breath. “It’s complicated, Chloe. We were friends before anything else, and despite everything that happened, I can’t deny that there were good times too. I don’t want to hold on to bitterness forever.”
Chloe nodded, trying to understand. “I guess… I guess I need time to process all of this.”
Edward reached out and gently held her hand. “I understand. Take all the time you need. I just want us to find a way to move forward together.”
Chloe looked into his eyes, conflicted emotions still swirling inside her. “I’ll try, Edward. But it won’t be easy.”
He smiled softly. “We’ll figure it out together.”
As they stood there, hand in hand, Chloe knew that this was just the beginning of a long and challenging journey towards healing and forgiveness. But she was willing to take that step with Edward, trusting that they could find their way back to each other.