He Cheated I Rose: Making Him Regret Everything (Chloe and Arthur) novel Chapter 268

**A Promise Hidden in the Quiet Rain by Adrian Hale**

**Chapter 268: Empty Promises**

Regardless of whether Chloe found it in her heart to forgive him, Arthur had made a resolute decision. He was finally ready to embrace his role as a father, no matter how long it took.

“Chloe, Robert, I just happened to be in the area,” Arthur announced, stepping into the room with an air of forced cheerfulness. As he placed a vibrant bouquet of roses on the table, he added, “I had these specially arranged just for you. I hope they brighten your day.”

Chloe, her expression composed and unreadable, observed him with a cool detachment.

“Robert, look! Dad brought you a cake,” Arthur continued, his voice tinged with enthusiasm. “It’s a new flavor the shopkeeper raved about. They only make three of these each day!” He set the cake box down with a flourish, his gaze softening as he looked at the boy seated in the chair, a mixture of hope and uncertainty etched on Robert’s face.

“I realize I’ve been consumed by work for far too long,” he said, his tone turning earnest. “I never got the chance to celebrate your birthdays properly. Today, I want to make that right. Just tell me where you’d like to go, and I’ll take you anywhere your heart desires.”

“Really?” Robert’s eyes widened, a flicker of excitement igniting within him. A tentative smile began to form, hinting at the possibility of a long-awaited connection.

“Absolutely! Just name it, and I’ll make it happen. No request is too big.” Arthur felt a surge of determination. Whether Robert wanted money or something else entirely, he was committed to stepping up and fulfilling his duties as a father. He didn’t seek Chloe’s forgiveness; instead, he simply yearned to bridge the gaps that had widened over the past six years.

This was his only course of action, the only way he could think to make amends.

“I want to…” Robert paused deliberately, his eyes darting to Chloe and then to Oralia. Finally, he turned back to Arthur, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I want to go to Mars.”

A laugh threatened to escape Oralia’s lips. Robert had articulated exactly what she had been thinking, and she struggled to maintain her composure.

Arthur’s face momentarily froze, caught off guard. It took him a moment to regain his composure, forcing a gentle smile to mask his surprise. “Robert, let’s be serious here, okay? I’m trying to have a meaningful conversation.”

“You started with the jokes, so why should I be serious with you?” Robert retorted, his voice laced with impatience, his expression cooling as he crossed his arms.

“I…” Arthur faltered, grappling for the right words.

“Back when that old woman Madilyn called me bad luck, it was because she had issues with Mommy, and she despised me even more. Now she has a real grandson and a daughter-in-law just like her. Mr. Myers, you should hurry back home to your new family. Don’t linger here. Who knows what might get ‘leaked’ to the press next?”

“Robert, how can you speak like that?” Arthur began, almost letting slip the thought that Chloe must have influenced his son’s sharp tongue. He caught himself, swallowing the words before they could escape.

He had traversed this path more than once, and it always led him to the same painful realization.

Robert’s words cut deep, yet they held a grain of truth. His own mother had often mocked him, labeling Robert a lost cause and deriding Chloe as a simple country girl incapable of raising a proper child.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify