The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Chloe rolled her eyes at lan, grabbed her bag, and headed out.

Right on the sidewalk outside the bar, lan stopped Chloe in her tracks.

“It’s getting late. Want me to take you home?” Ian offered.

Chloe was surprised lan wasn’t insisting she go home.

She stopped and stood right in front of him.

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She said slowly, “Ian, we’ve known each other for more than twenty years. Honestly, dragging this out any longer just feels pointless now.”

Ian closed the distance between them, testing the waters as he reached for Chloe’s hand.

He pressed, “So, what is it that you want?”

Chloe’s gaze was icy, utterly resolute as she looked at him.

She jerked her hand away, a mocking smile flitting across her lips. “You ask me that like what I want even matters.”

Ian held her gaze, unwavering.

“Seriously, Chloe, could you not look at me like that?” Ian said, his voice tight.

Chloe met his stare, calm and unyielding.

“The way I’m treating you now doesn’t even come close to how you treated me back then,” she replied.

Ian lost control for a moment, grabbing Chloe by the shoulders.

Ian looked her straight in the eyes, voice tense with regret. “Chloe, I know I screwed up. Please… just give me one more chance.”

Chloe laughed, the sound edged with irony.

Her smile curved coldly, almost mocking.

She fired back, “Oh, so you want another chance? Is it just so you can set Andrea up with some fancy place again, keep her as your little secret?”

Jan’s hands dropped helplessly from her shoulders. “So you found out?”

Chloe took a step back, putting a clear distance between herself and lan

She scoffed, “Tan, quit looking so devastated. If anyone saw you like this, they might actually believe you’re madly in love with me”

12:31 Sat, Oct 4

Chapter 173

Ian, the corners of his eyes streaked red, blurted out in desperation, “But what if I do love you?”

Chloe just laughed, the sound cold and full of irony.

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She covered her mouth, letting the laughter spill out for a while before patting her chest, trying to catch her breath.

Chloe sneered, her tone cutting. “lan, do you even understand what love is?”

Late at night on the sidewalk, they locked eyes in an unspoken, heavy silence.

Chloe finally spoke up, her tone calm, but there was a hint of pain in her words.

“Back in the day, whenever my parents made something good to eat, you were always the first person that popped into my head. I’d sneak a piece and save it just for you, had to make sure you got a bite.”

“Whenever I heard your folks were fighting again, I wouldn’t even think about my homework. I’d just rush straight to your place to see if you were okay.”

“Every time some cute girl tried to get close to you, I’d do whatever I could to scare her off—I was always worried someone would snatch you away.”

“And when I found out you couldn’t sleep at night, I didn’t even give it a second thought. I gave up my own dream and went into medicine, just so I could help you.”

“After we got married, I was always scared you’d be overwhelmed at work, so every time you got home, I’d greet you with the biggest smile, tell you jokes, cling onto you and act all silly just to see you smile.”

“I always worried you weren’t eating right, so while you were out working, I’d hole up in the kitchen for hours just to master some new recipe, all so I could surprise you with a meal you’d actually like.”

“Whenever you were in a bad mood, I’d be totally lost, worried sick I’d say the wrong thing and make you unhappy. If you couldn’t sleep, I’d stay up with you all night, studying medicine like crazy just so I could help ease your insomnia. And whenever your stomach acted up, I’d worry myself sick, probably even more than you did.”

Chloe said, “That’s what real love is–what I gave you.”

She continued, “You never had to say anything. I could read you like a book–every little mood swing, happy or sad.”

Chloe went on, I took on all your bad days, all that negativity, willingly and without a word of complaint. I was always scared I wasn’t enough for you, that I didn’t give you enough. I cared so much about you, you were always on my mind, and honestly, if I could’ve handed you my heart, I would’ve done it without a second thought.”

Chloe said, “Tan, real love means always aching for someone. I once did that–for you.”

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Chapter 173

“Chloe!” Ian cried out, his voice breaking.

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Late at night, two days later, Ian was still wide awake–his insomnia was hitting with full force.

No matter how late it was, whenever lan couldn’t sleep, Chloe would always stay up by his side.

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She’d worry herself sick, trying everything she could to help, taking care of him with thoughtful attention to every detail of his daily life.

The house was so quiet that all he could hear was his own breathing and heartbeat. Ian wandered aimlessly around the bedroom, barefoot and restless.

He picked up his phone, mindlessly scrolling, and suddenly saw a new post from Chloe on Instagram. It was already 5:30 a.m.

He instantly recognized the video was shot in the garden at Rowe Estate.

A wave of irritation washed over Ian, and he couldn’t even explain why.

‘Did she really crash at Rowe Estate again last night?‘ Ian thought, his mind whirling.

Ian stormed into the walk–in closet to change.

As he got dressed, the handmade crystal glass pendant he always carried slipped from his pocket and landed on his slipper, catching his eye.

Ian bent down to pick it up, and in that instant, he snapped back to reality.

He stared blankly at the tiny baby photo sealed inside the crystal pendant. Those big, soulful eyes seemed to be gazing straight at him–like they were pleading, hurt, maybe even shivering in the cold.

Ian’s legs gave out, and he collapsed into a chair, feeling completely drained.

He pressed the crystal glass pendant to his chest, gasping for air.

He’d promised Chloe they’d stay apart for now and that he wouldn’t disturb her. After her miscarriage, she was only just starting to heal–he wouldn’t dare make her upset again.

Every word Chloe had thrown at him that night on the sidewalk kept echoing in Ian’s mind, making his chest seize up with fresh waves of pain he just couldn’t shake off.

The ache was so overwhelming that he bent double, hugging himself, cold sweat seeping from his forehead as if the hurt went bone–deep.

He couldn’t help but remember all those nights when he felt sick or restless–how Chloe would anxiously run herself ragged, barely eating or sleeping, just so she could look after him, every bit of her worry written on her face.

It was agony beyond what he could stand. Jan’s body finally gave out, and he crashed from the chair straight

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Chapter 173

onto the floor with a heavy, muffled thud.