The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 178

Chapter 178

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Chapter 178

Late at night, Patrick and Ian followed Andrea from the train station all the way to the place lan had arranged

for her.

Watching Andrea rush out of the car with some guy and disappear into the building, Patrick elbowed Ian. “Your girl just brought her lover over. You’re not gonna go bust them?”

Ian shot Patrick a look, then dialed up Mitchell. “Pull up the security cameras.”

Patrick let out a bored whistle and headed back to the complex.

When the elevator doors slid open on the ninth floor, they saw Mia slumped against the front door, barely able to keep herself upright. The two men exchanged a look.

Ian steadied her. “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”

Mia looked up, and Patrick immediately noticed the red handprint on her cheek. “Who did this? I’ll make them pay,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Mia looked at Patrick, her eyes brimming with tears. “My dad.”

Patrick’s fist slowly unclenched. “Uh… maybe we should just let it go.”

Ian unlocked the door, and the three of them went inside.

Mia bit her lip and said, “My parents went at it again today. Dad got so pissed, he smashed the bracelet Mom brought with her when they got married. Mom was so upset that she didn’t eat anything all day. I couldn’t help myself–I tried to say something for her, and then Dad just slapped me.”

Patrick handed her an ice pack. “If your folks start fighting again, just steer clear, alright?”

Seeing Ian just sitting on the couch, saying nothing, Patrick finally blurted out, “Dude, your sister got hit like that and you’re not even gonna say a word?”

Ian glanced up at them. “What do you expect me to do? Go beat up my dad or something?”

Patrick gave a half–smirk. “Hey, if you can actually pull that off, I’m all for it.”

Ian shot back, “How about you give it a try?”

Patrick grabbed Mia and started for the door. “Come on, stick with me. Let’s just ignore him.”

After Patrick and Mia headed out, Ian found himself alone in the room.

He looked around the deserted space, then took out the crystal pendant he always kept with him, warming it in his palm.

Chapter 178

The next day at noon, the drizzle still showed no sign of letting up.

Ian knocked on Chloe’s office door and walked in.

Seeing Chloe taking a nap, Ian set the lunch down on her desk.

Chloe sat up, wrapped in a thin blanket. “What’s up?”

Ian came over, then knelt down right in front of Chloe, looking up at her.

He said, “Chloe, my mom’s sick. Could you come with me to visit her?”

Chloe hesitated a moment, then nodded.

The strain on Ian’s face finally eased a bit. “I’ll come pick you up after work tonight.”

Chloe shook her head. “No need, just focus on your stuff. I’ll head over on my own after work.”

lan’s eyes hovered over Chloe’s cold, indifferent face.

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He paused for a long moment, wanting to say more but holding back. “Just make sure to rest up. I’ll be waiting for you at Hamilton Manor tonight,” he finally said.

Ian carefully draped the thin blanket over Chloe’s knees, then stood up and walked out of the office.

After work, Ian headed straight back to Hamilton Manor.

He had the kitchen whip up all of Chloe’s favorite dishes, then spent the time pacing anxiously by the huge windows, watching for any sign of her car.

Thomas kept watch until Chloe’s car finally came through the gates, and Ian was already outside braving the rain with his umbrella, letting out a long sigh.

Ian held the umbrella over Chloe and walked her into the living room.

As soon as Shane saw Chloe, he snapped, “You little brat! You really ticked off Edward like that, and you still have the guts to come back?”

Chloe fired right back, not backing down for a second. “Well, that’s what you get when you raise a ‘model grandson.”

Shane’s face went crimson with fury, so angry he couldn’t even get a word out.

She said, “Ian, don’t pretend you don’t know why your mom stayed back then–it was all for you and Mia. When you two were kids, your dad and Edward treated her like crap, but she swallowed every bit of it just for her children.

“But now you’re both adults. Even Mia, your kid sister, knows when Mom’s being mistreated and isn’t afraid to stand up for her. And you? You’re her son, but you just stand there doing nothing. So what gives you the right to judge?”

Seeing Chloe getting so upset, Jan mellowed out and tried to calm her down. “Okay, okay. Don’t get all worked up. Let’s just not talk about it anymore.”

Chapter 178

As soon as she finished snapping at him, Chloe instantly felt a little bad about it.

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Ian had grown up with Edward always coming down hard on him, and in a house where his parents were forever fighting. He’d gotten so used to that mess, he just went numb inside–cold, detached, nothing really got to him anymore.

That numb, indifferent attitude stuck with him all the way into their marriage.

Whenever Chloe tried to argue with Ian, he’d always just clam up and act like none of it mattered.

That numbness was stamped into his very bones by his messed–up family–it was hardwired, and nothing was ever going to change that.

Getting mad at him was just a waste of energy.

Ian switched tactics, trying to change the subject. “I haven’t been sleeping well lately. You still got any of that stuff you whipped up for me?”

Chloe stared at the exhaustion written all over Ian’s face, her brows knitting together.

She hesitated for a beat, then said, “If you’re sick, go stand in line at the hospital like everybody else.”

Chloe reached for the car door, but Ian grabbed her wrist. “You can bring Arthur medicine in the middle of the night when he’s feeling sick, but after three years of marriage, am I really worth less to you than a patient?”

Chloe shot him a cold look and jerked her hand free. “Yeah, you are.”

She got in the car and started the engine.

Miranda stood at the doorway of the living room, watching as Chloe’s car slowly drove away from Hamilton Manor. She saw her son standing out in the garden, completely lost in his own world, letting the downpour drench him–alone and adrift.

‘If only we’d known things would turn out this way…‘ Miranda’s heart ached–regret flooding through her as she watched him.

Unable to hold back her worry and sorrow, Miranda called out, “Thomas, please bring Ian inside. I need to talk to him.”