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As soon as Ian finished speaking, the Irvines dropped their chopsticks.
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Carl shot up from his seat, glaring at Ian like he was his worst enemy. “Who the hell wants to eat with you?”
Frank quickly stepped in, grabbing Carl’s arm and scolding him. “Carl!”
Carl stormed off and plopped down on the couch, fuming.
Ian remained calm as he opened the food container and placed a serving of herbal cuisine in front of Jill. “Mom, I asked the kitchen to make this herbal dish just for you. See if you like it.”
Jill stared at the dish and managed a small smile. “You didn’t have to go to all that trouble.”
Ian pulled Chloe to sit down next to him. “Mom, there’s no need to be so polite. We’re all family here.”
Chloe knew Ian came here today just to see how her family would react to him.
If she stuck around, there was no way her parents could finish this meal.
Chloe grabbed her bag and stood up. “I need to pick up a few things at the store. Mind giving me a ride?”
Ian shot Chloe a look, then got up as well.
Right in front of the Irvines, he wrapped his arm around Chloe’s shoulders in a relaxed, intimate gesture.
He turned to Chloe’s parents and said, “Mom, Dad, Chloe and I are heading out now.”
Before heading out, Ian reminded Carl, “Carl, you’re on break these days, so spend less time on your phone and help Mom out. Let Dad get some real rest.”
Chloe looked at her family, who were suppressing their anger, then pulled away from Ian and walked out of the room ahead of him.
Ian was a master at putting on a show.
When it came to playing these games, Chloe was no match for him.
At the hospital entrance, just as Chloe was about to get in the car, her phone rang, It was Eric.
Hearing Eric’s concern over the phone, Chloe felt a warm feeling in her heart. “Thanks, Eric. My mom’s awake
now,”
Ian stood right next to Chloe, his eyes locked on her face.
All it took was a little bit of kindness from someone else, and Chloe was already tearing up.
He’d bent over backwards for her, and she didn’t even care.
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Chapter 83
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After Chloe hung up the phone, she got into the car first, with fan following right behind.
In the back seat of the luxury car, lan reached for her hand, holding it firmly.
When Chloe resisted and tried to pull away, lan instantly slid his arm around her shoulders.
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He didn’t give her a chance to escape–he pulled her into his embrace and gently guided her head to rest against his chest.
Jan said, “You’ve been taking care of things at the hospital all morning. You must be tired. Close your eyes and rest for a bit–I’ll wake you when we get there.
His words may have sounded gentle and caring, but the way he said it left Chloe with no choice but to obey.
Chloe closed her eyes, going limp in lan’s arms–like a puppet, powerless to resist.
To lan, the perfect Mrs. Hamilton was someone who listened, who never talked back–a docile, obedient woman he could always count on to keep the peace.
He chose her because she was everything a rich guy’s wife should be: polished, cultured, well–educated, drop- dead gorgeous–and best of all, no powerful family standing behind her to cause trouble.
She was the kind of person he could mold however he wanted, someone totally at his mercy.
Their marriage with Ian was steeped in scheming right from the very start–cold, calculated moves on both sides.
But she had been in the dark about it all along.
She’d only ended up hurting herself–and dragging her family down with her.
All the way there, neither of them said a word.
Over an hour later, the black luxury car slowly pulled into Hamilton Manor.
Mia opened the car door, and Chloe stepped out.
“Chloe, Mia called.
Mia couldn’t hold back anymore. She threw her arms around Chloe, her eyes welling up.
Jan got out of the car and walked over to Chloe, draping his coat over her shoulders.
Without giving Chloe a chance to refuse, lan took her hand and led her toward the living room.
She couldn’t eat a thing, and honestly, she just didn’t have the energy to keep playing along with lan, faking like the Hamiltons were one big happy family.
“Mom, Chloe and I are heading out,” lan said.
After saying their goodbyes to the family, Ian and Chloe left Hamilton Manor.
It was a little after eight when they finally got home.
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Jan took Chloe’s bag and hung it up, then took her coat from her. “I’m going to take a call. Go ahead and
shower first,”
Chloe purposely brushed off whatever was behind Ian’s lingering gaze and went straight to the bathroom.
Jan spelled it out in their marriage contract–while they were still married, if either of them wanted sex, the other one had to say yes, no matter what.
Basically, if lan wanted it, Chloe didn’t get to say no.
Even if lan had dropped the legal action, he still kept the original agreement safe and sound.
If he felt like it, he could haul her right back into court, anytime.
But all lan’s cheating ever did was cross the line morally–it didn’t break any laws.
Compared to all that, the evidence she had now didn’t hold any power over Ian anymore.
When Chloe heard a knock at the door, she glanced down at her white bathrobe and then turned to open it.
lan stood there in a deep–colored bathrobe, the belt just loosely tied around his waist, his short hair still dripping with water.
He took Chloe by the hand and led her over to the sink, then found the hair dryer and began to blow–dry her hair himself.
His long, distinct fingers slipped gently through her hair, moving with a surprising tenderness and patience.
Chloe reached out for the hair dryer. “I’ll do it myself,” she insisted.
Ian handed her the dryer, then suddenly leaned in, pulling her tight and pressing her up against the sink.
Startled, Chloe dropped the hair dryer–it hit the floor with a sharp clang. “Ian, let me go!” she blurted out, her voice trembling with panic.
Ian’s lips brushed teasingly against the corner of Chloe’s mouth.
He said with a low, threatening voice, “Need me to remind you what our contract says?”
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