Chloe moved into the company-sponsored dormitory right across from the office, a move that saved her on both commuting costs and rent.
She was assigned to a suite with Sofia and two other girls from the customer service department. The space wasn't particularly large, and since they arrived later than the others, the sunnier rooms had already been snagged by the customer service girls. Sofia was initially inclined to debate the issue, but Chloe brushed it off, saying, "The rooms aren't personally labeled. They took them, so let it be."
Sofia relented, keen to keep the peace. Chloe even graciously offered Sofia the larger, less sunny room and took the smallest one for herself, which had neither a window nor proper ventilation. In the height of summer, her room became a stuffy, damp box.
After just a few days, Chloe realized her dimly lit room's inadequacies. Living in a residential building with many units, their suite was located inconveniently, and her room was, undeniably, the worst of them all. After washing her clothes, she habitually air-dried them in the bathroom before having to air out the lingering dampness in her own room.
Since the New East Group's apartment was located on the highly coveted Financial Street in Maple Valley, where real estate prices were among the highest in the nation, rent could consume almost an entire month's salary for someone freshly graduated and newly employed. Consequently, employee housing became an exceedingly scarce resource that required immediate application upon an employee's confirmation—delaying meant missing out. Chloe was aware of this fact, so she wasn't picky.
On Friday, Chloe started her period.
She thought to herself, "This time visiting Samuel's house, I won't have to worry about the hassles of intimacy."
In the evening, Chloe received a message from Donovan on WhatsApp: "Prepare for tomorrow's visit to Samuel's place."
"Alright, Mr. Blake, meet me near the Moonlight Cafe on Financial Street," she replied. She preferred this to having Donovan pick her up directly from her apartment building, which could stir up too much gossip among her colleagues.
On Saturday, Chloe got into Donovan's car.
This time, Donovan was driving a different vehicle, a high-end Mercedes that, while not as showy as a Maybach, still looked like a luxury car.
The two of them sat in the back as usual, exchanging a few words.
Suddenly, Donovan sniffed the air and asked, "What's that smell?"
Chloe was caught off guard and took a sniff herself but couldn't detect anything.
Donovan, with a slight frown, inspected Chloe from head to toe. "Your clothes, what's that smell?"
Being so accustomed to it, Chloe hadn't noticed any particular scent but felt embarrassed that Donovan might sense an unpleasant odor on her. After all, she was a young woman, and such things were sensitive.
Thinking for a moment, she ventured, "Is it a musty smell?"
"Something like that."
"It might be because my clothes never fully dry in my room. They've been like this for a while," Chloe said, instinctively blaming external factors to avoid the mortification of Donovan, who thought the scent originated from her.
Donovan silently appraised Chloe with a single glance and said nothing more, turning his attention back to the window.
Returning to Samuel's place brought joy once again. Chloe felt a familial bond with Samuel, which seemed more like that of a granddaughter and grandfather, especially in comparison to Donovan. Perhaps it was due to Donovan's tendency to behave beyond his years, never burdening Samuel with troubles and always shouldering everything alone. Samuel often felt useless to help, and this robbed him of the affection typically exhibited by his generation. Thus, between Donovan and Samuel, the grandfatherly love was less apparent, and they resembled peers rather than family.
Chloe was different. She always asked Samuel about everything, chatting with him in great detail. For instance, she inquired about the differences in course scheduling between Pearl Peak City University and her own Maple Valley University, the amusing teaching anecdotes from Samuel's past, and the students who had given Samuel headaches—topics Samuel had never discussed with Donovan. But in Chloe's presence, he spoke freely and lit up with enthusiasm.
Donovan would sometimes read in solitude, overhearing bursts of laughter that made him feel like the odd one out.
Samuel even half-jokingly reminded Chloe, "Chloe, aren't you thinking of having kids yet?" It was as if Chloe were his actual granddaughter. His nickname for her had evolved from "Chloe" to the more affectionate "Chlo."
When Samuel first called her "Chlo," Chloe felt a surge of warmth, her eyes welling up with emotion. It was as though she could hear her parents and Andrew Price calling her by that name again—all the dearest people in her life. Sadly, none of them were around anymore, and she wondered if her mother would ever have the chance to call her "Chlo" again. Now, Samuel was the only person in the world who still used that nickname.
At the dinner table, Chloe's hand paused as she felt a pang of guilt. She realized that Samuel's wish might go unfulfilled. Although she had agreed to a marriage of convenience with Donovan, she had no plans for children. After all, having kids would mean more strings attached.
"Samuel, you've always emphasized personal development. When did you become so attached to the idea of grandchildren?" Donovan interjected, trying to smooth things over.
Samuel's expression dimmed for a moment. "The past is the past. Today is no longer what it used to be."
Seeing Samuel like this, Donovan said nothing more. He understood that Samuel's wish could never come to fruition.
Chloe was also in a somber mood, her thoughts drifting to her father's last moments, and looking at Samuel, she felt even sadder.
After returning to her room, Chloe purposefully placed a sanitary pad on her bedside table.
Donovan caught a glimpse and immediately understood.
---