Chapter 289

Adeline and Chloe were deep in conversation when Chloe's phone buzzed with a text from Howard.

[Having dinner with Chris tonight. I'll have Teddy swing by to pick you and Adeline up in a bit.]

[Okay!]

Chloe shot back a quick reply and slipped her phone away.

"Everything cool?" Adeline caught Chloe's slightly tense expression as she finished texting.

Chloe shook her head. "Howard says we're having dinner with Chris and the gang tonight."

The Miller Family Mansion.

What Chloe figured would be a low-key dinner turned out to be way more than she bargained for—Howard's version of "dinner" was actually a full-blown the Miller family gathering.

Adeline shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "If I'd known this was like a whole family thing, Kelvin and I would've totally passed."

"Just pretend you're here for moral support," Chloe whispered back.

The two kept their voices low, but their eyes kept wandering to Quinlan, who was holding court at the head of the table.

Today's version of Quinlan seemed way more chill—probably because Chris was back.

Over on the couch, Nellie and Chris were practically glued together, hands intertwined like they were afraid the other might disappear.

Adeline leaned over and whispered that she'd read about this kind of behavior in some psychology article—apparently it was called "reunion syndrome" or something.

Chloe looked totally blank. "Never heard of it."

While they were having their little sidebar conversation, Howard and Kelvin wandered over to join them.

"What's got you two whispering like conspirators?" Howard dropped down right next to Chloe.

A subtle hint of sage cologne drifted her way.

The scent hit her in a way that made her shoulders automatically relax.

"We were talking about Chris and Nellie." Chloe's gaze drifted back to the couple's death-grip handhold.

A tiny stab of envy flickered through her chest.

But the feeling didn't stick around long. When Chloe glanced up, she caught Fallon watching her with this warm, knowing smile.

Seeing that she'd gotten Chloe's attention, Fallon's smile got even brighter.

She waved in Chloe's direction, gesturing for Chloe to come over.

Howard knew Chloe's deal—she wasn't exactly the type to work a room full of strangers.

Except for that Martinez family shindig a while back, Chloe had barely crossed paths with Fallon, so they weren't exactly tight.

But Fallon was family—well, sort of—so even though Chloe would rather stay put, she politely made her way over.

"Mrs. Miller." Chloe knew her whole marriage situation with Howard was basically a theater, so she'd always kept things properly distant.

Whenever people asked awkward questions, Chloe would just deflect with something about how they hadn't had their actual wedding ceremony yet.

It was believable enough to shut down most conversations.

"Chloe, sweetie." Fallon took Chloe's hand in both of hers. "Nellie filled me in on how you helped get Chris back home safely. I haven't properly thanked you yet."

So this was about Chris.

"I honestly didn't do much." Chloe said, her eyes unconsciously seeking out Howard across the room.

Howard must have felt her looking because he glanced up, and their eyes locked for a beat.

"Let me go rescue Chloe. You guys keep doing your thing." Howard smiled and pushed himself up, heading in their direction.

Seeing Howard approach, Fallon couldn't resist teasing, "What, are you worried about me eating Chloe?"

Howard settled down next to Chloe, casually taking her hand before grinning at Fallon. "Mom, come on. Only monsters actually eat people."

Fallon laughed, her whole face lighting up as she looked at Chloe. "You know, in all these years, I've never seen this boy crack jokes. It's amazing, really. I've always felt like I missed out on so much of him growing up."

The subtext was crystal clear—Chloe had somehow unlocked a different side of Howard.

Chloe turned to study Howard's face, like she was trying to figure out if what Fallon just said was actually true.

Howard didn't say anything, just squeezed Chloe's hand a little tighter.

Seeing this, Fallon couldn't help but push a little harder. "You two really need to start planning that wedding, don't you think? Chris just got back—it's perfect timing for a double celebration! Chloe, sweetie, if Howard gets to keep you forever, I'll be over the moon."

Fallon kept talking while watching Chloe's face carefully.

Chloe's expression went flat. She knew there wasn't going to be any wedding.

Just as that thought hit her, something cool slipped around her wrist.

Looking down, Chloe found herself staring at what was obviously an insanely expensive bracelet.

Even though Chloe was no jewelry expert, she could tell the value of this bracelet.

Chloe was a little flattered and said, "Mrs. Miller, this bracelet is too precious. I can't—"

But Fallon cut her off before she could finish. "Honey, you're going to be family. Nothing's too much for the Miller family's future daughter-in-law, right?"

She turned to Howard with raised eyebrows. "Howard, what do you think?"

Chloe looked at Howard helplessly.

Howard gently pressed down on Chloe's hand as she tried to slip the bracelet off. "Mom gave it to you. You should keep it."

After all, this was basically a family reunion.

With everyone watching, Chloe couldn't exactly humiliate Fallon by refusing.

So Chloe stopped fighting it, already planning to find some way to give the crazy expensive bracelet back to Howard later.

After dinner, leaving the Miller Family Mansion.

Chloe had gone completely quiet on the drive home.

"What's wrong? Are you unhappy?" Howard reached over and took her hand.

"Howard." Chloe suddenly turned to face him, her expression dead serious.

Howard slowly pulled the car over and put it in park, giving her his full attention. "What's up?"

"Let's get divorced." The words came out like she'd been rehearsing them.

"What?" Howard looked like she'd just spoken in a foreign language.

"I'm done lying to people. And this bracelet is too precious." As she talked, Chloe slipped off the bracelet Fallon had given her and held it out to Howard.

"Chloe." Howard opened his mouth but seemed to lose all his words.

"I don't want to be someone's stand-in anymore." Chloe looked up at him.

Tears started rolling down her cheeks before she even realized she was crying.

"Stand-in?" Howard's brow furrowed as he stared at her.

"Howard, let's just end this."

Instead of answering, Howard pulled her against him so hard it felt like he was trying to absorb her into his bones.

After what felt like forever, Howard finally spoke, his voice completely wrecked. "Chloe, why?"

"No reason." Chloe gently pushed him away, all those confessions she'd practiced dying in her throat.

Even though Chloe had psyched herself up a million times in front of Adeline, when it came to actually facing Howard, she realized she was still a total coward.

Whatever. One of them is the noble heir of the Miller family, and the other is just an abandoned second married woman.

They never should have crossed paths in the first place.

"Chloe, you've been drinking. Whatever this is about, let's sleep on it and talk tomorrow, okay?" Howard rubbed her back gently.

Tears kept falling onto the back of her hand.

She wanted to say something—anything—but the words just wouldn't come.

The next morning.

When Howard woke up, Chloe's side of the bed was stone cold.

He scrambled for his phone to call her.

But all he got was that soul-crushing automated message: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try your call again later."

The same panic from when Chloe had been kidnapped crashed over him like a tidal wave. Completely losing it, he speed-dialed Teddy. "Teddy, Chloe's gone!"

Then he called Adeline.