Chapter 113
Seeing Chloe's expression, something soft stirred in Matthew's heart.
"No, Sloane. Chloe's shy around strangers. I can't spend every birthday with you."
He smiled and hung up.
Chloe let out a long breath of relief.
She looked up. "Handsome mister, where do you want to eat?"
"I can eat whatever I want?" Matthew's smile was indulgent.
"Yes, I have lots of money!" Her expression was exactly like a little penguin puffing out its chest.
Matthew sent a location to his driver.
When they arrived, Pearl and Chloe discovered it was actually a children's park.
"Let's have lunch first, and then I'll play with you afterward, okay?"
"Really?" Chloe was surprised. "Don't you have to work this afternoon?"
Mommy had lots of business trips and overtime. She could only spare one or two days a week to spend with her and Caleb.
Great-grandma was the same. So was Monica.
In her experience, adults were always busy.
"Of course."
"Yay!" She jumped up happily.
The children's park had three themed restaurants—pirate, princess, and little animals.
"Chloe, which restaurant do you want to go to?" Matthew picked her up so she could see everything clearly.
Pearl followed behind, silently amazed.
This man's aura was obviously very aloof and cold, yet he was surprisingly patient with Chloe.
"I want the little animal restaurant!" Chloe pointed at the one decorated with pink pigs.
"Okay."
In the little animal restaurant, all the food was shaped like animals. Chloe couldn't take it all in.
She'd pretended to be hungry earlier to get the handsome mister into the car, but now she was truly starving.
Matthew ordered a koala set meal as she requested.
Chloe ate with her cheeks puffed out. Once she'd filled her belly, she suddenly remembered her purpose. "Handsome mister, you know what? Even if someone's a colleague, you can't just trust them."
Matthew raised an eyebrow slightly. "I know. Why do you say that, Chloe?"
Chloe opened her mouth but found her vocabulary wasn't quite enough to explain the conspiracy she'd overheard.
She anxiously clasped her hands together until Pearl spoke up. "Sir, it's like this. We overheard in the washroom that your colleague... seems to want to scheme against you, using a child..."
Sloane? Scheming against him using a child?
Matthew's brow furrowed briefly, then he nodded at Chloe. "Thank you, Chloe. I understand. I'll be careful."
The heavy weight in Chloe's heart finally lifted.
After eating, Matthew took Chloe to the children's park.
Chloe's gaze was immediately drawn to a little train. "Handsome mister, I want to ride that!"
"No problem. Come on, I'll carry you to get in line."
The two of them stood out particularly in the crowd.
Soon, a mother ahead of them turned around. "Is this your daughter? She's so adorable! You two look so much alike. Why don't I have such a sweet daughter?"
Matthew was about to explain when someone suddenly shoved him hard from behind.
Chloe shrieked, her little face going pale.
The smile on Matthew's face instantly vanished, replaced by frost.
"Young man, don't you know to respect the elderly and care for the young? Move aside. I'm taking my grandson to play." Behind them was an old woman holding the hand of a boy about five or six years old.
"That's right, I want to play! I want to play right now!" The little boy even made a punching gesture at Chloe.
Matthew's cold gaze moved from the old woman to the boy.
His stare frightened even company veterans—much less a child.
The boy froze for a second, then burst into loud tears.
"What are you doing?" The old woman shielded her grandson. "You're bullying my precious grandson?"
"You pushed first and scared my daughter."
"So what? Can't even give a little push? Is your daughter made of gold or something precious?"
"Yes, very precious." Matthew said without hesitation.
He turned completely around, looking down at the grandmother and grandson from his height.
The old woman was intimidated by his presence and took two steps back, though her mouth didn't let up. "Had a money-losing girl and still so precious."
"I can tell you don't have a son. I won't bother with someone who has no heir!" She pulled her grandson and turned to leave.
"That's not true!" Chloe shouted at her. "I have a twin brother! My daddy is amazing!"
The watching crowd laughed at her innocent words.
The old woman's face flushed with embarrassment. She muttered curses as she left.
Matthew froze at Chloe's word "daddy."
His hand tightened, a strange feeling welling up inside him.
He crouched down, looking into Chloe's eyes. "You have a twin brother?"
"Yes!" Chloe answered crisply.
Twins.
If Evelyn's children had been born, they would have been twins, too.
About as big as Chloe and her brother, just as lively, just as quick to smile.
Matthew's heart felt like something had ground over it harshly, a sharp pain radiating through.
"Handsome mister, why are your eyes red? Are you unhappy?" Chloe looked up, somewhat worried.
Matthew lowered his eyes, suppressing that emotion.
"I'm not unhappy." His voice was soft. "Just remembering something from the past. Being with Chloe makes me very happy."
Chloe could sense the handsome mister was sad right now.
She didn't understand adults' complicated feelings, but she knew that when you're sad, you need a hug.
She stretched out her little hands and wrapped them around Matthew's neck, gently patting his back just like Mommy did when comforting her.
Matthew obediently stayed still.
After a while, he straightened up and smiled. "Come on, let's keep waiting in line."
They finally got on the little train.
Matthew and Chloe sat in the front car, Pearl behind them.
Pearl suddenly felt somewhat wistful.
If only Chloe really had a father who loved and protected her like this.
But unfortunately...
After the little train, Matthew took Chloe on many more rides.
They tried them one by one. Chloe's little face flushed pink with happiness, her laughter never stopping.
The phone rang. Pearl answered, responded a few times, then looked at Chloe with some difficulty after hanging up.
"Chloe, we should go home. Your mommy made your favorite milk soufflé."
Usually, at those words, Chloe's eyes would light up.
But this time, she just looked at Pearl, then at Matthew, her eyes full of reluctance.
"Handsome mister, Mommy's calling me home. Can we meet again next time?" she said softly.
"Of course. Thank you for treating me to dinner today, Chloe."
Matthew carried her all the way to the park entrance before gently setting her on the ground.
Chloe waved her little hand gloomily and slowly walked away with Pearl.
After Pearl had carried her a few steps, she suddenly felt moisture on her shoulder.
Was Chloe crying?