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Chloe hadn’t meant for her voice to sound so cold. She hadn’t even expected it from herself. She couldn’t tell if she was annoyed because Eloise had come to her on her own to talk about her relationship with Cosmo, or if it was because of her own regret, because she hadn’t held on to or fought for the man who might have truly been meant for her.
But despite Chloe’s cold reaction, Eloise remained calm. In a gentle and steady voice, she said, “I know how hard it must have been for you to keep turning Cosmo away. I also understand if there are moments you want to go back and fix things because of regret.”
Her words were sincere, and Chloe couldn’t hide the slight embarrassment she felt, though she forced herself to stay composed.
“So what? Do you want me to just take him back?” Chloe asked, her tone sharp but laced with emotion.
“No,” Eloise answered firmly, without hesitation. “With Cosmo’s intelligence, it’s impossible for him not to understand what you really felt. He understood too well, that’s why he chose to let you go. He didn’t wait around, and he didn’t pull you back either.”
Chloe’s expression shifted. She had never heard it explained like that before.
She had always thought Cosmo didn’t understand her, that he didn’t know why she kept rejecting him. But the truth was, he had understood her situation far more than she realized.
He didn’t want her to suffer, so he used the wound between them as the reason to end whatever possibility they had. Maybe he was afraid she wouldn’t be able to let go completely, and in the end, she might force herself into a marriage without certainty, one that would only collapse.
Chloe stared off blankly, her face stiff, as she tried to calm the storm of emotions inside her. “In that case, Cosmo really did care deeply for me,” she whispered.
“Of course. A man will always have some kindness left for the woman he once loved. Especially since your parting wasn’t bitter, there was no bad blood,” Eloise replied gently.
She also knew that Chloe and Cosmo had never been official. There was no real breakup either. Maybe that was why, when they saw each other again, Cosmo treated her with respect and kindness. He never blamed her or threw anything back at her. If anything, it couldn’t be called cruel at all.
Chloe was silent for a while before finally asking, “You’ve said so much… what exactly are you trying to tell me?”
“It’s natural for people to regret when something they once had is gone,” Eloise said. “But if you were the one who let go, don’t go back for it. Look for something that’s truly meant for you.”
Chloe gasped quietly. Eloise’s words were almost exactly the same as what Cosmo had told her before.
“How do you know Cosmo isn’t willing to take me back?” Chloe asked, forcing a laugh, though the pain was clear behind her smile.
“He never brought up what happened between you two. Maybe he thought it wasn’t worth talking about anymore, or maybe he just didn’t want me to doubt him,” Eloise explained. “But the truth is, his choice not to mention it, that silence says a lot. It means something has changed. You’re no longer his priority.”
As a woman herself, Chloe understood the weight of what Eloise was saying. It was the kind of change you could see in small things, the shift from disinterest to affection, from silence to openness. All of them were signs of a relationship transforming.
Before their talk, Chloe had only suspicions. She wasn’t sure what Cosmo and Eloise really had. She thought maybe his feelings had just faded temporarily, that Eloise had simply taken her place by chance.
But now, things were clear.
A woman unhappy in her marriage often carried sadness in her expression. But Eloise radiated calmness, lightness, and vitality. She wasn’t just happy, anyone could see she was being cared for by a man, in her gestures, in her eyes, even in the way she carried herself.
Chloe quietly studied her. “I thought you were forced to marry Cosmo. And since he was injured back then, anyone would think you’d resent him, that it would be impossible for you to ever like him,” she said directly.
“Everyone thinks about that. It’s normal. But we can’t control everything. Honestly, I didn’t expect that I’d fall for him either,” Eloise answered directly.
From the very beginning, she was the one who mentioned her agreement with Cosmo, that when the right time came, they would eventually part ways.
“People say we look alike, but the truth is, we’re very different,” Chloe said as she stared at Eloise. “I’m not as brave as you.” There was a trace of envy in her eyes.
Eloise wanted to tell her that her courage and strength were only born from past mistakes, things she never wanted to repeat. After everything she went through, she learned to live without carrying the weight of the past.
“If you’re still willing to fight for something, that’s already bravery,” Eloise said seriously.
Chloe paused, reflecting. Embarrassed but honest, she admitted, “I just don’t want to regret this in the end.”
Regret. The kind of regret that she didn’t choose Cosmo back then, that she never even gave it a try. Because if you don’t even try, how can you ever be sure that your decision was right?
“I understand,” Eloise said with a smile. “You were only trying to fight for a second chance with Cosmo. You never hurt me or said anything against me, so I chose to face you properly too.”
Chloe was truly impressed by Eloise. She was no longer recognized as part of the Lopez family and was even called a fake heiress, yet she still managed to stand tall and live her life with dignity. She didn’t care what other people said.
Chloe? She always told herself she would do the same. But she couldn’t let go of the weight of being the daughter of a criminal, of the insults, of the whispers behind her back.
Maybe that was the biggest difference between her and Eloise. She couldn’t face things head-on with courage. If she were in Eloise’s place, she would never have agreed to a conversation like this.
The two talked for almost an hour. Before parting ways, they exchanged contact information. Eloise told her, “Just message me if you ever need someone to talk to.”
After the taping for the variety show, the live broadcast finally ended around ten in the evening. It had gone on for more than ten hours.
Back at the hotel, Sasha could barely move as she collapsed onto the bed. “Never again! I’ll never join a live variety show like that again. It’s way too exhausting.”
“Who wouldn’t want a chance to observe actors up close for that long?” Eloise teased. “At least now we know what to avoid next time.”
A few minutes later, Sasha had already fallen asleep. Eloise, meanwhile, received a call from Cosmo. She stepped into the bathroom, shut the door, and answered.
“Jiro already found an assistant. She’ll be flying in tomorrow to replace you,” Cosmo said straight to the point.
“So fast? I haven’t even told Sasha yet!” Eloise replied in surprise.
“You can still tell her tonight. Or just let it be a surprise tomorrow,” Cosmo said.
“That’s not a surprise, Cosmo. More like a fright!” Eloise laughed.
“Whether it’s a surprise or a fright, that’s Miss Sasha’s concern,” Cosmo replied in a dry but slightly teasing tone.
At first, it was Tania who suggested giving Sasha an assistant, but Eloise turned it down. Now that Eloise herself had brought it up, Cosmo didn’t waste any time taking action.
“I saw Miss Baylon earlier. We talked for almost an hour,” Eloise shared.
“Really? Did you ask to meet, or was it her?” Cosmo asked.
“Me. Curious about what we talked about?” Eloise teased.
“If you want to tell me, I’ll listen. If not, I won’t push. After all, there was no fight or drama that happened,” Cosmo replied with a light laugh.
“Really? Not even a little curious?” Eloise asked, almost in disbelief.