When Pax looked up, he saw Chloe stepping out. He quickly made his way over to her.
"Chloe..." he said, his voice sounding softer and lacking its usual cheer.
"Mr. Sartori, what can I do for you?" Chloe's face was neutral, and her tone was the same as when she talked to anyone else. But calling him "Mr. Sartori" made his heart sink.
"Chloe, are you still mad at me?
"I want to apologize. I shouldn't have hidden who I am, and I definitely shouldn't have lied to you. Chloe, I kept my identity a secret because it's complicated. If I told everyone I'm Pax, they'd either suck up to me or avoid me out of fear.
"I never wanted to deceive you. I just wanted to make a real friend, someone who likes me for who I am, not because of my last name or because my mom is Claire.
"I didn't fake being poor to trick you. I was genuinely broke in France. I was rebellious, and my mom took away my documents and cut off my cards. I had to work odd jobs under the table, earning next to nothing. The money I used to come back was all I had saved. When I returned, I had nothing. I truly wasn't trying to deceive you."
Chloe watched the young man standing in front of her. When she first met him, his smile was bright and warm. Now, his eyes were still clear and sincere but tinged with a layer of gloom. She couldn't bring herself to be harsh with him.
Chloe knew Pax hadn't meant to deceive her. Just like he said, her change in attitude wasn't because he hid his identity but because his identity complicated things. It gave her too much to worry about.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Don’t Fall for the Billionaire Lover