Ex's crazy pursuit After Divorce (Chloe and Adrian) novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Airport Encounter

The message had come in yesterday.

She must’ve been mid–flight then, phone stuck in airplane

mode.

Adrian reaching out first? That was new.

In two years of marriage, he’d never bothered to text unless it was strictly business.

Hell, even when she’d tried to share little bits of her life, hoping for some connection, all she ever got back was silence- or those dreaded read receipts.

Chloe’s thumb hovered over his message for what felt like

forever.

She almost swiped it away. But with just two months left in their three–year contract marriage, she finally typed back.

[The aurora was stunning. Got lost in the moment. No pics.]

She didn’t expect a reply. Adrian never replied.

But just as she was about to put her phone away, his answer popped up instantly.

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< Chapter 5 Airport Encounter

[Nat nearly killed herself during a breakdown, and you couldn’t even be bothered to reach out? That’s cold as hell.]

Every word cut into her. Even through the screen, she could picture his face–disgust written all over it.

Chloe stared for a long moment before replying with a single word: [Sorry.]

No excuses, no explanations. Then she slipped her phone back into her bag and kept walking toward the exit.

Down another terminal corridor, Adrian glared at Chloe’s pathetic one–word reply, his jaw tight.

That was it? That was all he got? No explanation, nothing?

Those sweet, rambling texts she used to send had turned into this–cold, detached, a single line after half a month apart.

He remembered firing off that angry message before he could stop himself.

Hell, he wasn’t even sure why he was so pissed.

Seconds later, the regret hit.

How could Chloe have known about Nat’s breakdown? He’d

just snapped at her for nothing.

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He opened the chat again, ready to smooth things over.

Instead of typing, he hit record and started a voice message-

“Let’s drop it for now. When you’re back, just apologize to Nat, she won’t hold it against—”

But then he saw that curt “Sorry” flash across the screen. His face darkened instantly.

He swiped to cancel the unsent voice message.

“Gabriel’s here already. Let’s go!” Natalie chirped, tugging Adrian toward the exit.

Outside the airport, Chloe stood in the pickup zone when a familiar voice cut through the noise-

“Adrian, hurry up! Gabriel and the others are throwing us a welcome dinner!”

She froze, her grip tightening on the handle of her suitcase.

Adrian and Natalie… back today too?

What a coincidence.

A bitter laugh slipped out. No way was she about to crash their

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little reunion. The last thing their picture–perfect moment needed was her awkward presence.

She glanced down at her phone—her ride would be there any

minute.

But then Natalie’s exaggerated voice rang out.

“Chloe?”

Chloe pretended not to hear, eyes glued to her phone.

“Chloe! Look, Adrian, it’s Chloe!”

“Chloe, Chloe!”

“Chloe!”

After being called so many times, ignoring them would be too obvious. Chloe reluctantly turned around.

Natalie waved excitedly, her arm looped through Adrian’s.

A second later, she tugged a brooding Adrian over.

Chloe rubbed her temples. Couldn’t Natalie see he was clearly pissed and wanted space? Talk about bad timing.

“Chloe, you just got back too!” Natalie said brightly, her gaze 4/7

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flicking to Chloe’s suitcase.

Chloe gave a small nod. “Yeah. Vacation’s over.”

She could feel Adrian’s stare on her–sharp as daggers, like he wanted to cut her to pieces.

What, was she not allowed to exist here?

Well, sorry, but she wasn’t psychic. How was she supposed to know they’d be here?

If she had known, she never would’ve shown up to play third wheel.

Natalie tensed at Chloe’s blank expression–no anger, no jealousy, nothing. Then her eyes flickered as she tightened her grip on Adrian’s arm.

“Oh, Chloe, I feel awful,” she said with fake guilt.

“If I hadn’t been such a mess with my depression, needing Adrian all the time, he never would’ve abandoned you to take care of me. I ruined your trip together. I’m so sorry.”

Her eyes shimmered on cue, like she might throw herself off a bridge if Chloe didn’t forgive her.

Chloe wasn’t one for manipulative games, but she wasn’t 5/7

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stupid either.

That fake apology was nothing but a challenge dressed up in

sugar.

But she couldn’t be bothered with their drama.

“It’s fine. Life–or–death situations come first,” she said with a mild smile.

Clearly not the response Natalie wanted.

She searched Chloe’s calm eyes, desperate to find even a flicker of bitterness or resentment.

But Chloe held her ground, her expression as gentle as always.

Natalie bit her lip, refusing to back down.

“Look, Chloe, I know you’re mad at me and Adrian. Why else would you ghost him for so long? It’s all my fault. Just take it out on me instead, okay? Don’t punish him, please.”

Chloe wanted to roll her eyes.

Even with her patience, she was seconds away from telling them both to fuck off.

She’d been nothing but understanding, and now they wanted 6/7

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drama?

One glance at Adrian’s stormy face, all dark and sullen, and she decided explaining herself wasn’t worth it.

“Ms. James, I’m really not angry with you,” she sighed. “And I’m not angry with Adrian either. I understand, really.”

“I didn’t contact Adrian because I was too busy enjoying the scenery and forgot,” she added, watching Natalie’s disappointment at her failed manipulation.

“Ha.” Adrian’s cold laugh cut through the air.

The mocking sound made Chloe’s smile falter slightly, but she said nothing.

“Hey! Adrian, Natalie!”

Just then, an eye–catching Rolls–Royce Wraith glided into view.

The car was stunning enough to turn heads–sleek, expensive, and impossible to ignore..

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