I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 31

Yolanda Fletcher paused.

She set down her tea, looking at Chloe Cross with a newfound scrutiny.

"No rush?" She hesitated, her gaze dropping to Chloe's wrist. "You did all of this just to secure your status. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Chloe's fingers twitched.

She tugged at her sleeve, quietly hiding the scar on her wrist.

But Yolanda's stare was sharp and piercing, leaving no room to hide.

"I just think..." Chloe's voice trailed off. "Now isn't the right time. Finn's leave is almost up, and my shop is incredibly busy. We should hold off for a bit."

Yolanda didn't reply.

She quietly scrutinized Chloe.

Then she glanced at Finn Fletcher.

Finn remained in the exact same position, unmoving.

The afternoon light streamed in, casting him in shadows that made him utterly unreadable.

But she knew something was deeply wrong between these two.

"Fine," Yolanda said, standing up and picking up her tea. "Discuss it amongst yourselves. But don't drag it out too long."

She left.

Her footsteps faded at the end of the hallway.

Only Finn and Chloe remained in the living room.

Chloe sat on the sofa, her head bowed.

Finn stood by the window, and after a long while, he finally turned around.

"Well done."

Chloe looked up at him.

She waited for him to elaborate, but he said nothing more.

"Aren't you afraid," she croaked, her voice rough, "that I might actually agree?"

Finn watched her in silence, but his gaze provided the answer.

He had her entirely backed into a corner.

Chloe's shoulders slumped.

"Finn," she whispered, "you are truly terrifying."

After she cried her heart out, she lay on the floor and closed her eyes, her mind replaying the suffocating scene in the car from late last night after returning from the hospital.

York Fletcher had already fallen asleep.

Finn had locked the car doors, trapping her inside.

The cabin was dead silent as she sat in the passenger seat, studying his reflection in the mirror.

He looked devastatingly handsome, one hand resting on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed forward with utter apathy.

"If my mother asks about us getting our marriage certificate," he had said, his voice low but clear, "you know what to say."

Chloe had gripped her seatbelt tightly.

"The certificate?" She paused. "Of course we're getting it! Why wouldn't we? You owe me that status."

Finn had turned to look at her.

"Fine," he replied. "Then I won't cover for you regarding what happened with York today."

Chloe's face had drained of color.

"What do you mean?"

"They have a right to know about York." His tone was flat, as if stating an indisputable fact. "My parents deeply cherish him as their eldest grandson. For you, as his mother, to stoop to that level..."