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Patrick watched the helicopter take off, finally letting out a breath. “Bro, this is as far as I go for you,” he muttered.
He’d coaxed and schemed until Carl agreed to help lure Chloe to the airfield, then somehow got her onto the helicopter.
With Chloe’s fiery temper, it didn’t matter if Ian’s proposal was a bust or a success–no way Patrick was getting out of this without catching a few slaps.
At around ten that night, the helicopter circled the island before finally touching down.
Mitchell and a squad of bodyguards hurried over to greet them.
Mitchell stood by the helicopter, hands clasped respectfully, waiting for Ian and Chloe to step out.
When he saw Ian and Chloe get off the helicopter, he was completely stunned.
Mitchell rubbed his eyes hard, thinking he must be seeing things.
Just this morning, Ian had been all sharp suits and killer looks.
But now, his hair was a mess, his suit jacket nowhere to be seen, his tie all crooked, and a couple of buttons on his shirt popped open in the middle.
He looked like he’d barely made it out alive from a three–hour beatdown courtesy of an incredibly burly wife.
Mitchell’s lips couldn’t help but twitch, and he hurried to duck his head, trying his best not to burst out laughing.
Chloe spotted Mitchell standing a little way off and stopped in her tracks.
If she remembered right, Mitchell had been working as Ian’s assistant for over a year now.
Mitchell was pretty reliable, a genuinely good guy. If he had one flaw, it was that he did whatever Ian said–no questions asked.
Chloe looked around the place, feeling a heavy wave of nostalgia hit her.
This was lan’s private island.
Back in her last life, this had been their honeymoon spot–and also the very place where lan had sworn he’d leave her alone for good.
Even though it was already close to midnight, everywhere Chloe looked, the island was blanketed in roses- romantic and overwhelming, totally surreal.
Chloe turned in place, completely surrounded, drowning in a sea of blooms. There were roses as far as the eye could see.
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From afar, she spotted roses of white, purple, and soft champagne–but not a single red one, which only made the colors pop even more.
The three kinds of roses, mixed with a flood of sparkling lights, had been arranged into a huge heart–shaped display right at the center of the island.
It was so obvious, Chloe could tell with her eyes closed exactly what Ian was about to pull next.
Unfazed, Chloe calmly pulled her gaze away, giving Ian a once–over–he looked like she’d clawed him up good, disheveled and wrecked from head to toe.
Chloe asked, deliberately playing innocent, “So, what’s all this supposed to mean?”
Testing the waters, Ian reached out a hand toward Chloe, but she smacked it away without a second thought.
For a moment, Ian just stood there, totally dazed–then, in a flash, he dropped to one knee, a diamond ring magically appearing in his palm.
Looking up at her, speaking straight from the heart, Ian said, “Chloe, we’ve been childhood sweethearts for over twenty years. We’ve been through so much side by side, and we’ve both changed so much along the way.”
Chloe silently agreed.
Nothing made one mature faster than meeting the wrong person.
Ian continued, “To me, you’re my home and my future. I’ll give you security, and no matter what, I’ll always be there for you–I’ll stand by your side through everything.”
Chloe scoffed inwardly, her thoughts cold and dismissive.
By the time Ian finished, the corners of his eyes were rimmed with red, his emotions laid bare.
He said, “Let every living creature on this island and out in these waters bear witness. I, Ian Hamilton, swear to cherish you, protect you, and love you for the rest of my life!”
Chloe’s fingers nervously twisted at the seam of her dress.
It appeared that her last–minute cold feet really messed up lan’s big plan–now he had no choice but to say all these desperate lines just to try and win her back.
Ian said, “Chloe, will you marry me?”
It was eerily quiet on the island, the night thick with silence.
Standing in a sea of roses, Chloe didn’t budge an inch–her face completely blank.
Ian’s eyes couldn’t hide the red ringing them, and his hand holding out the ring trembled.
Both of them looked like they’d just survived a hurricane–hair a mess, clothes rumpled, and not a shred of their usual polish left.
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But she sure as hell wasn’t about to walk that road again and marry him a second time.
Chloe turned to face lan again and nodded slightly, as if accepting what he’d just said.
She said, “Yes. There is someone else I have feelings for.”
lan, acting on impulse, seized Chloe by the shoulders. “Who is that guy?”
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Chloe met his shocked eyes and said, “I like him, but he doesn’t know yet. I can’t tell you who he is right now.”
lan’s grip on her shoulders grew stronger, making Chloe frown.
She spoke to lan, her tone firm and sure. “But I can tell you, he’s a really great guy, and we get along amazingly. When the moment’s right, I’ll confess to him myself.”
One could totally see lan’s face freeze up on the spot, like all the life had drained right out of him.
Chloe looked straight at him and asked, “So, lan, what should I call you now?
“Do I go back to being some random stranger and start calling you Mr. Hamilton?
“Or do I just keep being your childhood bestie, stick with ‘lan‘ like the old days?
“Or hey, you could get your parents to make me their goddaughter–then will I still get to call you lan?”
lan, overcome by emotion, grabbed Chloe in a desperate hug and blurted out, “I don’t want to be just your friend or any other goddamn bullshit–I want to marry you and bring you home!”
But when he felt Chloe struggling fiercely, lan slowly loosened his hold, letting her go with obvious pain.
He forced himself to stay right where he was, locking every muscle to keep from falling apart.
His hands froze midair, clenching the ring so tightly it dug into his palm and burned.
He fought the wild urge to just pull Chloe into his arms and kiss her right there.
Ian’s lips twisted in pain as he forced out, his voice hoarse, “Chloe, until all this is truly over… I’ll always be the dear buddy you grew up with, no matter what.”
Hearing Chloe’s answer, lan finally gave in–he stepped back, returning to the role of her childhood best
friend.
He’d fight fair, going up against whoever that guy was–no tricks, just a straight–up competition for her heart.
Jan was going to make sure Chloe saw just how sincere he really was.
No matter what it took, he’d do anything to get back the girl he’d lost.
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