The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 306

Chapter 306

Chapter 306

45

lan glanced at his watch, canceled all his morning meetings and appointments, then called Patrick.

Just after ten in the morning, Ian and Patrick arrived at the airport.

Patrick glanced down at his pajama pants and slippers.

“If you wanted to come see her off, why’d you bring me as a third wheel? Seriously, are you nuts?” Patrick muttered.

Before Patrick could finish, Ian was already striding straight toward Chloe.

Patrick was speechless

He’d just finally crashed after pulling an all-nighter, only to get dragged out of bed by a call from Ian.

He thought Ian had gotten into a plane crash or something wild, so he bolted out the door without even swapping out his slippers.

Turns out, it was just to see Chloe off at the airport.

Here he was, the proud second son of the Lewis family, shuffling around the airport in slippers and pajama pants. He’d never felt so humiliated in his life.

Patrick yanked off his suit jacket and threw it over his head, doing his best to cover his face.

Chloe spotted Ian and Patrick coming over, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “What are you two doing here?”

She reached out and pulled the jacket off Patrick’s head. “Patrick, what’s up with this?”

Ian snatched the jacket back from Chloe and tossed it at Patrick. “Heard you were leaving for a while, so we rushed over to see you off. Didn’t even have time to change.”

Patrick shot Ian a twisted grin, equal parts annoyed and helpless.

Chloe smiled and stepped forward to greet them.

Ian shot Patrick a meaningful look.

Patrick blinked and was confused.

Ian cleared his throat and gave Patrick another pointed look.

Patrick still didn’t get it.

He slung the jacket over his shoulder, pulled Chloe into a quick hug, and said, “Safe travels. Call me when you land, alright?”

Chloe said in a sweet, teasing voice, “Thanks, Patrick. I will.”

11:12 Tue, May 12 MI

Chapter 306

Patrick let go of Chloe and shot lan a look.

Ian walked up to Chloe, keeping his cool.

He reached out to hug her, but Chloe stepped back, dodging him. “Ian, you two should head back. I’m about to board.”

Ian stood over her, locking eyes with her.

He dropped his voice, sounding a little put out. “Weren’t we childhood friends? How come he gets a hug and I don’t?”

Chloe blinked, surprised. “Huh?”

Ian closed the distance and wrapped Chloe in his arms.

He held her gently, as if she were a treasure he was afraid to break.

Drawn in by her familiar scent, Ian instinctively tightened his embrace.

Chloe could feel Ian’s arms tightening around her, so she reached out and nudged him. “Ian, I really have to board now.”

She could sense Ian’s sadness and how much he didn’t want to let her go.

But to her now, that reluctance no longer meant anything.

The tighter Ian held on, the more unwilling he was to let her go.

He said, “My phone’s always on. Just call me whenever you need me.”

Ian’s voice was soft and gentle, full of tenderness and a yearning he couldn’t hide.

The boarding announcement echoed through the terminal, and Ian had no choice but to let Chloe go.

Chloe shot Patrick an awkward look. “I’ll call you guys when I land. You two should head back now.”

She grabbed her suitcase, turned, and made a quick getaway.

She thought, ‘I am still more used to the icy Ian. The one who always keeps his distance and never lets anyone get close.

‘But now Andrea is back in town and has already caught up with Ian.

‘Who knows, maybe when I get back from Tecnovia, I’ll be celebrating at Ian’s wedding.’

Patrick stared at Ian, who looked totally spaced out. Patrick grumbled, “You really dragged me out here at the crack of dawn just for a hug?”

Ian gave Patrick a once-over. “Better cover your face again.”

Patrick was speechless.

11:12 Tue, May 12 MA

Chapter 306

After about ten minutes, the two of them got into the car.

Patrick chucked his jacket into the back seat, still feeling a bit salty.

He turned to lan and said, “Just be straight with me. What’s up with you and Chloe now?”

Ian rolled down the window, lit up a cigarette, and said, “You saw it yourself, didn’t you?”

Patrick asked, “So Chloe’s really done with you?”

Ian just turned and stared at Patrick, saying nothing.

Patrick caught Ian’s death glare and totally lost it, cracking up.

He said, “Serves you right! If you’d just stepped up earlier, you and Chloe would have a kid calling you ‘Dad’ by now!”

Ian just stared out the window, silent and spaced out.

He thought, ‘Yeah, I had it coming.

‘Even now, if I want to hug her, he has to tiptoe around and find some lame excuse just to get close.

Patrick snorted, “So now that Andrea is back, you gonna marry her instead or something?”

Ian whipped around and glared at Patrick. “No way! She’s not good enough!”

Ian’s face was stormy as he crushed out his cigarette. “I’m heading back to the office. You can take my car home.”

When they pulled up to the office building, Ian had barely stepped out of the car before Andrea’s mom, brother, and sister-in-law swarmed him.

Laura rushed up and blocked his path. “Mr. Hamilton, I’m Andrea’s mother. She just got taken away by the cops, and we have no idea why. Please, you have to do something!”

Xander chimed in, “Mr. Hamilton, Andrea told us to come to you if anything happened, right before the police showed up.”

Melody added, “Mr. Hamilton, Andrea just got back, and now some jerk is accusing her of blackmail. She saved your life, and she only came back because of you. You’ve got to help her out!”

Ian gave the three of them a frosty look.

His laser-focused glare zeroed in on Melody.

He said, “The bastard you’re cursing at? That’s me.”

“What?”

The three of them gasped in unison, instinctively taking a step back as they’d just seen a ghost.

Chapter 306

May

05 th

Patrick was chilling in the car, leaning out the window and enjoying the show like he was munching on popcorn.

Ian stepped forward, his face cold as ice as he stared down the three of them. “Your whole family set up that car crash just so Andrea could swoop in and save me.

“When you realized marrying into money was never gonna happen, you snuck off with 20 million from my grandfather Edward, and then had the nerve to try and frame him for it.”

“I’ve already handed all the evidence to the police. Every single one of you in the Sherman family is involved. Get ready to be called in for questioning, one by one!”

Ian shot Patrick a look, then turned and walked away.

As soon as Ian walked off, Melody completely blew her top.

She pointed at Laura and snapped, “This is all on you! You raised that useless daughter, and now look what’s happened. She dragged our whole family down with her!”

Then she turned to her husband and barked, “Tell your mom to pack up and take that bastard kid out of our house, or I swear I’m divorcing you!”

Melody stomped off, still muttering curses under her breath.

Laura just collapsed on the ground, bawling her eyes out, not caring about her dignity.

Xander was caught in the crossfire, not knowing what to do.

He helped his mom up and said, “Mom, this is all your fault! I told you it was a dumb idea, but you wouldn’t listen and made Andrea do it. Ian is seriously bad news. Now look, we might all end up behind

bars!”

Laura was shaking all over. “That damn Ian! I never thought he’d suspect Andrea, let alone dig up the

truth!”

Suddenly, Laura scrambled to her feet. “Xander, hurry up and call your aunt! She has always treated Andrea like her own daughter. She’ll know how to get us out of this!”