243 Chapter 243

'Hey, Vernon, my name is Chloe Carlson. Your Big brother told me a lot about you,' Chloe said as she gently patted Vernon's head. 'You can call me Chloe, but I would prefer you to call me Big sis, since you call Vincent as Big bro, right?'

"Big sis Chloe…." Vernon mumbled in real life.

Shailene frowned as a response. She heard the name muttered by Vernon, but she didn't expect Vernon to address this woman as 'Big sis Chloe.'

'It seems this woman named Chloe is not just a random woman that came to his life. For him to call her Big sis Chloe, that means she has been present since he was a kid.'

'But she's not his blood sibling, right? I know that Vernon only has one brother as sibling, and that is the famous billionaire Vincent Gray,' Shailene thought as she noted the name that Vernon muttered just now.

'Maybe she is someone hired by their parents to take care of him? But I doubt they'd hire a young woman to take care of young Vernon when they can pay the most expensive and experienced nanny to do that.'

She continued listening without interrupting as she realized that Vernon relived the core memory with his 'Big sis Chloe.'

—Vernon's memory—

'',

Little Vernon stared at the doe eyes that looked so kind. He could see his reflection in Big sis Chloe's eyes, giving him the illusion that Big sis Chloe was looking at him and only him.

Little Vernon hugged Big sis Chloe for the first time without hesitation, much to Chloe's surprise, 'Oh— Vincent said that you're a difficult kid. But you seem nice.'

Nevertheless, I promised him to take care of you, so—' Chloe gently separated herself from Vernon, who hugged her tightly. She gently caressed little Vernon's cheek and smiled at him, '—You can count on Big sis Chloe for everything, got it?'

Despite being seven years old, little Vernon already had enough brain capacity to read someone's intention. When those women his dad brought to the house tried to coax Little Vernon, thinking he was just another clueless kid with no idea of what was happening around him.

Usually, Vernon would show a disgusted face and throw a huge tantrum whenever he was touched by those women.

But right now, he had no feeling of disgust as he stared unblinking at Big sis Chloe.

Instead, he felt this gradual throbbing in his heart that got harder and hotter. Then, he realized that his heart was beating faster and faster until his cheeks reddened.

'Un…' little Vernon nodded bashfully.

"I… I will be with Big sis Chloe…." Vernon said it out loud while Shailene listened attentively.

Shailene noticed a smile perking up on Vernon's lips. And it was a smile of comfort as if he was content with his dream.

As if he got everything he wanted inside his fantasy.

Shailene continued writing in her note. She concluded that Big sis Chloe's presence must've influenced Vernon's life massively.

But the real question was…

'Was it a good or bad influence?' Shailene asked herself.

—Vernon's memory—

Little Vernon became much better when Big sis Chloe visited him almost daily.

She would come right around noon and go home after ten when Vernon finally fell asleep.

',

Because if Big sis Chloe left while Vernon was still wide awake, the little devil would make a huge tantrum that would destroy the whole mansion.

So Chloe had to understand how attached Vernon could be despite constantly trying to pull pranks to get her full attention.

Little Vernon was so happy about everything, and after he reached the age of ten, he confessed to Big sis Chloe.

'ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ No(v) e lBin ᴏɴʟʏ.',

"Big sis Chloe, once I get older, I will marry you! You will be Vernon's wife!" Vernon claimed out loud, which shocked Shailene.

But Vernon was so deep into his imagination that he didn't remember he was inside Shailene's office, with her listening to his mumbling and talking to himself.

Big sis Chloe in his imagination, chuckled lightly and patted his head, 'You want me to be your wife?'

"YES!"

'Then, Little Vernon needs to grow up first. Be strong, so you can protect the woman you love in the future, okay?'

"That woman is Big sis Chloe!" Vernon insisted.

'Haha, okay, okay, that would be me,' Chloe replied, thinking it was just harmless banter as she knew that Vernon would eventually forget about these things.

Little did she know, Vernon still remembered vividly the promise and confession he made, and he took it very seriously.

He thought, as long as Big sis Chloe could wait for him, he would definitely marry her!

He held that dream of marrying Big sis Chloe until it shattered when he was fourteen years old because he witnessed what his Big sis Chloe said to his dying dad.

—

Shailene waited for Vernon to speak again, but she waited for at least twenty minutes, and no movement or any word was coming out of Vernon's mouth.

His breath stabilized, and Shailene frowned in response.

"Wait, Vernon?" Shailene tried to call him, but there was no answer.

"Vernon?" Shailene got up from the chair and walked toward Vernon to check him.

Vernon didn't seem to be in distress, but the smile on his lips had disappeared for an unknown reason.

Shailene put her finger right under Vernon's nose and let out a relieved breath, "He's still alive at least."

"But damn, you're falling asleep while imagining your Big sis Chloe. What kind of sweet dream are you having right now?"

Shailene didn't want to wake him up as he seemed tired. So she took a spare blanket from her room and covered Vernon from neck to toe.

She also took off his shoes, making sure this scum had a good sleep.

She stared at Vernon for a while and clicked her tongue annoyedly, "I don't even know why am I being so kind to you, Vernon. You're the worst man I've ever met."