"I don't understand, Vernon. Why did you mention my name during your drunken stupor?"

The question lingered in Chloe's mind. All this time, she was convinced that Vernon was in love with a woman he met in high school or uni when he was in Europe.

Because it made much more sense for him to find the love of his life when he was far from his family.

When he was a teenager who first knew about love in high school or university…

Now that she was faced with the possibility of being the woman in Vernon's dream, she felt… very uncomfortable.

It was hard to describe, but she didn't find it repulsive.

She just… didn't want to be put in the spotlight, 'Besides, he deserves to have a much better woman than me….'

Chloe entered the car and sat in the driver's seat in a daze.

She kept staring straight at the bar in front of her, much to Vernon's annoyance.

"Chloe… when are we going home?" Vernon asked. He was like a kid that got very sticky. He leaned towards Chloe and then hugged her small arm.

Feeling unsatisfied hugging such a scrawny arm, Vernon opted to hug Chloe's body instead.

Chloe instantly struggled when Vernon became so sticky to her. It was like a defense mechanism, as she was scared she might like it.

"V—Vernon, get off of me!" Chloe yelled. She pushed Vernon's face as he tried to rub his cheek on hers.

But her physical strength was not a match against Vernon, so she gave up and allowed Vernon to rub his cheek against her, "Mmm… Chloe, so… comfortable…"

Chloe felt the itch around her cheeks and neck because Vernon's stubbles were rubbing against that area. She had no choice but to coax him one more time.

So she gently rubbed Vernon's head and said, "Vernon, just sit still for now, and let me drive, okay? Don't you say that you want to go home?"

"Um, I want to go with you…." Vernon said. "… To our home…"

Chloe bit her lower lip, trying to endure this uncomfortable feeling in her heart.

She glanced at Vernon, who returned to sit in his seat obediently. He rested his head and stared to the front with an empty gaze.

p 'You're too much, Vernon. You're making me so nervous here,' Chloe complained.

But she said nothing as she didn't want to coax Vernon for the third time.

Thus, Chloe pressed the gas pedal with her feet and drove back to Vernon's apartment building through the somewhat-empty road.

She parked her car in the basement parking lot and carefully dragged Vernon out of her car.

Luckily, Vernon was very cooperative this time.

He didn't struggle or mumble about embarrassing stuff. He just grabbed Chloe's arm wrist and allowed the petite lady to lead the big guy back to his home.

Ding!

They exited the elevator and walked towards the main door of the penthouse.

Vernon's mind started to get hazier as time progressed.

He knew he was drunk, but he didn't know that the effect of the sixth shot of the Seven-star fantasy would be gradual despite developing a resistance to it.

He couldn't see anything right now, and his body gradually got heavier.

'',

Chloe was leading him by his hand but realized that Vernon's step had become unstable.

"Hang in there, big boy," Chloe said as she quickly propped his body, just like what Diamond did back then. "Don't fall, okay? I'm not as tall and strong as Diamond, you're going to squash me."

'',

Vernon looked to his left, where a petite woman was trying to prop him as they struggled to reach the main door.

Vernon quickly realized the one helping him was his woman, so he claimed, "I… I will not fall. I am strong…."

"Mhm, yea, sure," Chloe replied nonchalantly.

She finally reached the front door and was relieved when she unlocked it and opened it wide."

Chloe continued to lead Vernon past the living room and headed straight to his room.

Vernon's gaze was blurry, but his eyes didn't leave Chloe's figure because she was the only person that looked like the guiding light for him.

Chloe carefully sat Vernon on his bed and then turned around, intending to leave Vernon.

Vernon grabbed her wrist and squeezed it as she tried to pull her hand out, "Vernon, let go."

"No," Vernon replied firmly. All his spoiled sweet expression suddenly disappeared, leaving only a trace of hostility in his eyes. "Where are you going? Are you going to leave me?"

"No, I'm not going to leave you," Chloe replied. Though she was half-lying.

Because she wanted to leave and return tomorrow morning when this man was sober, she didn't need to face the uncomfortable fact that Vernon might be in love with her the whole time.

"You're lying," Vernon replied. "You said you'll stay by my side forever. But you left me alone, Chloe."

'

"Shouldn't I be the one who said that?' Chloe complained. "You're the one who suddenly left for Europe without giving any information to anyone. You even rejected all of my calls and changed your number."

Vernon's mind returned to that time when he left New York for good and went to London to further his study.

He knew his decision was rash and shouldn't have happened had it not been because of that incident.

That incident when Vernon eavesdropped on the conversation between his late dad and Big sis Chloe.

He was devastated to hear Big sis Chloe called him a talentless, good-for-nothing young man.

That he would never be able to reach the same height as his Big brother, Vincent.

And she would rather marry Vincent because he would be the new Master of the Gray family. She would live a lavish, luxurious life, something that she would never get with Vernon…

Vernon gritted his teeth. He wanted to yell at Chloe, telling her that he eavesdropped on everything, so there was no need to lie!