Chapter 420 420

"And why did you do that? Obviously, you don't need to fight him, he loves you so much, Vernon."

"Because I want to free you from him," Vernon replied without thinking twice. "I don't want you to get hurt anymore, and the only way for that to happen... is to topple him from his throne."

Vernon decided not to say his original motive. Initially, he returned to New York and launched his slow revenge because he hated both Chloe and Vincent for making him live in a nightmare.

But his motive changed after he got closer to Chloe, and he soon realized that he truly could not help himself from falling in love once again. Now, he fell in love so hard that he became distressed by the smallest pain that Chloe experienced.

He had nothing else in his mind other than protecting Chloe from that monster, even if it would cost his fortune or life.

"See? You are fighting against him to protect me. So what's so wrong if I did the same for you? I fight back because I want to protect you," Chloe said. She lowered her head and kissed Vernon's forehead gently. "Mr. Phoenix Gray, I think YOU need to stop trying to be a martyr instead. What's with you trying to sacrifice yourself for me? Do you think I'm willing to be the damsel in distress?"

"You are my damsel nonetheless," Vernon claimed.

"But I'm not a virgin anymore, damsel is for an unmarried maiden, right?"

"Doesn't matter, you're still my damsel," Vernon wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer until their bodies rubbed on one another. "You're forever my damsel until I marry you."

"Ah-"

"Ah-"

Both Chloe and Vernon widened their eyes at the same time. The comfortable atmosphere became awkward instantly because Vernon accidentally slipped his tongue and muttered one of the forbidden words between them.

Love and Marriage.

They both knew that love was in the air. Their eyes spoke with passion, and all their intimate moments weren't just because of a 'familial bond.'

That was bullshit that Chloe used to justify all of their actions.

But in the end, Vernon slipped his tongue and made everything too awkward for them to continue.

...

They got silenced in an instant, not knowing what to do next.

But one thing is for sure, they couldn't continue their intimate moments because it was too awkward.

p1ease visi(t) n0ve1b(in).ne)t

"I-- um... I better go back to my room," Chloe muttered. She pushed herself away from Vernon and got up from Vernon's lap.

Vernon did nothing to stop her, as he was ashamed of himself.

Chloe stood in front of Vernon and glanced at his bulge, 'I guess he slipped because he got horny,' she thought.

"You should drink that herbal tea while it's hot, Vernon. It's good for your health," Chloe suggested. "And um... try to sleep early if you can, it's really not good for your health."

Vernon replied with a soft hum. He turned his head to the glass door leading to the balcony, afraid that Chloe might notice his tomato-red face.

"P--Please excuse me then."

Vernon heard Chloe's small steps as she walked to the kitchen and went downstairs.

Vernon kept staring at the glass door until he was assured that Chloe wasn't around. He cursed himself in his heart for being a total idiot that ruined the night.

He took a sip of Chloe's herbal tea and walked out to the balcony. He closed the glass door behind him before taking long steps to the balcony guardrail.

The air was so cold, but for some reason, his whole body-- especially his face, was so hot.

He took a deep breath and shouted into the open air, "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY VERNON? FOREVER YOUR DAMSEL? THAT WAS SO FUCKING CRINGE!"

Vernon knew that they weren't ready for that talk. He made it obvious that he was in love with Chloe, and Chloe's positive changes showed that she was comfortable with him in many ways.

But they were still on a rocky path. Talking about love and marriage would distract them.

Besides, Vernon promised to start taking the relationship seriously after he toppled his Big brother.

"Well, this awkwardness will stay for a while, ugh...." Vernon groaned.

Chloe would usually try to avoid him for some time whenever they had a fight or simply had an awkward moment like this, and it was like torment for Vernon.

Because he liked to see the bubblier and happier version of Chloe, free from her constant anxiety stemming from the abuse.

"I have to remind myself not to slip again," Vernon said as he put a mental note. "I need to focus. FOCUS! There are lots to do. Things like love can wait until I can kick that bastard out of Chloe's life, and Chloe's physical and mental health improves until she's ready to open her heart once more."

**

Chloe returned to her room, closed the door carefully, and threw herself onto her bed.

She was like a teenage girl that had just gotten a confession from a boy she had a crush on.

She buried her face in her pillow and muffled her scream.

Chloe rolled on her bed, trying to contain her excitement, and the sharp pain from her hand stopped her from getting too excited.

She lay flat on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Her mind kept on replaying Vernon's sentence over and over, like a broken cassette.

-

"You're forever my damsel until I marry you."

-

She felt there was a pang in her heart. She put her left palm on her chest, feeling the accelerated heartbeat.

"Ah, why am I getting so excited just because he said some cheesy words? You're thirty-five, Chloe. Get a grip!" Chloe scolded herself.

But she couldn't lie that Vernon's sentence was so out of the blue, it took her like a storm, and now she couldn't get it off her head.

"This is bad, I'm so love-deprived that a frivolous sentence can make me feel like a high school girl again."