Chapter 669 669



Chloe and Mackie were escorted back to Vernon's car. They sat in the back seat, and Mackie hugged her Mommy tight and buried her face in Mommy's chest.

Chloe slowly released her arm around Mackie and said, "We're safe now in your Uncle's car. You can release me now, dear."

"Don't want to…" Mackie said. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I thought I was brave enough to protect you. But I was so scared when that scary old lady looked at us. I'm also scared when those big men come out, they are like zombies…."

Chloe sighed. 

She gently patted the back of her daughter's head, lamenting the trauma Mackie must've felt.

First, she had to face the death of her Gran, and then she got ambushed by Maria and her henchmen. She had to see and hear so many gruesome things this morning, and Chloe could only blame herself for being incompetent.

'I'm so sorry, Dear. It's all my fault,' Chloe said with a shaky voice. 'I shouldn't have brought you here.'

"It's not Mommy's fault!" Mackie finally lifted her head, staring at her Mommy while pouting. "Don't blame yourself, Mommy! Those people just hurt us for no reason!"

"Besides, Mommy was very cool when you fought against those scary men too! I want to be strong like you in the future, Mommy, then I will protect you! I promise!"

Chloe was relieved that Mackie didn't seem too traumatized by this whole thing. She didn't know if it was a good thing because that might be a sign of mental fortitude or because Mackie had been exposed to violence too many times at such a young age, so she was unfazed. 

'Maybe I should bring her to the child psychologist alongside Aaron. They endured too much at such a young age."

**

Vernon should've waited for Diamond to come and take control of the situation. But he couldn't wait anymore. 

He just texted Diamond to come to the morgue, and then he hurriedly returned to the parking lot where his beloved woman and daughter were staying.

He clenched his hands so hard that his fists turned blue. He couldn't imagine the pain that Chloe had to go through today, and it was all his fault.

It was always his fault because he failed to protect his beloved again. 

'You're a fucking idiot, Vernon Phoenix Gray,' Vernon cursed himself. 'You're too weak. Your weakness is what caused Chloe and Mackie to get hurt, you should know how much of a fucking embarrassment you are.'

Vernon saw the bodyguards surrounding his car. They were also battered, and most had their faces either bloodied, bruised, or both. Vernon knew that it was mostly his fault for being underprepared, so he couldn't blame anyone except himself right now.

Vernon entered his car and saw his wife and daughter sitting in the backseat. They stared at each other for a long time before Vernon silently turned on the engine and drove the car out of the hospital.

Mackie saw that her Uncle was so tense as if he was holding a lot of rage. She was scared Uncle would be angry at Mommy for fighting back against those scary men and making a mess.

So she took the initiative to ask, "Uncle, please don't get angry at Mommy. She is just trying to protect me. You can punish me instead if you want."

Vernon clenched the steering wheel even tighter than before. He was fighting the excruciating pain in his heart as he drove faster through the snowfall. His veins almost burst out, and Vernon's red face scared Mackie enough that she would bury her face in her Mommy's chest again.

Chloe was also tense.

Though she knew Vernon would never beat her, she was afraid he would snap and yell at him for being stubborn. Had they followed his initial plan of escorting Chloe with at least dozens of guards, things like this wouldn't happen. 

Vernon drove back to the Phoenix Tower. He parked his car in the basement and opened the door for Chloe and Mackie.

"Let's go up," Vernon said, but his stern tone made it sound more like an order. 

ραпdαn૦νel Chloe carefully put herself down and helped Mackie since the little girl still needed to feel secure around her Mommy. 

"Let me carry Mackie," Vernon offered.

Chloe looked at her daughter, who hugged her even tighter than before. It was clear that Mackie didn't want to get touched by her Uncle, probably because her Uncle looked so scary right now.

"You don't need to, Vernon. I think Mackie is still too shaken up by the whole thing," Chloe refused.

Vernon's lips thinned. He just stood still while eyeing Mackie and Chloe standing beside him. 

When they entered the penthouse, Vernon suddenly locked the door behind him and said, "Let her down, Chloe. It must be tiring having to carry Mackie for so long."

Chloe gulped. 

She patted Mackie's back and whispered, "You can go back to your room, dear. Let me talk with Uncle first."

Thus, Chloe slowly put Mackie down and then gently nudged her to go downstairs.

However, instead of running away, Mackie gathered her courage to stand between her Mommy and Uncle and yelled loudly, "Uncle! Don't hurt Mommy! She's doing her best to protect me!"

"Ah—!" Chloe panicked. She feared that Mackie might see her Uncle shout and yell at her like a madman, and that might give Mackie an even worse trauma. "D—Dear, you need to go down. This is adult talk only!"

"It's not adult talk only! And I don't want to go until Uncle promises not to hurt or shout at Mommy!" Mackie insisted despite her fear. "Mommy has done so much to protect me! I want to protect you too!"

Vernon, who kept his straight face the whole time, slowly broke down in tears as he saw the mother-daughter bond. 

His tears began to fall, and his body shook greatly until his knees gave up.

He fell on his knees right in front of his wife and daughter and muttered, "I'm a failed man."