Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Chapter 39 Toto
“Not one bit,” Joseph replied honestly.
If she was not coming for his money, it meant he did not have the ability to make her after it.
Chloe found herself at a loss for words.
‘How could he be so insensitive?’ she thought, ‘Any normal guy would be moved by such words, so why is his response so indifferent?’
go
Chloe fixed her gaze upon the mirror, observing her reflection. She had been honing her cooking skills lately and her principles of minimizing waste had led her to consume everything she prepared, regardless of its flavor. Consequently, she had gained some weight-particularly around her cheeks-and no longer appeared as slim as she used
1.
Standing with her hands on her hips, Chloe declared, “I’ve made a decision. Starting today, I’m going to go jogging with you every morning! Be sure to wake me up!”
Joseph’s eyes narrowed, tinged with a hint of suspicion. “What scheme are you cooking up now?”
Chloe had been waking up around ten lately and had not made him breakfast in a while. The last time she had made it was the only time. And now, she was talking about going for morning runs? With her tendency to oversleep, she would probably only last three days. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
Women were unpredictable. Thank goodness he had a reliable male assistant.
“I’m serious. I think I’ve put on weight, so I need to start losing it!” Chloe persisted.
‘Otherwise, how am I going to win your heart?’
Joseph, not wanting to continue this conversation, said helplessly, “You’re not fat. You don’t have to lose weight.”
“Really?” Chloe replied, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “You like curvy girls?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Great, then I know what to do now!” Chloe exclaimed.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, confused.
“You’ll find out tonight!”
Chloe went upstairs to change, and Patrick arrived shortly after. She got into the car and went to the airport to wait for Harold. But instead of a man, a dog arrived instead.
An airport worker in uniform handed Patrick a black and white Border Collie and asked. him to sign a form. Chloe bent down and curiously petted the dog’s head. “Patrick, what’s this?”
“This is Mr. Joseph’s dog that he has been raising abroad. It was shipped back today. Its name is Toto,” Patrick replied, “Mr. Harold’s flight will be arriving soon.”
Chloe was stunned and she stopped petting the dog. “Joseph has a dog?”
‘But he’s a clean freak, and Border Collies have long fur. Won’t the whole house be covered in dog fur during shedding season?”
“He does. Mr. Joseph raised Toto’s mother too,” Patrick replied.
“I see,” Chloe replied, shocked by the revelation.
Sensing that Chloe had stopped petting it, Toto barked discontentedly at her, urging her to continue. Chloe’s mouth twitched, and she reluctantly went back to petting it.
Just then, Harold stepped out of the terminal, and Chloe greeted him warmly. As they made their way back to Joseph’s villa, the two chatted about trivial family matters, and Chloe specifically inquired about Joseph’s habits and hobbies.
Upon arriving at their destination, Chloe said to Harold, “Grandpa, go rest up. I’ll call for you when I’ve finished cooking.”
“That’s not necessary. It’s already tiring enough for you to pick me up. We can just get the chef to come by,” Harold replied.
“But…”
“No buts. Patrick will handle everything,” Harold interrupted and walked to the balcony.
The balcony was teeming with a plethora of plants, while a dainty pink apron was hung on the wall of the kitchen. The refrigerator was adorned with cartoon stickers and daily reminders.
Harold ran his hand contentedly over his beard and remarked, “Now this is what a
home should feel like. This place has a much more human touch now compared to when
that scoundrel was overseas all the time.”
Chloe smiled and agreed, a hint of cunning flashing through her almond-shaped eyes. The old man might be old, but he was still as sharp as a tack. Fortunately, she had been smart enough to prepare everything ahead of time.
After strolling around the villa for a while, Harold remembered the main topic of discussion. “Chloe, let’s talk about the gifts for your family-”
Ring, ring!
His words were interrupted by a phone call. Chloe’s tense nerves immediately relaxed. She said, “Grandpa, get some rest. I need to take this call.”
Harold paused for a moment before saying, “Go ahead.”
Chloe went to the backyard to answer the call. “Hello? Who’s this?”
“Hello, Ms. Chloe. I’m the HR manager of Baxon Corporation. Have you found a job yet? Would you be interested in working for our company?”