Our Anniversary, You Chose Her – I Chose Divorce

She turned and left the basement. As the warm sunlight washed over her, she felt like she had come back to life.

Chloe Reed slowly exhaled. She glanced at the silent man beside her and said, ”Let’s go back.”

But Walker Grant said, ”Want to go inside and rest for a bit?”

Chloe Reed glanced at the villa ahead. She had never been here before and was in no mood to rest.

”I want to go back.”

She started walking ahead on her own.

”Chloe Reed.”

The man’s low, deliberate voice came from behind her.

Chloe Reed’s steps faltered. She turned to look at him. ”What is it?”

Walker Grant’s dark, almond-shaped eyes gazed at her intently. ”If you had known from the beginning that the person you saved back then was my older brother... would you still have come to find me?”

Chloe Reed looked at him coolly. ”If you had known from the beginning that the one who saved you was Sunny Reed, would you still have accepted my confession?”

A gentle breeze swept by, carrying their words away and scattering them over the grass.

A small smile touched Chloe Reed’s lips. ”You never understood my heart, Walker Grant. We’re truly not right for each other.”

With that, she turned to leave.

”I would have.”

But his resolute voice followed her. ”I would have.”

Chloe Reed didn’t look back. ”It doesn’t matter anymore.”

But Walker Grant closed the distance in a few strides and grabbed her wrist. ”It is important. Of course it is. We were meant to be together; there are no ’what ifs.’ The only reason I asked is because I’m scared. I’m scared that if you find out you loved the wrong person, you’ll never look at me again!”

He stared into her eyes, every word he uttered hammering into her ears. ”Because I’m scared, Chloe Reed.”

He gripped her wrist. ”I was horrible before. I was so sure you loved me that I thought you wouldn’t blame me, that you’d even help me shoulder those responsibilities. It was my arrogance. I know I was wrong now. I know how naive I was being. A relationship is always between two people, and I never should have dragged you into shouldering all that...”

”It took me a long time to understand all this. I tried to let you go, to grant your wish for a divorce. But Chloe Reed... in the days without you, it hurts right here. It really, really hurts.”

He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. His voice grew hoarse. ”Even now, I don’t want to divorce you.”

Beneath her palm, she could feel a tremor—the frantic thumping of his heart. As if to underscore his words, the beat grew even more intense.

Chloe Reed’s long lashes fluttered. ”We made a deal,” she said slowly.

Walker Grant squeezed his eyes shut in pain. He lowered his head slightly, his back seeming to hunch over. After a long moment, he finally released her hand.

Chloe Reed looked up at him and said, ”We aren’t right for each other.”

But Walker Grant turned his face away, his tone returning to a calm register. ”Right. So when this is all over, you can do whatever you want. I won’t stop you.”

With that, he strode away quickly.

Watching his retreating back, Chloe Reed thought he looked like he was fleeing in defeat.

”...”

「Jardinelle.」

Chloe Reed returned on her own. The moment she walked in the door, she saw a familiar figure.

”Chloe!”

Annie York’s face was alight with excitement as she hurried over. ”I got the job as a maid here! I’ll be in charge of cleaning from now on!”

Chloe Reed was surprised. ”What are you doing here?”

Annie York said, ”I saw a hiring ad and applied on my own. Chloe, I can work here and pay you back!”

Chloe Reed thought for a moment, then nodded. ”Alright. In that case, we’ll just pay you half your salary each month. You have your own living expenses to cover, after all.”