shuhaige
Chapter 261
Chloe hadn't gone to Greenpeace Estate. Instead, she went back to Sundance Heights. Even though she knew Ann wasn't her biological mother, she couldn't help but love that place. There, in that modest room on that small bed, she could actually fall asleep.
It was quite late when she arrived. Ann was already in bed but woke up to the sound of the door opening. She was surprised and delighted to see Chloe.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Chloe asked.
Ann, trying to lighten the mood, replied, "Not at all! I wasn't asleep yet. Are you hungry? I have some snacks here that'd make a perfect midnight feast."
Chloe then noticed the dining table covered with a variety of dishes. Most of them looked untouched, and they were all the dishes Chloe had loved the last time Ann cooked for her. Chloe felt a swirl of emotions.
"Did you save these for me? How did you know I'd be coming today?" she asked.
Ann quickly masked any hint of anticipation with a smile. "Oh, it's just a coincidence. There were sales at the market today, so I ended up buying and cooking too much. Try these BBQ ribs..."
Chloe could tell that none of the dishes had been eaten. She wondered if Ann had been cooking every day, hoping she'd come back. Chloe had planned to tell Ann about the DNA test, but at that moment, she just couldn't bring herself to do it.
After a bite of the BBQ ribs, Chloe decided to keep quiet about it. After dinner, she headed back to her room to sleep.
Chloe ended up staying at Sundance Heights for several days. Then, on a Saturday evening, she received a phone call.
"Chloe, I'm coming to see you. Can you pick me up from the airport?"Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Chloe was taken aback. "Pax?"
She quickly drove to the airport and saw Pax, dressed in a white tracksuit, carrying a backpack, and sporting blonde hair, as he walked out of the terminal. He was scanning the area, and when he saw Chloe, his face broke into a bright smile, a cute dimple appearing on his left cheek.
He jogged over to her. "Chloe..." he called out, his voice sweet but not overly so. It felt natural and warm.
"Hop in," Chloe said.
Pax got into Chloe's car, and they soon merged onto the highway. Pax was fascinated by everything, sticking his head out of the car window. “Things have changed so much here." Pax said, his tone serious.
Chloe chuckled. "How long has it been since you've been back?"
"I've been living abroad since I was a kid, moving from country to country without a permanent home. I only come back to visit my grandparents during the holidays, and even then, just for a few days," Pax explained.
Chloe looked at him with sympathy. "That sounds tough for someone your age."
"So, did you come just to see me?" she asked.
Pax grinned, his smile genuine. "Actually, I'm running away from home."
"What do you mean?" Chloe queried, puzzled.
"My grandparents decided I couldn't stay in France to study anymore. They've already transferred me to local school and are making me come back. But I don't want my life dictated by them, so I ran away," Pax explained.
"Chloe, I don't have many friends here. The only person I could think of was you. Can you let me stay with you for a few days?" he asked, looking at Chloe with sincere, pleading eyes.
"Of course, you can stay. But you know, you'll have to sort things out with your family eventually. Running away isn't a long-term solution," Chloe advised.
"Don't worry, I plan to go back in a month. Oh, and by the way, do you know of any cheap places to rent near downtown? I'm planning to find a part-time job at a bar tomorrow," Pax said.