Chapter 37: Her Heart Aches
While Chloe was cooking, Matthew, unable to help much, took the opportunity to look around the apartment with her permission. Though the apartment wasn’t large, it was warmly decorated, clearly reflecting Chloe’s love for life. The books on the table–professional texts mixed with others were neatly arranged, adding a cozy touch rather than feeling cluttered.
Matthew quickly realized that it wasn’t polite to scrutinize someone else’s home for too long, so after a brief look, he averted his eyes and stopped exploring Chloe finished cooking rather quickly, and they sat down to dinner together. Matthew was astonished by how delicious the food was, his eyes widening in
surprise.
“You’re amazing! I never expected you to cook so well,” he exclaimed
Chloe smiled modestly, feeling a little embarrassed. She had meant to invite Matthew for dinner much earlier, given all the help he had offered her. But with her recent focus on studying, she had put it off. Now that she’d finally followed through, it felt overdue.
“If you liked it, you’re welcome to come over anytime,” Chloe said, happy to have someone enjoy her cooking. Seeing Matthew praise her food filled her with a sense of accomplishment.
Matthew, still amazed, added, “You’re incredible! Whoever gets to live with you must be the luckiest person in the world.”
Before Chloe could respond, there was a loud, insistent knock at the door. The knocking was so forceful it was clear someone was doing it on purpose. Chloe stood up and went to answer it.
As soon as she opened the door, she didn’t even get a chance to see who was there before her wrist was grabbed, and she was forcefully pulled outside. It was only then that Chloe saw who had come looking for
her.
“What are you doing?” Chloe demanded.
“I’m here to take you to the hospital! My brother is sick and needs you to take care of him,” Ella said bluntly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. To her, Chloe was still expected to care for Julian, just like before.
Chloe was stunned for a moment but then replied, “You must be mistaken. Julian and I are no longer together. His well–being is no longer my concern. I don’t care what’s going on with him now.”
Ella stared at Chloe in disbelief, not expecting such a cold response. This wasn’t the Chloe who had. always cared so deeply for her brother.
“Are you really still angry with him? Don’t be so unreasonable. My brother has treated you well all these years, hasn’t he? Even if he did something wrong before, that doesn’t justify abandoning him now, does it?
Ella’s frustration grew as she scolded Chloe, reminding her of all the good Julian had done for her. The more she spoke, the more envious and resentful she felt, especially thinking about how Julian had always treated Chloe better than he had treated anyone, including her.
“I can’t believe I ever defended you. What a waste!” Ella shot Chloe a furious glare.
Chloe met Ella’s anger with a calm expression. “Then I suggest you stop defending me. I can’t help him with his illness. He should call a doctor. And if he dies, I’ll send money for his funeral, Chloe said coldly.
Ella was so enraged by Chloe’s response that she couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Was Chloe seriously cursing her brother? With a hard kick to the door, Ella stormed off in a fury.
Chapter Her Heart Aches
20
Watching Ella throw her tantrum, Chloe said nothing. She gripped the door handle tightly as she shut the door, her fingers turning white from the pressure, revealing the turmoil inside her.
Though the door had remained open during their conversation, and Matthew had heard everything, he couldn’t help but feel awkward when Chloe returned, pretending as if nothing had happened.
“Is there anything else you’d like to eat?” Chloe asked, her face betraying no emotion.
Matthew could sense that something was off, but he didn’t press the issue. They both knew the mood had shifted, and dinner continued in an uncomfortable silence.
The meal, which had started so delightfully, now felt tense. The food that Matthew had found so delicious earlier now tasted bland in the wake of Ella’s visit. After quickly finishing his meal, Matthew politely excused himself, knowing that staying longer would only add to Chloe’s unease.
Once alone in the apartment, Chloe cleaned up and then sat on the couch, lost in thought. She tried to avoid thinking about Julian, but Ella’s words echoed in her mind, stirring a storm of emotions.
It hadn’t been that long since their breakup, and already Julian had ended up in the hospital, in such a serious condition. Chloe reached for the glass on the table, but her distracted thoughts caused it to slip from her hand, shattering on the floor.
The sharp sound startled her. As she bent down to clean up the broken glass, she accidentally cut her finger, and blood quickly began to flow.
Oddly enough, the pain in her finger was nothing compared to the tears that suddenly welled up and spilled down her face. The cut didn’t hurt nearly as much as the emotional wounds she carried.
Years of memories–good and bad–didn’t just vanish like flipping through a book. Feelings and experiences rooted deep within her heart were not easily forgotten. She had no idea how to let go of them.
Despite wanting to move on, Chloe was still struggling. How could she just let go of so many years of emotions? If she could, she wouldn’t still be feeling this pain, wouldn’t still be so conflicted.
Part of her wanted to rush to the hospital and see Julian, but her rational mind held her back. They weren’t together anymore. The best thing she could do was to get used to a life without him. She needed to stop shedding tears over him. That was the only way to truly move on.
Reflecting on their relationship, Chloe realized it had been fractured long before their final breakup.
