Chapter 62: Celebrating Together
Chloe was quite surprised when she received the call from Daniel inviting her to his birthday party.
“Are you sure you didn’t dial the wrong number? Are you really inviting me to your birthday party?” Chloe asked, genuinely shocked. She knew that Julian would undoubtedly be at the party, and she had no desire to see him.
Daniel, of course, understood why Chloe didn’t want to come, not only because they weren’t that close but also because of Julian.
“It’s just a gathering of familiar friends, nothing more. Or are you afraid of running into certain people?” Daniel asked.
Chloe stayed silent, but that was exactly what she was thinking.
“You and Julian aren’t involved anymore, and he has a girlfriend now. They seem to be doing well. So what are you afraid of? There’s nothing between you two anymore,” Daniel continued.
Chloe frowned. “It’s not fear. I just don’t want the hassle.”
“Meeting people is part of life. Even if you don’t see him this time, there’s a chance you’ll run into him later. You can’t avoid socializing just because it’s inconvenient, right?” Daniel reasoned.
Chloe reluctantly agreed that his logic made sense, though something about the situation still felt off. She said nothing further.
“I’ll send you the invitation soon. Don’t forget to come,” Daniel said before hanging up.
On the day of Daniel’s birthday, the estate was lively, meticulously decorated for the occasion.
Julian and Layla arrived late. When they walked in together, many people cheered, but Julian didn’t pay attention to the crowd. He went straight to Daniel, greeting him and handing over a gift.
“Remember that yacht you mentioned wanting a while back? It took some effort, but I got it for you,” Julian said.
During a recent gathering, Daniel had casually mentioned wanting a yacht, and Julian had followed through.
“Thanks,” Daniel said, accepting the gift with a genuine smile.
As Julian glanced around, his gaze froze on someone in the corner–Chloe. His body stiffened, and his eyes were locked on her.
Noticing his odd behavior, Layla followed his gaze and spotted Chloe standing not far away.
“You invited Chloe to the party?” Julian asked, surprised.
“Yeah, we’re all friends. It’s normal to invite her, don’t you think?” Daniel replied casually.
Julian felt uneasy. Why hadn’t Daniel mentioned this to him beforehand? But there wasn’t much point in dwelling on it now.
When Julian spotted Chloe, she had already noticed him. She hadn’t wanted to see him here, and now that she had given Daniel her gift, she planned to leave as soon as possible. She hadn’t intended to stay long; after all, Daniel had personally invited her, and it would have been rude not to come.
Chloe approached Daniel and handed him a small gift. “Happy birthday. It’s nothing extravagant, but I hope you like it.”
Chapter 62 Celebrating Together
Daniel smiled warmly. “Thank you for the gift.”
Since it was his birthday, many people were coming up to talk to Daniel. He had already had several drinks, and the faint scent of alcohol lingered around him.
“Thanks for coming and having a drink with me,” Daniel said, offering Chloe a glass of wine.
Chloe hesitated but felt it would be impolite to refuse. She took the glass and drank.
After finishing the drink, Chloe felt it was time to leave. When she mentioned her intention to go, both Daniel and Julian looked displeased.
“It’s still early. Why not stay a bit longer? We’ll be cutting the cake soon. Why don’t you stay until after the cake?” Daniel suggested, offering a compromise that would allow Chloe to leave without feeling
awkward, while also keeping her at the party a little longer.
Chloe thought his suggestion was reasonable and agreed to stay until the cake was cut.
The wine she drank earlier was stronger than she expected, and combined with the heating, she started feeling a bit dizzy and warm. To clear her head, she stepped outside for some fresh air, unnoticed by most people. Julian, however, had been keeping an eye on her.
From the moment he arrived, Chloe hadn’t looked at him once. Now, seeing her leave, Julian set down his drink and was about to follow her when Layla grabbed his arm.
“Julian, I feel a little dizzy from the wine. Can we find somewhere to rest?” Layla asked in a soft, almost helpless tone, her eyes pleading with him.
For a moment, Julian hesitated, torn between following Chloe and staying with Layla. But by the time he made up his mind, Chloe had disappeared. Frustrated but unable to act, he helped Layla find a quiet spot to rest.
Meanwhile, Chloe wandered into the garden, not far from the main hall, near a greenhouse filled with flowers.
The greenhouse was a bit cooler, the temperature comfortable and the scent of flowers calming. Chloe felt more at ease here. She admired the beautiful and expensive flowers, some of which were worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Looking at the luxurious plants, Chloe couldn’t help but click her tongue in disbelief. The lifestyle of the rich was indeed different. While they spent tens of thousands on a single flower, she had to carefully budget her spending.
Still, the fresh scent of the flowers lifted the heaviness in her chest, and she felt more at peace.
