Valerie scoffed, the sound echoing around the kitchen’s high ceilings.
I swallowed a bitter taste as Chloe’s actions over the last few weeks came crashing back. She’d chosen not to read the menu our first night in the club. The missed message. Her refusal to write the proposal in the coffee. Fifi had made a passing comment or two about her not writing things down … even Sophie. Why hadn’t I realised? Why had I been so wrapped up in my world? And why hadn’t she told me?
I tried to get Chloe’s attention, but she wouldn’t look at me.
Valerie let out a shuddering sigh. “Maxime, this is very disappointing. When you said you were hiring someone, I assumed Sophie’snannywould at least be able to read the project brief. It was hardly Tolstoy.”
Acid burned in my veins. “Stop it right now. Nothing you’re saying is helping. You’re being rude and nasty, and if you can’t be civil, you can leave.”
As if someone had touched her with a spark of electricity, Chloe straightened. “Thank you, Maxime. At least someone realises I’m still in the room. I have dyslexia. Not hearing loss.”
She took a breath, then tipped her chin up, staring Valerie straight in the eyes. “I’m aware of your disappointment. I’m sorry if I misled anyone. But I assure you dyslexia isn’t catching. It’s not something to be ashamed of, either.”
Next, she turned to face me, her chin trembling a little. “I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, but I didn’t know you’d need me to help with anything at that level. When it became obvious, I’d…” she faltered, and my heart ached for her. “I’d already become attached.”
Her voice was barely a whisper, and the way she looked over my face—I couldn’t tell if she meant to Sophie or to me.
She blinked her big blue eyes, and whispered, “But I’ll be the one to leave.”
Her words hit me hard in the gut. When she shifted on her feet, wringing her hands, something cracked inside me. I couldn’t undo this, but I wouldn’t pull back from her either. She meant too much.
“Chloe…” Her name caught in my throat. I reached for her arm, but she stepped back, just out of reach.
“No, I need to go,” she whispered, her voice barely holding steady.
I bit down on my lip and nodded. It broke my heart but keeping her here in the room with Valerie would only hurt her more. Once my ex was gone, and I knew Sophie was okay, I’d find her.
I’d tell her how much I needed her.
How I never wanted her to leave.
She stared at me for a long beat, then sent me a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll come back later and collect my things.”
As Chloe turned to leave, Valerie couldn’t help herself. “Well, at least you havesomesense of propriety.”
I turned on her. “Ça suffit, Valerie!” I snapped.
She recoiled at my sharp tone. It was rare I ever raised my voice, but it was even rarer for someone to tell my very rich and privileged ex that she’d said too much.
The second Chloe left and headed down the steps to the beach, my heart shattered. All I wanted was to chase after her and fight to keep her here. But I needed to fight for Sophie first.
And yet, as the top of her auburn head disappeared out of view, I wondered if my life would ever be the same.
When Chloe had gone, I reluctantly joined Valerie. She’d taken a seat at the table, leafing through the notebook Chloehad written in. Her slumped shoulders resembled a deflated balloon.
When I sat, she looked up and cast her eyes over my face. She sighed and closed the notebook. “I think I was a little cruel to your?—”
“To Chloe? She has a name, and I want you to use it.”
Valerie gave the slightest nod, and I waited for the pushback. When it didn’t come, I ran my fingers through my hair.
“Yes, you were cruel, and Chloe didn’t deserve any of what you said. If you need someone to blame for this,” I tapped the notebook, “then blame me. I should’ve asked the right questions and paid more attention.”
The call of a seagull somewhere overhead cut through the air, and I leaned back in my chair. “I swear to you, I didn’t know she wouldn’t be able to help Sophie. Not in the way you wanted. But even if I had known, I’d still have hired her. Over and over. Every single time.”
Valerie raised her eyebrows. “I’m sure you would,”
My blood simmered at the curl on her lips. “Not for the reasons you think. You can hire a million tutors to polish Sophie into the young lady you want. But Chloe has allowed Sophie to have fun. To relax. To enjoy being young. It won’t be too long before she’s on her phone 24/7, and the most you can get out of her is a grunt. And let’s put things into perspective. It’s not as if Chloe is giving her lessons in the dark arts. She’s just letting her be a kid.”
