The Heiress's Revenge - A Bloody Affair - Chapter 54

[54 – The Beginning of a Nightmare]
Later that afternoon, when the lunch time arrived, Jaxon took Chloe to the nearby restaurant that he claimed to be his favorite spot for lunch. It was quaint, little restaurant around the corner just at 10 minutes of walking distance from The Seraphina Atelier. The first thing that Chloe noticed about it when they arrived there were the aromatic scents wafting through the air.

The delicious, mouth-watering aroma had Chloe’s stomach grumbling for food. They settled into a cozy booth by the window, the afternoon sun casting a gentle glow at their table. Jaxon smiled warmly at Chloe making her blush.

He gave her the menu card and told her to order whatever she liked. As Chloe checked the menu, she asked, “So, how was Germany? Did you have a good time there?”

“Yeah.” Jaxon replied, leaning back against his seat, “Though it was challenging at first, you know because of the cultural and social differences. It took me some time to adjust, and the work life was quite challenging as well but overall it had been a fulfilling experience.”

“That’s nice.” commented Chloe before giving her order, “I thought I would never see you again. I mean, it’s been 4 years since you left and I thought that you were never coming back.”

Jaxon smiled softly while placing his order, his eyes were on Chloe all the time, “Well, even though Germany had been an incredible experience but I always missed home. There is something about the States that you cannot find anywhere else.”

“I can imagine.” Chloe said, taking a sip of the cold water, “Four years is a long time to be away.”

“It is.” Jaxon agreed, “But what about you? How have the past four years been for you?”

Chloe’s eyes sparkled at the thought of Jaxon showing interest in her life, “It hasn’t been an exciting as you but I completed my fashion designing course and landed an internship her at The Seraphina Atelier. You know, people often gossip about how I got this internship because of my father’s influence but that is not the truth! I got it because of my own strengths and stunning designs.”

For some reason, Chloe felt that it was necessary for her to mention that. She had been under extreme pressure lately, especially after she stopped telling Marcus about her work life problems and tried to handle everything on her own. The urge to complaint which she had been suppressing for so long was now bubbling at the surface.

So when Jaxon asked her about her life, the bubble burst and Chloe could not hold back. Distracted, she missed the uninterested and annoyed expressions on Jaxon’s face.

When he could not take it anymore, he placed his hand over Chloe’s and gently patted it, “Don’t believe them. You have always been talented, Chloe, so it is no surprise that you got this internship. I believe in your talents, and trust me, those people who gossip are just jealous of you.”

Jaxon knew how to please a narcissist like Chloe. The blush on her cheeks was the testament of it, “Thanks, Jaxon. It means a lot coming from you.”

Their conversation flowed effortlessly as they reminisced about their university days and the stories from the past 4 years. The laughed about old memories while enjoying the delicious meal. Chloe did not even realize how and when an hour passed by. It felt so good to talk to him, reconnect with him after all the time they had lost.

After finishing their lunch, the waiter came to their table and brought them the bill. Jaxon reached for his wallet but in his haste, it slipped from his fingers and fell on to the floor. Both Jaxon and Chloe bent down to pick up the wallet but she managed to pick it up.

As she was about to hand it back to Jaxon, her eyes fell over the photograph tucked inside his wallet. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the face it the picture. It was Vivi, Vivian Cooper, Jaxon’s ex-girlfriend.

Chloe hesitated for a moment before handing the wallet back to Jaxon, her eyes darkening a little bit as she thought that Jaxon was still not over Vivi. A mix of curiosity and jealousy clawed at her insides and she could not help but ask, “Jaxon, is that a picture of Vivi that I saw in your wallet?” she worded her sentence carefully so as to not upset him.

She did not notice the subtle change in Jaxon’s demeanor but witnessed the smile on his lips turning into a serious, somber look as he paid the bill before putting his wallet back in his pocket, “Yeah, I still keep her photo with me.”

“But, why?” Chloe felt fear grip her heart. She turned a shade paler, her heart rate spiked thinking that Jaxon must have found out about what she did to Vivi. Clenching her fists tight under the table, Chloe added, “I thought she betrayed you, and was two timing you.”

Jaxon relished the fear that he could on Chloe’s face while rage simmered under his skin as he recalled how foolish he had been to believe that Vivi could every betray him. He cursed the day he believed Chloe over Vivi.

He should have been there to save her but he wasn’t, “She did.” he tried his best to keep his voice steady but he could not hide the pain that he was feeling, “She betrayed me in the worst way possible which is why I keep her photo as a reminder.”

A reminder that he has to punish Chloe, and all the others who were involved in Vivi’s case.

“A reminder?” Chloe echoed, unable to understand what Jaxon meant by that.

“Yes.” Jaxon nodded positively, “A reminder that I should not trust anyone as easily as I trusted her. A reminder to not be as naïve as I was back then. I believed in her, but she shattered that trust. So keeping her photo helps me to remember to be more cautious and guard my heart better.”

Chloe relaxed visibly making Jaxon sneer. She might have tried her best to hide it but Jaxon noticed how scared she was in that moment. This, this is how her life was going to be from this point and onwards. Scary.

She opened her mouth to say something but Jaxon shook his head and said, “Leave it, Chloe. I do not want to talk about it anymore.”

Chloe’s heart thudded inside her chest. She reached across the table and placed her hand over his, “I am sorry that you had to go through this. But I hope you understand that not everyone is going to betray you. There are people in your life, around you who are worthy of your trust.”

Jaxon smiled mirthlessly at Chloe’s not so subtle attempt of telling him that he could trust her, “Thank you, Chloe. It means a lot.”

The two of them sat there for a few minutes, in silence trying to recover from what they had just discussed. Chloe could see the uncertainty in Jaxon’s eyes and the hesitation to be involved with anyone after what happened with Vivi.

She also felt suffocated by the fear of what would happen if Jaxon found out that Vivi did not betray him, that everything that happened 4 years ago was a lie. A lie that Chloe has conjured up.

After some time, they got up and walked out of the restaurant as they have to be back at the company, “Thanks for the lunch.” said Chloe with a soft smile curving upon her lips.

“It’s my pleasure.” Jaxon replied with a smile of his own, “We should do this more often.”

“I would like that,” Chloe agreed.

She took this as a positive sign and hope that soon they could be more than just friends. But Chloe was unaware that there was no hope left for her now. Instead, this was only the beginning of her never ending nightmare.