Chapter 385 385

"What did you say?" Chloe asked as she didn't hear the last sentence clearly.

"Nothing," Vernon tried to mask his embarrassment by looking away. He got up and distanced himself from Chloe, "I'm going to take a cold bath."

"Cold bath? But it's almost winter. You might catch a cold…."

"T—That's the only way so I can focus on working today! Just… just go and take care of Mackie!" Vernon stomped his feet as he returned to his bedroom.

Chloe wondered what had gotten into that big guy, "Is he that horny?" Chloe asked.

She knew Vernon was a young man with a high sex drive. Based on what Diamond said before, he often had sex with his exes at least three times a day whenever his sex drive was at its peak.

When he was so busy, he would have sex once or twice a week to de-stress.

'Hmm… I still don't understand why Diamond has to tell me that info, since I didn't ask. But, I guess I understand why he is so pent up right now,' Chloe thought.

Chloe never stopped Vernon if he wanted to find another woman to have fun with outside. She was just a maid and still a maid. She worked her, and the only thing she wanted to make sure of was for Vernon to practice safe sex.

That night when Chloe picked him up from that bar, she was suddenly confronted by a waitress named Cynthia, who told Chloe that Vernon was obviously in love with her.

Because he kept calling her name even when drunk, other than that, Cynthia and Chloe had many similar features.

So, it was evident that Cynthia was just a stand-in.

Chloe shook her head, trying to ward off the thought.

'Whether he likes me or not, I am still way too old for him. He's young. He'll eventually move on,' Chloe tried to convince herself that Vernon's love was just a fleeting feeling that would disappear, though she knew that deep in her heart… she wanted the opposite to happen.

'Okay, Chloe, stop thinking about that. Remember your priority, you have to get your money soon and get the fuck out of New York,' Chloe reminded herself of her original plan.

When she got her salary from Vernon, she would pack up and leave with Mackie. At least by that time, Mackie should finish one semester before she could transfer somewhere else.

**

Chloe and Mackie went up after the little girl finished preparing for school. They saw Vernon fixing his tie before he grabbed his suitcase.

"It's still so early for you, Vernon," Chloe said while checking on the clock.

"I have an early meeting," Vernon replied. His eyes were busy on his phone, texting Diamond to get ready.

"Okay then, good luck for today, as always," Chloe held Mackie's hand and walked first to the penthouse front door, "I'm going to drive Mackie to school."

"Mm, be careful."

Mackie kept staring at her Uncle, who was busy with his phone. It reminded her so much of her Daddy.

Daddy was always busy with his phone and never had enough time to play with her.

So she got curious to see if Uncle would act just like Daddy.

"Uncle!" Mackie pulled her hand off her Mommy and rushed towards Vernon. She grabbed her Uncle's hand and pulled it a few times to get his attention.

"Uncle, Uncle!"

"Hmm? What?" Vernon finally pocketed his phone and looked down at his feisty little niece. "What do you want?"

"Uncle, I will be performing in the autumn festival as the Big bad wolf! Will you come and watch me play?" Mackie asked. It was the first time she looked up and showed her sweet doe eyes in front of Vernon, which Vernon was really weak against.

Because it reminded him of Chloe's eyes, and he found it hard to refuse.

"I—I'm not sure…." Vernon said. He looked at Chloe, asking for approval.

If he had to be honest, he wanted to come and watch the play because Mackie seemed so excited about it. They could also go somewhere after the play to celebrate the successful drama.

But Chloe shook her head while staring at Vernon, forbidding him to come for safety reasons.

Vernon took a deep breath and gently caressed Mackie's head with his big hot palm, "I'm busy with work, so I can't attend."

"Aw…" Mackie's grip on Vernon's wrist weakened before she released it. She looked sad but didn't throw a tantrum at all.

"It can't be helped, huh?" Mackie asked again.

"… I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay, Uncle," Mackie shook her head helplessly. "Daddy also said the same thing whenever I asked him to go somewhere. He is very busy with work, that's why he rarely accompanies me."

Vernon darted his gaze at Chloe, asking for an explanation for Mackie's reaction.

Because he knew damn well this must have happened a lot between Vincent and his daughter.

Chloe bit her lower lip. Unable to endure that questioning gaze, she shifted her gaze at Mackie and called her, "Mackie, you'll be late. Let's go now."

"Un, okay!" Mackie looked up again and grinned. "See you later, Uncle!"

Mackie rushed towards Chloe, and they walked out of the penthouse.

Vernon stared at their backs, wondering if he could do something to make up for his absence.

He grew up in a loveless family as well. His father was a perverted asshole who would have sex as his sons watched in the same room, while his mother would indulge herself with tons of expensive stuff to cover her emotional wound and also got herself passed out drunk every weekend.

He was raised in a dysfunctional family and didn't even know what would happen if Chloe wasn't there to save his childhood.

So he wanted to give Mackie a good childhood as well.

Vernon clenched his fist, swallowing his pride, and rushed towards the pair of mother-daughter who were going to enter the elevator.

"Wait, hold the door!"