Bitter & Sweet
The Part 57

The message that Matthew is looking for Chloe and wants to meet her, seems very disturbing to Matteo and David.

However, Chloe still has to get away from it, leaving both men looking upset, and may feel dissatisfied, because Chloe has not yet given an answer to their question.

But before Chloe goes to see Matthew, Chloe still promises that she will give her answer after she returns to it later, so that Matteo and David do not hold it any longer.

Upon Chloe's arrival in one of the rooms in Matthew's parents' house, delivered by a housekeeper who delivered the message, Matthew was seen sitting on a sofa.

"What's up, sir?" chloe asked, standing still, after she approached Matthew.

"To here! ... Sit here!" Matthew patted the sofa, with one hand.

Chloe nodded in agreement, and although still with her uneasy feelings, Chloe then immediately sat down beside Matthew.

"Where have you been?" matthew asked, staring fixedly at Chloe.

"I was sitting in the front garden" Chloe replied, as she was.

Sultry because she was so nervous when she had just crossed between the McLean family, Chloe finally rolled her hair, fanning her neck using one hand.

"Is this room not cold enough?" matthew asked, looking confused.

"I'm sorry, Sir ... I was too anxious, when I walked past your Grandpa," Chloe said, honestly, then remembered something until she continued to say, ''Chloe,

"Why are you alone here? ... Have you talked to your family?"

"Hmmm...." Matthew muttered, then held onto Chloe's hand, and grasped it tightly. "It ... But, not yet satisfactory. So, soon Grandpa might be coming here."

Chloe's wide-eyed.

It added to her nervousness, to the point that Chloe felt as if she was about to have a panic attack right then and there.

And Matthew seemed to realize the fear that Chloe was feeling, until he then squeezed out Chloe's hand, saying, saying,

"No need to worry! ... You didn't do anything wrong."

"You can also leave here, after my Grandpa comes. I called you, just because I wanted someone to accompany me for a while....

... Before I had a conversation with Grandpa and my parents" Matthew continued, smiling as if he had to.

"Are you okay?" chloe asked, just asking.

"Yes, of course!" matthew replied, then nodded his head. "Who were you with at the park?"

"Hm ... Mister David and Mister Matteo." Although hesitant, Chloe still answered Matthew's question honestly.

Matthew snorted violently, then said,

"I don't think I could take my eyes off for a moment. There must be someone who is always on the lookout for opportunities."

"What are you talking about?" matthew continues, who seems to be disturbed, because Chloe was sitting down to join Matteo and David.

"Nothing special. We were just making small talk" Chloe replied, carefully.

"What about Matteo? Did he not bring up his love for you?" ask Matthew, again.

"No," Chloe replied, while slightly lowering her gaze. "In fact, Mister Matteo seems to have returned to his consciousness, that he actually still loves his ex-lover."

"Ugh?" With his brows furrowing deeply, Matthew looked like a confused person. "Did I hear wrong?"

"Yes," said Chloe, sure.

"That's why it's so hard for me to believe that suddenly someone is expressing their love for me" Chloe continued, defending herself.

"It sounds like you're disappointed" Matthew said, as if to investigate what Chloe was feeling.

Chloe raised her eyes again and looked at Matthew. "You want my honest answer?"

Matthew hurriedly nodded his head.

"Slight ... I feel a little disappointed. But, it doesn't matter that much, because I've expected it before." Chloe said honestly, about how she feels right now.

"Difficult to believe!" chirp Matthew, shaking his head. "Did Matteo tell you he still loves his ex-girlfriend?"

"Hm ... Not directly though. Since Mister Matteo did not mention the name of his former lover, when Mister David asked him if he liked someone....

... But I think Mister Matteo is talking about his ex-girlfriend. Which he said, more often together with others, and give his attention to that person."

After Chloe finished speaking, Matthew's countenance suddenly changed drastically, then seemed to let out a long, deep sigh, closing his eyes.

Apparently, Matthew is now trying to calm himself.

And when Matthew opened his eyes again, Chloe's boss looked like he was grumpy to Chloe, so he looked at Chloe with a sharp look, and then said,

"Should I what are you?!"

"Ugh?" Chloe was confused, because of the reaction shown by Matthew. "Is something wrong, sir?"

Matthew shook his head, then seemed to be trying to catch his breath, before he finally said,

"So, you guys were talking about someone you like?"

Chloe nodded.

"How about David? What's he saying?" matthew asked, looking curious.

"Hm ... He said he liked someone. So unlike you, Mister David doesn't need me to be a matchmaking middleman for him....

... But, the woman he liked never took Mister David's expression of love seriously. So, I only encouraged her, so that she could successfully convince the woman she liked."

Chloe spoke as she was to Matthew, with nothing to cover up.

However, Matthew seemed wide-eyed, until his mouth seemed slightly open, as if Chloe's boss couldn't believe what Chloe was saying.

"Oh, gosh! ... You really pissed me off!" matthew said, ketus. "Matteo and David, will definitely feel the same way as me!"

"No, Sir ... Apparently, they're fine. Mister David may have been offended, but he wasn't mad at me" Chloe said, smiling confidently.

"Oh, my goodness!" matthew said, then laughed out loud. "You can make people go crazy. I can't imagine how Matteo's face is also David."

While occasionally glancing at Chloe, Matthew seemed to find it hard to stop laughing, to the point that Matthew looked as if he was going to limp in because he was laughing to the point of coughing.

And because Chloe felt that Matthew's behavior was so strange, she said,

"Are you okay, Sir?"

Matthew then seemed to catch his breath so he could calm down, and then said,

To be honest, Chloe was confused, why Matthew was still talking about the conversation between Chloe and Matteo and David.

But according to Chloe, maybe Matthew is currently looking to take his mind off the conversation he will do with his parents.

And if that's the case for Matthew, then Chloe wouldn't mind answering his question, so she could help Matthew shift his mind for a moment.

"Yes" Chloe replied.

"Then, what's your answer? Is there someone you like?" matthew asked, staring fixedly at Chloe.

"I haven't had time to tell them my answer, because you called me here."

Chloe's answer, it seems to only trigger Matthew's curiosity, so he seemed to urge Chloe, further asking, asking,

"Is there someone you like?"

"Hm ... Ada—"

Chloe stopped her words, because she saw Jackson walking into the room, followed by Nathan and Maddison.

Chloe immediately stood up from her seat and greeted those who were now approaching the sofa where Chloe and Matthew were. "Good night, sir! ... Madame!"

"Good night, Chloe!"

Nathan and Maddison both return Chloe's greeting.

Jackson, however, seemed to be nodding his head, before he finally took a seat on one of the empty sections of the sofa.

The atmosphere in the room was cold and very awkward, until Maddison then said,

"Chelle! ... Can you come with me?"

"Yes, Madam!" chloe stood up, looked at Matthew, and said,

"I'm leaving first, sir!"

Matthew nodded slowly.

"Excuse me, Mister Jackson McLean! ... Mister Nathan McLean!"

Chloe was still saying goodbye to Jackson and Nathan, before she caught up with Maddison who had walked out of the room.

Maddison takes Chloe to a room, which is next to the room where Matthew is with Jackson and Nathan.

Maddison then invited Chloe to sit in one of the chairs in the room.

Inside Nathan's workspace, which is styled like a mini library, Chloe has been visited before, while Chloe is still working under Nathan's direction.

And the familiarity of the place, made Chloe feel a little more comfortable to sit there.

"Chelle! ... How's work?" maddison asked, after she also sat in the chair that was almost opposite Chloe.

"It doesn't feel like a problem, Madam ... Everything is going as it always is" Chloe replied.

"What Matthew made difficult—" Maddison stopped his sentence abruptly, and was silent for a moment, then continued to say,

"... I mean, are you still having trouble working with Matthew?"

"I'm getting used to it" Chloe replied, honestly.

Maddison then looked mangosteen as if she understood Chloe's intentions. "Then, can you continue to work for Matthew?"

Because Chloe doesn't want to lie, by giving Maddison false hope, Chloe just goes silent for a while.

Not long after, Maddison seemed to let out a long, deep sigh, then said,

"It's true."

Chloe was still speechless, trying to understand where the conversation was going from Maddison.

"Matthew did not say it directly. We were just wondering if you'd stop working for her" Maddison said, staring at Chloe closely, and then continued,

"I know Matthew must have been too harsh on you. So I'm not surprised if you don't want to work with him anymore....

...And again, both me and Matthew's daddy, have no right to forbid you from doing what you want....

... I'm sorry that I may have put too much pressure on you before. But in the future, you do not need to feel burdened. You can stop working whenever you want."

Meanwhile, while slightly bowing her head, Chloe just listened to Maddison's words and remained silent, not knowing what to say to respond.

Maddison then stood up from his seat, and said,

"Do you want to drink something?"

Chloe is in no mood to continue her conversation with Maddison, who may still be alluding to Chloe's intention to quit work.

So, Chloe thought about rejecting Maddison's offer. "No, Madame ... Thank you!"

However, as if Maddison could read Chloe's mind, the mother of Matthew then sat back down, and said,

"Are you uncomfortable talking to me?"

"I'm sorry, Madam ... Not like that" Chloe said, awkwardly.

Maddison mustered as if to understand, then said,

"Matthew is my most stubborn son. And he's also the hardest to adapt to the person he just met."

Chloe did not respond to him, and only looked at Maddison who was currently staring at him.

"You can get him used to your existence, in just a matter of days. But because of that as well, so the situation is now so complicated."

As if she had mispronounced, Maddison's countenance seemed to change drastically, after she finished saying that to Chloe.

"I'm sorry, I should've kept my word that I wouldn't have pressured you."

Maddison then seemed to be in a hurry to continue his words.

"But, Chloe...! To be honest, we do indeed deeply regret your intention to leave Matthew. Because we don't know if anyone else can be like you....

...Can't you reconsider your decision?...

... If you still make up your mind to stop being Matthew's assistant, then I won't mention this anymore."