Chapter 13
I wasn’t sure if it was retirement or the warm climate, but my parents looked healthier than they
had in years.
If it weren’t for the need to finalize the paperwork for our old home, they probably wouldn’t have
wanted to return at all.
“I can handle it myself.” I said, flipping through a stack of documents. “I’ll take care of everything.”
My parents exchanged a look.
“No, we’ll come with you,” my mom decided. “Besides, the Sullivans invited us over for a pre–New Year gathering. We’ll have dinner, wrap things up, and still make it back in time for New Year’s Eve.”
It had been nearly six months since I last saw Leo.
Funny–once upon a time, I thought I couldn’t live without him.
Turns out, I could.
“Chloe, you’re here! You look even more beautiful!”
Mrs. Sullivan greeted me with her usual warmth, grabbing my hands the moment I walked in.
“Look at you, so graceful! You’ve always carried yourself so well–confident, elegant, just like a real
lady.”
I smiled, polite but distant.
Leo, however, was a stark contrast to his mother’s enthusiasm.
For the first time, he looked… uneasy.
He stood a few steps behind her, dressed in a simple white shirt, his hands stuffed into his pockets.
When he finally spoke, his voice was hesitant, careful. “… Chloe, you’ve lost weight. Have you been overworking yourself?”
23:10
Love Lost in Time
6.3%
Chapter 13
I could see the concern in his eyes, reflecting my own image–still radiant, still composed.
I returned his gaze briefly, then let my eyes drop. “Nelly, I’ve just been mindful of my diet.”
Dinner passed in a blur of small talk and reminiscing.
Wine flowed, old friendships rekindled, and emotions ran high.
Mrs. Sullivan clutched my mother’s hand, tears pooling in her eyes.
And then, the conversation shifted.
“Melanie,” she said, her voice thick with emotion, “you know how much I adore Chloe. I’ve always
thought of her as my own daughter.”
She took a deep breath, lowering her voice slightly.
“That girl, Layla… She was never good for Leo. From the start, she manipulated him. Back in college,
she knew he had a crush on her, so she played hard to get, left the country, waiting for him to chase after her.”
Mrs. Sullivan scoffed, shaking her head. “But he didn’t. He stayed, graduated, and built a life–with
Chloe.”
She paused, squeezing my mother’s hand.
“Then she came back, jealous, scheming… And well, you know how that ended.”
Her chuckle was bitter.
“They say the best hunters disguise themselves as prey.”
She glanced at Leo. “And my son walked right into it.”
Leo stiffened.
“But at least he knows now,” she continued, waving a hand. “After you left, he drank himself sick–ended up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer, calling your name in his sleep.”
She sighed dramatically.
23:10
Love Lost in Time
6.5%
Chapter 13
“But it’s not too late. Neither of you are married yet. There’s still a chance.”
Then, she gestured at Leo.“Go on, apologize to Chloe
Leo stepped forward, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.
His features were still sharp, still devastatingly handsome, but there was something different now–a
certain weariness, a weight he hadn’t carried before.
His voice was hoarse.
“Chloe… I messed up. I never appreciated you the way I should have. I—”
“Mrs. Sullivan,” I interrupted, turning toward her with a bright smile. “I actually have a boyfriend
now.”
Silence.
Leo froze.
(1)
(0)
23:10
