Chapter 7

I drove over to meet Maya at the address she sent me.

As a travel influencer, she spent the entire year jetting around the world.

She had flown back this time specifically for my planned proposal.

When I arrived, I saw her standing next to a tall, incredibly handsome guy.

Before I could tease her about hiding a new boyfriend from me, she pushed him toward me.

She looked at him and said, "Call her Chloe. She's your boss now."

"Hey, Chloe," the guy said, flashing a charming smile.

"Hey there," I replied, a bit flustered.

I knew Maya was just trying to cheer me up.

Besides, if Julian could have his "sister," why couldn't I have a "brother"?

But I didn't expect the universe to pull such a dramatic stunt so quickly.

We went shopping, and I was holding up a shirt against the guy to check the size. He had an incredible build—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, a perfect model figure.

It had been a long time since I had shopped for a man, and I felt a bit out of practice.

Ever since Julian hired Tiffany, all of his clothes were bought and styled by her.

I had complained to him about it before.

But he had just pinched my cheek and coaxed me, "I just don't want you to tire yourself out, babe."

And Tiffany had sneered right to my face, "Some people just have zero taste in fashion."

After that, I stopped buying clothes for Julian.

The younger guy looked stunning in a white button-down. His collar was a bit messy, so I instinctively stepped up on my toes to adjust it for him.

His face flushed bright red, and he politely leaned down to make it easier for me.

I chuckled quietly. He was actually pretty adorable and easy to tease.

Suddenly, a furious voice boomed behind us. "Chloe Bennett! What do you think you're doing?"

I turned around and saw the two people who were supposed to be "at the office."

Tiffany was clinging to Julian's arm. She gasped, covering her mouth in exaggerated shock. "Chloe, I know you're mad at Julian for spending time with me."

"But you shouldn't use some random boy to put on a show just to make Julian jealous."

She shot a meaningful look at Julian.

Julian scoffed, his face twisting in disgust. "Chloe, do you really think these pathetic games are going to work?"

"If you're going to hire an actor, at least find someone in your league."

"Even if you two hold hands, nobody is going to believe you're actually together."

The sheer contempt on his face and the mocking curl of his lips stung.

I thought I had built an impenetrable wall against Julian’s insults. I thought I was completely numb to his sarcasm.

But my heart still squeezed with a dull ache. I swallowed the pain, let out a dry laugh, and was about to fire back when...

The younger guy suddenly pulled me behind him. His tall frame completely blocked Julian’s hostile gaze.

"Thanks for the compliments on my age and looks, sir," he said smoothly. "But I don't think my personal tastes are any of your business."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me gently against his side. "And for the record, I love older women."

"To me, Chloe is absolutely perfect."

I stared up at him, completely stunned. Internally, I was giving him a massive standing ovation.

He was doing an amazing job keeping my pride intact.

Julian’s face darkened instantly. He glared at me, his voice sharp with anger.

"This is pathetic, Chloe."

"Have you had enough of this tantrum? If you have, get your things and come home right now."