As a result of Darren and Chloe's messy impromptu breakfast, Darren made a foolish decision. Without informing anyone and barely saying a word after dropping off Chloe at the café, Darren followed his parents back to Santa Monica. No, Darren didn't agree to the arranged marriage. He just needed time to think about his relationship with Chloe.
"Why is it so difficult to introduce you to my parents, Chloe?" Darren complained with a long sigh. His face was gloomy as he reluctantly followed his parents, who wondered why Darren had joined them.
"Are you sure your child is okay?" the mother asked her husband, occasionally glancing at Darren.
"Just leave it. Don't ask too many questions or pressure him too much. Papa is afraid it might have serious consequences seeing Darren's return last night."
Eventually, they agreed not to ask about Darren's girlfriend, whom they only knew through stories. As parents, they were also curious about their son's partner.
Darren had been in Santa Monica for two days now.
In their large house, while having dinner together, Darren stood his ground about staying with Chloe. He didn't hesitate to reject this arranged marriage, as he believed it was an outdated tradition from the past and didn't align with the present. Moreover, Irena's childish behavior made Darren uncomfortable, especially with the thought of becoming her husband.
"What's so difficult about getting to know each other better?" his mother asked with a furrowed brow. "What's wrong with you? Since you came back, you've been getting angry frequently. Has Mama ever mentioned anything about arranged marriages?"
Darren fell silent, his face tense. He also had a headache thinking about how he could introduce Chloe to his parents. To get acquainted and discuss their plans, the relationship between Darren and Chloe, and whether it could progress to marriage. What's so bad about getting to know his parents? Or was their relationship just a passing fling, according to Chloe?
Thinking about all the questions swirling in his mind worsened Darren's headache. And Chloe never sent him any messages. She didn't even bother to ask how he was doing. Darren did the same. Although he longed heavily, it was even heavier to keep fighting for someone who didn't want to fight with him.
"That's enough. I want to rest in my room," Darren declared, leaving his parents confused. Both his mother and father exchanged glances.
"Irena's parents are coming tonight, Darren. Mama gave an ultimatum, remember?"
"Whatever!"
Darren walked away with a slight stomp. Although he intended to step back, why were his parents pressuring him like this? Didn't they understand Darren's feelings even a little bit? Goodness, God! Whatever they wanted to do, it was up to them. Darren didn't care. He truly needed time to think about his feelings.
Fortunately, Irena's parents didn't come tonight because they had an unexpected matter to attend to. It made Darren happy because he didn't have to struggle anymore to come up with excuses to reject their planned arranged marriage. Unfortunately, Irena still showed up. As if she had no shame or regret, she arrived alone. Who knows what her intentions were?
No, Darren wouldn't back down.
"Mom and Dad should have talked to me first before making a decision," Darren said to his parents. Tonight, he had to make everything clear. He didn't want his life; especially marriage matters, to be heavily regulated. Couldn't Darren find a partner on his own? Besides, why Irena, of all people?
"How can we discuss this with you when you insist on introducing Chloe to us? Besides, there's no sign that your chosen girlfriend will show up," Darren's mother retorted, leaving Darren shaking his head quickly. "We made time to come to Surabaya, but what did we get? Just a visit and Chloe didn't want to come."
"She doesn't want to come, Mom. You didn't even inform Darren when you went to Beverly Hills. Surely Chloe wants to get to know you at the right time," Darren quickly interjected. "I don't want Mama and Papa to arrange this marriage anymore. It's ridiculous! What era do you think you're living in? Not the past, right? You should be able to think broadly and openly without resorting to arranged marriages! Make both parties happy," Darren said, throwing that question at his parents, leaving the couple speechless and unable to answer.
"Of course, we can be happy," Irena chimed in, feeling ignored all this time as Darren expressed his rejection of their arranged marriage. Due to this, Irena's parents also wondered about the success of the planned wedding. Irena wouldn't give up. Getting Darren was her goal. Whoever stood in her way would be crushed. Love meant that much to Irena.
"Happy? How can we be happy when you have a partner who acts childish and doesn't have a mature mindset!" Darren snapped at Irena, who fell silent and sipped mineral water beside her plate. She tried to normalize her suddenly racing heartbeat. Darren's face turned red with restrained anger.
Although it hurt, was Irena's request that difficult?
"If that's what you want, we've already said we'll give you a week. I hope you truly fulfill your promise to bring Chloe before us. But if you can't meet our request, whether you like it or not, you'll have to follow this arranged marriage we've planned!" Darren's father sternly stated to his son, but Darren didn't respond directly because all he wanted now was to be with Chloe, and she consumed his thoughts.
Moreover, Darren would be here for one week. Although it seemed short, it felt like a long time for Darren because he couldn't meet his beloved, especially with the looming presence of Leonel. Leonel would have more freedom to approach Chloe if he weren't there. Was his decision to return home this time a reckless move?
But if he didn't return and assert his rejection, his parents would pressure Darren to agree. He couldn't let that happen.
Fine then. I need to go back to my room and rest. My body and mind are not in good condition to discuss this," Darren announced.
Without waiting for an answer from his parents, Darren quickly left the dining table and headed to his room. He felt disgusted being next to Irena and looking at her face. Darren didn't care if Irena called him a bastard or anything. He honestly didn't care.
Meanwhile, Leonel was planning his move to get back together with Chloe. He purposely didn't return to New York City when he discovered Darren would be in Santa Monica for a week. It allowed Leonel to win over Chloe's heart and return to his ex-wife. According to Leonel, Chloe now looked beautiful and mature, which made him reluctant to let go of her, especially if he had to see her in Darren's arms.
Leonel had cunning thoughts due to Darren's absence. He would make the most of this week to win Chloe's heart and capture her attention again. He was confident that his ex-wife still loved him just as much as before, but her past treatment made Chloe pretend to hate him.
Leonel also knew that he had support from all sides to return to Tisa, especially from his father. He was sure his father supported him in any way possible to reunite with Chloe. Let's remember how thrilled Agatha Theodore was to hear Leonel's plan. She wholeheartedly endorsed Leonel's decision and his path to win Chloe back. Currently, Leonel himself saw Chloe in a different light. Even when he tried to approach her and show more attention, Chloe rejected him harshly and coldly, although she had eagerly awaited his attention in the past.
Considering this, Leonel intentionally didn't return to New York City. He had planned to return this week because many tasks needed his attention, and he needed to rearrange things for his companies. Deborah had sent him a lot of work via email, and Leonel tried to handle it as much as possible.
But Leonel didn't think about that now. He believed everything would be handled because everyone around him supported his decision to be with Chloe. Thus, Leonel chose to stay in Beverly Hills as long as Darren was in Surabaya.
Currently, Leonel was in his apartment, finishing up all the tasks for his companies before he moved to approach Chloe. His companies needed him, but Darren had to find someone reliable to handle things since only some office employees understood the intricacies of the company he managed.
Leonel scrolled through his phone, trying to find the numbers of some colleagues he could trust and who were reliable enough to help him with the tasks in the company. Considering what had happened with Josh, he was very selective about the people around him. Leonel didn't want a repeat of that. He had to be very careful. While doing this, Leonel would take care of things with Chloe. He wanted that one week to capture Chloe's attention and heart again. He knew he had made a mistake and felt regretful and wanted to be back with Chloe.
Finally, Leonel decided to look for his father's number because he wanted to ask Robby to handle all the company matters while he was in Beverly Hills. He knew his father would enthusiastically support his return to Chloe's embrace.
"Dad, I need your help to handle all the company matters while I'm in Beverly Hills. I won't be able to go back to New York City this week because I'll be spending time with Chloe."
Send.
Leonel took a slow breath while waiting for a response from Robby, hoping that his father could assist him in the upcoming week. But it seemed that Robby wouldn't refuse. Leonel smirked. Despite having support, he still had to give specific authority to his father.
Ring!
"Alright! Tell Deborah to forward the remaining work you left behind."
Seeing Robby's reply on his phone, Leonel felt delighted as he opened and read it. The response from his father fueled his enthusiasm even more, to approach Chloe again. He immediately started working to hand it over to his father. What used to be Robby's Mountain was now being run by Leonel, and there were many things Robby knew about Mountain.
"I've forwarded all the remaining work, Dad. I hope you won't be burdened by my being in Beverly Hills. I'm serious about wanting to be back with Chloe. Please support my decision. I won't waste this opportunity. Please pray for me, Dad."
Send.
After that, Leonel closed his phone screen and didn't need to wait for a response from Robby. Leonel wanted to discuss this with his secretary, Deborah, but it would be better to talk to his father first. If not for Robby, there were specific company interests his father wouldn't know about. And even if any difficulties arose, it would make it difficult for Leonel to handle them alone.
But not long after that, Leonel felt a vibration on his phone. It was a long vibration, unlike a regular text message, which made Leonel hurriedly answer the call, realizing it was from his father, Robby.
"Yes, Dad?"
"Don't worry about Mountain. Just focus on your part."
"I sometimes forget who the founder of Mountain is," Leonel joked, receiving laughter from his father.
"How's it going over there?"
"Pretty good. Beverly Hills and New York City, what's the difference?" Leonel walked towards the window of his rented apartment. The night sky in Beverly Hills was bright, with stars scattered across it as usual. The bond between father and son had grown closer day by day, especially since the incident with Josh Corp and the many rumors that circulated back then.
"What about your situation there?"
"It's just fine. Beverly Hills and New York City, what's the difference?" Leonel walked towards the window of his rented apartment. The night sky in Beverly Hills was bright, with stars scattered across it as usual. The bond between father and son had grown closer day by day, especially since the incident with Josh Corp and the many rumors that circulated back then.
"Your affair with Chloe in Beverly Hills? Don't tell me it's just the beginning, Leonel," Robby interjected during the phone call. Behind the call, Leonel took a slow breath. The smile that was present earlier due to the light-hearted banter with his father began to fade.
"I think this is just the beginning, Dad. I can't rush Chloe into falling back in love with me. Besides, this week is just the first step for me to approach her again without any barriers," Leonel replied to Robby.
"Alright, alright, alright. As long as this beginning leads to the best outcome, Leonel. It doesn't matter; I'll still support you. Whatever it takes for you to be back with Chloe! Besides, it would be best to fight for her because you were also at fault here," Robby responded. "You did many things that hurt Chloe. You know that, right?"
Hearing those words, Leonel nodded softly because even without being told, he knew his past mistakes towards Chloe a few years ago.
"If I stay away from Mountain for a little longer, will it be too troublesome? Will you feel burdened?" There was some reluctance in Leonel's mind. Robby Grisham should be enjoying his retirement, not being bothered with Mountain again. But what could be done? Leonel himself couldn't let go of Mountain to someone else yet. The past taught him to remain cautious.
"I wanted to discuss this with Deborah. But I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to make the decisions. If there are any obstacles, it will make things difficult for me alone. That's why I'm discussing this with you first, Dad," Leonel concluded. Deborah was someone he could trust, especially during his difficult times. She didn't pay attention to all the news about him. Deborah's loyalty to Mountain had been proven. However, for some issues, Leonel knew Deborah couldn't just take any way out. That's why he discussed this with Robby, his father, regarding company matters. It wasn't just about his affairs to get back to Chloe; although Robby supported him, Leonel fought to win her back.
Even now, Leonel felt challenged to approach Chloe again, considering her cold and dismissive attitude whenever he got close. Leonel also thought that the wounds from the past made Chloe still resent him. Leonel knew that for sure.
"You don't have to worry about Mountain. I've asked Deborah to handle it. You don't need to worry about matters in New York City," Robby clarified to Leonel during the ongoing phone call.
"I trust you, Dad, because you'll help me resolve this. So I can fight to win Chloe back," Leonel responded to his father through the still-connected phone call.
"I hope your effort to be back with Chloe is successful this time. I also really want her to return to our family, especially your mother," Robby replied to Leonel. Meanwhile, Leonel took a slow breath and flashed a faint smile when he thought of Chloe's name.
His mind was now filled with thoughts of Chloe.
"Alright then, I'll wait for further updates from you because I have a lot of work to do after this," Leonel said to Robby on the call. Shortly after, the phone call ended. Leonel ended the call and placed his phone on the side table next to the sofa.
At this moment, Leonel pondered on how he could reunite with Chloe. He was also puzzled about how to regain her attention and make her his wife again because if it remained like this, Leonel would surely go crazy thinking that Chloe was not as easily approachable as before.
Not only that, but Leonel also grew more worried that Chloe would outright reject him if he had to approach her again. But it didn't matter. If that's how it was, he wanted to show Chloe his efforts to win back his ex-wife's heart. Leonel tried to think of ways to reenter Chloe's embrace. He even considered involving Chris in a collaboration to bring Chloe back to him by any means necessary. Unfortunately, the current Chloe no longer cares about wealth because his ex-wife would have targeted his wealth long ago if she truly coveted his inheritance.
However, not long after, Leonel's phone buzzed again. He saw an incoming call from Deborah. He immediately answered the call from his secretary, considering what important matter she wanted to discuss with him at this moment.
"Good evening, Mr. Leonel. There are a few things I'd like to discuss and some questions that have left me a bit confused," Deborah greeted on the call. Upon hearing that, Leonel nodded softly before responding.
"Go ahead, Di," Leonel said.
"Some proposals and company matters require your attention, but a few minutes ago, I received news from Mr. Robby that you won't be able to return to New York City shortly. So I'll handle them with Mr. Robby's assistance. Is that correct?" Deborah asked Leonel.
"That's correct. Just follow Papa's guidance. He certainly knows better when it comes to making decisions with clients. You should fully support him, Deborah. I have some matters that can't be left unattended." Although Leonel trusted Deborah, he never liked sharing his personal affairs with others. "I hope you can assist me in working together on this," he explained the change to Deborah.
"Alright, sir. I'll handle it and support Mr. Robby. I hope whatever business you have in Beverly Hills goes smoothly and yields good results," Deborah replied. She thought that her boss wanted to expand his wings in Beverly Hills.
"Thank you,"
His phone returned to the previous home screen. He pondered for a moment, then grinned widely. "Chris, don't expect a good night's sleep tonight." He immediately contacted Chris to ask for assistance in his return to Chloe. So far, everyone has supported Leonel's desire to be back in the arms of his ex-wife. Leonel also hoped that good things would come his way, especially now that the young doctor named Darren was not in Beverly Hills, making Leonel feel even more at ease and happy.