"Did you... need something?" she asked, instinctively taking a step back. Her leg bumped against the sofa, throwing her off balance. She would have fallen backward onto the cushions if a strong arm hadn't shot out and caught her, pulling her firmly against him. Chloe fell back into Eugene's embrace, and the distance between them vanished entirely. "You..." "Even Oralia is on my side. Don't you think you owe me a proper answer?" Eugene murmured, his voice a low whisper near her ear. "I want to make this official. I want the real thing." A shiver ran through Chloe. Is he trying to be irresistible? For someone her age, she felt surprisingly flustered. "Even Monique said we were a perfect match. I think it's time we moved this forward. What do you say?" His whisper grew more deliberate. "You wouldn't be settling, I promise you that. "Chloe, I'm in love with you." Eugene tightened his arms around her. His words, spoken with his warm breath so close to her ear, felt heavy and intense, as if they could overwhelm her completely at any moment. Did she like him? Did she have feelings for this man? Chloe asked herself the question but couldn't find the courage to face the answer. "I..." she began, but her words were cut off by the sharp ring of her phone. This ringtone was different—a specific, urgent tone she had set. Startled, she pushed against Eugene's chest with surprising force. Eugene, caught off guard by the sudden shove, watched as Chloe quickly pulled out her phone, glanced at the caller ID, and promptly declined the call. "What is it?" he asked, concerned by her obvious tension. "It's nothing. I should go check on them upstairs before they get into trouble," Chloe said, hastily smoothing her hair and avoiding his gaze. She turned and hurried up the staircase. Eugene watched her retreating figure. He understood. She was evading him, afraid to confront his feelings. But so what?Once Eugene Rosewood set his mind on someone, it was for life. Upstairs, Chloe found Robert and Oralia settled into a cozy guest room, examining their surroundings with interest. "Mom, this room feels like it was made for me," Robert said, leaning against the headboard and looking at her expectantly. "But you know, if we walk outta this house, it'll only take three minutes to get back to our home!" Oralia wore a mischievous grin. "So, Chloe, when are you going to tell Mr. Rosewood that you literally live two doors down?" Chloe paused. She had almost forgotten that detail. There were only a handful of estates in this exclusive neighborhood; running into each other was inevitable. It was only after she'd learned the truth about him that she'd started actively avoiding Eugene. Otherwise, their paths would have crossed much sooner. Eugene had looked into her before. This house was under Carl's name, which had kept her presence hidden. Otherwise, the secret would have been out long ago. She really needed to find a way to tell him. They couldn't stay in his house forever anyway. Chloe watched Oralia and Robert, who were still delighting in their new temporary quarters, and didn't comment further. She turned and made her way up to the rooftop via the attic access. The view from the rooftop was stunning. The unique layout of this enclave meant every property had a special vantage point. With a single glance, she could see her own house not far away, perfectly aligned with Eugene's. If they both stood on their respective rooftops, they could see each other clearly. The world really is small. When she'd asked Carl to find her a place, she'd never imagined it would be in such a distinctive location. Maybe it was fate. Perhaps it was predestined that they would meet, that their lives would become entangled, and that they would... Whether it led to an outcome or not was another matter. Chloe never dared to hope for a clear answer. She was acutely aware of her own reality. The wind brushed against her face, stirring her hair. Slowly, she picked up her phone and dialed the number.It rang only once before it was answered. A man's low chuckle came through the line. "My dear Clo-Clo, have you missed me?" Hearing his voice, Chloe replied coldly, "We had an agreement. For three months, you do not interfere with anything I do." "Darling, I must clarify, I haven't interfered. I merely saw that you'd taken the helm at Lewis Group and wished to call with my congratulations." "Vincent, don't overstep," Chloe warned. The man's laughter continued on the other end for a moment. Chloe felt a flicker of irritation and was about to hang up when his tone shifted, becoming deadly serious. "The Myers family is next. Have you decided how you will handle them?"