Chloe paused, her fingers tightening around the phone in her hand. "The Myers family's influence is mediocre at best. If you wish, I could hand you ten such families. If you wanted the stars, I'd pluck them from the sky for you." "Pfft." Chloe let out a soft, derisive sound. "You're insane." "I adore anything you call me, my dear Clo-Clo. Life is simply more entertaining with you in it." "I'm not calling to indulge your nonsense. I'm calling to make one thing clear—for the next three months, you are to be nothing but a spectator." She emphasized the words "three months". "My dear Clo-Clo, I must remind you that the majority of your three-month window has already elapsed. You have but one month remaining." The man's low laughter followed. Finding his near-manic amusement grating, Chloe simply ended the call. She stared at the device in her hand, her expression darkening. The phone was new, given to her by Bruce after the gala. Everything had been arranged by Eugene. She could replace the phone, she could change the number, but those determined to find her would always find a way. Only one month left. Just one month. In this final month, her focus was the Myers family. How should she handle them? Charles had shown her kindness. She had no desire to use brutal tactics to eliminate the troubles the family posed. Yet, she had to act within this timeframe. The Myers empire was Charles' life's work. As for the others... they were of no consequence to her. "What's on your mind?" A sudden warmth settled over her shoulders. Eugene had draped his jacket over her, the fabric still holding his body heat. When did he come up? Chloe glanced toward the attic access. Had she left it open?Eugene studied her face. "Is the Myers family your next target?" Chloe looked up at him, a slight arch to her brow. "Bruce mentioned Zachary is auditing the Myers family's accounts and liquidity. Are you planning a takeover or an acquisition?" Eugene raised a brow slightly, not giving her time to wonder how he knew. "If you want to deal with them, you don't have to get your hands dirty. I can handle it. If an acquisition is the goal, Landon can execute it." A faint smile touched Chloe's lips. "Isn't it more satisfying to do it myself?" "True enough." Eugene gave a slight nod, then reached out and gently took her hand. "Do as you please. I'll manage the fallout if you start a fire." "You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll bankrupt you?" Chloe's smile widened as she met his gaze. "Bankrupt?" Eugene murmured the word as if it were unfamiliar. "If you possess the power to bankrupt me, then you are truly formidable." "Any conditions to this offer?" she asked, half-teasing. "No conditions. Even if it were my life you wanted, I would give it." Eugene brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. "That's what it means to love someone." "Love..." Chloe repeated the word softly. "Eugene, if one day you discover I'm not as worthy of that love as you believe... what would you do?" Hearing this, Eugene paused, his brow furrowing slightly in thought. "Well..." "Answer me. If you find I'm not a good person, not what you hoped for, far from perfect... would you come to hate me?" Suddenly, she felt a slight pressure on her hand as Eugene's grip tightened. "I trust only what I see with my own eyes. So what if the person I've chosen isn't conventionally 'good'?" Eugene's lips curved into a roguish, defiant smile. Chloe remained silent. "If you're not a saint, it's a fortunate coincidence—neither am I. Facing the world together doesn't sound so terrible." Hearing his words, Chloe looked down, a genuine smile touching her lips this time. She was smiling because of Eugene's answer—swift and unhesitating. Yes. Even standing against the world—what was there to fear?Wasn't the person by your side what truly mattered? "What are you smiling about?" the man asked, his voice softening. Chloe lifted her head, her eyes meeting his. In that suspended moment, the atmosphere between them grew thick, charged with unspoken understanding. Eugene was momentarily captivated. Gazing at her, he felt an overwhelming impulse to close the final distance and claim her lips with his own.