Well, the only difference was that the previous "pretty boy" had been unlucky and died, whereas he, the current guinea pig, had survived. Was Melinda treating him like another one of her 'pretty boys'? This whole dynamic felt seriously messed up. "Chloe, if I told you I'm having a bit of an existential crisis right now, would you believe me?" Chloe let out a light laugh. "Relax. I should clarify—the 'pretty boy' Melinda kept before was a literal show dog. A prize-winning poodle." Zachary was speechless. With a faint smile, Chloe turned and gracefully exited the hospital room. Even from down the hallway, she could still hear Zachary's muffled groan—he must have jostled his injuries again and was in too much pain to stay quiet. It wasn't often that Melinda showed any inclination to care for someone. Zachary would just have to endure it. Given the way they bickered yet couldn't seem to stay apart, there might just be something developing between them. After leaving the hospital, Chloe drove to pick up Robert. They stopped at a high-end market on the way to select some premium supplements before heading toward Myers Estate. Chloe had lived at Myers Manor for six years but had never visited Myers Estate during that time. To the rest of the Myers family, she shouldn't have even known its location. What they didn't realize was that she had actually lived at that very estate for a considerable period even before marrying into the family. She drove the route with ease. The heavy, wrought-iron gates of the estate swung open, their rusted hinges emitting a low, protesting groan. Once inside the grounds, she soon arrived at a traditional courtyard-style mansion. Chloe parked, helped Robert out of the car, and they made their way toward the entrance. "Ms. Lewis." An elderly man with silver hair came out to greet them and offered to take the bags from her hands. "Greg, thank you. I appreciate it." Chloe handed him some of the parcels, then took Robert's hand as they walked into the grand foyer together. "My dear, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting," Charles' warm voice carried from inside.Chloe led Robert further in to find Charles standing in the sunlit atrium, leaning on his cane. He had clearly been waiting for some time. "Great-Grandpa!" Robert released Chloe's hand and trotted over to him. Charles' face lit up, and he bent with some effort to scoop the boy up. Robert, though small, wasn't light, and the effort showed on Charles' face. Chloe stepped forward, reaching out. "Let me take him. He can be a handful." "Nonsense, let me hold him. I've missed this little fellow," Charles insisted, adjusting his grip on Robert before turning to lead the way inside. Seeing his determination, Chloe didn't press further. She gathered the remaining bags and followed. The estate was maintained by a small, longstanding staff. Though the architecture was classic and showed its age, the property itself was situated on immensely valuable land. Charles had held the deed for decades and had resisted any major changes or development. "I have everything I need here. Greg sees to my daily comforts. You didn't have to bring all this," Charles said with a fond, slightly exasperated sigh, glancing at the parcels in Chloe and Greg's arms. "We picked them up on the way. Robert helped me choose," Chloe explained. "If my great-grandson picked them, then I shall enjoy every bit," Charles declared, then turned to Greg with mock seriousness. "Greg, find a proper place for these. Make sure I'm reminded to use them each day." "Of course," Greg replied with a gentle smile, then added to Chloe, "It's been a long time since I've seen Mr. Charles Myers so cheerful. Mr. Myers was here recently with all sorts of gifts, but he sent him away with everything, even asked him not to visit so often. He said he just wanted peace and quiet. But with you and the little one... It's different." "That boy only comes to stir up trouble. Whether he marries or has children is none of my concern. I just worry his presence would spoil the mood for Chloe," Charles said bluntly. He then set Robert down and whispered conspiratorially, "Little man, I have some fascinating creatures in the koi pond out back. Would you like to see them?" "Yes, please!" "Greg, take him to have a look. If he takes a liking to any, we'll see about preparing it—perhaps grilled, or in a nice broth!" Greg shot Chloe an amused, helpless look. "Ms. Lewis, Mr. Charles Myers has recently taken up koi breeding. Those fish in the pond are champion-grade Nishikigoi, flown in from Japarry. Each one is valued in the six figures." "It's fine, let him look. He's never been here before; you can show him around the grounds," Chloe said. She understood Charles wanted to speak with her alone and was gently creating an opportunity. Robert caught on immediately. He stepped forward and took Greg's hand. "Wait wait let's go! I wanna find out if those shiny fish are super cool like they sound!" "Absolutely," Greg said, leading the boy toward the back gardens. Chloe moved further into the sitting room, carefully setting down the remaining packages.