Don’t Fall for the Billionaire Lover

Chloe went quiet, watching the scene unfold.

What started as a cheerful dinner quickly turned into something all too familiar. Valeria and Madison fell into their routine of playing good cop, bad cop. Both of them were clearly unhappy with Connor's new plans for the company. Chloe glanced over at Connor, feeling a sudden wave of concern for him. But he just sat there, calmly eating his meal. Then, out of nowhere, he looked up, feigned innocence in his eyes, and asked, "What's everyone chatting about?" Connor's act of playing dumb made Valeria and Madison's earlier outburst seem pointless, leaving them both simmering with frustration.

Jeffrey stepped in, "Alright, enough of that. Let's focus on eating. Company matters should stay at the office. Here at home, you're siblings; at work, you have roles to play. Now that Connor's in charge, everyone needs to stay in line. Don't blur the lines between home and work."

After Jeffrey's reprimand, Valeria and Madison finally settled down. They somehow managed to finish the meal.

Chloe and Connor retreated to their own spaces afterward. Chloe felt at ease once she was back in the peaceful courtyard.

She turned to Connor, curiosity getting the better of her, "What's really up with Valeria and Madison?"

Connor sighed, "Valeria's husband used to hold a cushy position as the deputy director of finance. But he kept siphoning off funds to gamble on cryptocurrencies and lost a fortune. I demoted him to a department manager today. As for Madison, after her divorce, she brought all her boyfriends into the company, and they were all useless. I had to deal with that too."

Chloe found it all quite unbelievable, though she thought Connor was right in what he did. Still, she asked, "Aren't you worried they'll hold a grudge?"

Connor and Claire's relationship had long been beyond repair, but if things soured with Valeria and Madison too, it wouldn't bode well for him.

Connor replied, "Don't underestimate

their ambitions. They've been waiting for Claire and me to trip each other up, hoping to swoop in and take advantage. In our family there's no such thing as sibling love, so don't need to tiptoe around them. Besides, even if they team up, they can't cause much trouble."

Connor spoke with a certain calmness, but Chloe felt a pang of sympathy for him. Raised in such a tough environment, he still had so much warmth to give.

She stepped forward and hugged

him tightly around the waist. Connor

was a bit surprised but then

wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Sorry my family's such a mess," he said.

Chloe shook her head, "With you by my side, I feel lucky. Thanks for giving me a home."

After a bit, the butler came for Connor, saying Jeffrey wanted to see him in the study.

Chloe headed to the treehouse in the sycamore, She adored this placez Snuggled inside, it felt like the safest haven in the world. Outside the glasshouse, there was a little

baleony with a lounge chair

Chloe walked over, lay down, and took in the night sky. But after a while, she heard the distant sound of opera singing wafting through the night...