Chapter 55: Chapter 55

Chloe Montclair

"Why, you don't like that?." He asked, smiling.

Is this Ken talking to me right now? He's suddenly changed and become caring too.

"But, we're not dating yet. I mean, it's not like you asked me out to be your girlfriend or-"

"Do I have to ask you to be my girlfriend before you know you're one already? There's no going back now, Chloe. You're mine now and nothing is going to change that. I like you and I'm ready to do this with you."

"But Ken, I-"

"You don't want me?."

"No!" I exclaimed. "I mean, yes. I mean, I... I want you but, we still have a problem ahead of us."

"Sebastian and your sister? Look, I know I've not been doing much for you lately ever since we met. I've only been ordering you around and not after your work needs. I'm working on some things recently, I'm sure.. in two days, you're going to know about it and, you'll be happy."

"What are you talking about, Ken?." I asked, stunned. What I was talking about is different from what he's saying.

"I told you, I will take care of it. Just be calm and watch out."

"Ken please, you're scaring me. Tell me what's going on. Is everything okay with you? Are your company's going fine too? Tell me, what's going on?." I bombard him in a worried tone.

I watch him as a deep sigh left his lip. "I ought not to say this to you but I've got no choice now. Remember the day, he barged into your office and tried to hurt you? It was because of what I did."

"What?!"

"Calm down and listen to me babe, I didn't intend to hurt you. I had no idea it would turn out that way. Aside from losing lots of profit share from his company, I also made him lose lots of company share and bought them in your name."

"W.. what?!!"

When and how did he do all these which I had no idea of?

"I believe, he was mad after hearing that and came to confront you but end up trying to hurt you."

"Ken! How could you do all of these and you never told me anything about it?."

"I'm sorry, okay? I know, I should have done that but, I didn't feel like informing you then considering the status between us." He explained.

"So, how much of share did you buy from him that made him come after me like a mad man?."

"40%"

"What?!!!"

"I know, you're surprised. I'm planning on buying some from his board members too so, you two can range at 50-50. At least with that, you can continue to run your father's business before we completely take everything from him." He said and a tear drop down my cheeks before I engulf him in a tight hug taking him off guard.

"Hey! What's wrong." He asked, chuckling.

"Thank you so much. You had no idea of what you'd done for me. You've always supported me and helped me while all I did is cause you trouble and think of you as a bad person. Thank you so much." I said and broke the hug. "I promise to repay you for everything you've done for me." I added.

"Then, repay me with your life."

"Huh?."

"Repay me by spending the rest of your life with me. You, me, and cute little Ken and Chloe. Repay me by doing that" He said as he hold my hands in his. I slowly drop my hands and my face turns sad all of a sudden. "I'm sorry Ken, I can't do this." I said shaking my head vigorously.

"Why? You don't want me?."

"Of course, no! You're a good man and every woman would want to be with you. You've been nice to me and helped me a lot, the least I could do is to repay you with everything you've done for me by being your wife like you've said. Be there beside you, care for you, and love you with all that I have but... I can't do this. I can't keep cheating your parents."

"What about them?."

"Stop acting like you have no idea of what I'm talking about, Ken. You and I both know, they don't know my real identity. They will hate me once they do, for the fact that I deceived them, they'll hate me for the rest of their lives, Ken. Not only that, but you might also be in trouble because of me. I'm confused, I don't know what to do."

"Stop worrying about my parents, okay? No one is going to tell them anything about you... I promise you that"

"That's the problem. You're saying the exact word Janet said to me but, I can't deceive them. I can't find it in me to do that to them."

"But you already did." We heard a voice say as the door barged open and Ken's mom walked in. I widened my eyes in fear and jumped up from his bed.

"M.. mom." I stuttered. The burning gaze on her face towards me isn't pleasing at all. She walk closer to me and slapped me hard across my face.

"Mom!!" Ken yelled in anger.

"Don't you dare 'mom' me, Ken. So, this is what you two have been planning? And you." She asked before facing me. "How could you? How could you lie this much to me? I've always treated you like a daughter, I have loved you and so does my family but, you deceived me? You lied to me? Not only that, you're the criminal who killed her mother because of your father's wealth and you dared to come for my son? You're now after my son's wealth too, right? That's what you intend to do. Marry him and kill him so, you could inherit his properties.. is that it?!!" She shouts at me.

"No mom, you're wrong. Please, believe me, I have no intention to hurt your son and-"

"Enough! That's enough. I do not want to listen to any of your lies again."

"Mom please, do not do this. For how long have you been eavesdropping on our conversation?" Ken asked her.

"Enough for me to know she has been manipulating you to hurt other people for her. Son, can't you see? She's using you for goodness sake. You've always been her biggest target and that's why she came for you. She's after your wealth, you don't lie but now, you do. You've been lying to your parents all this while... Can't you see her true self? She's manipulating you into doing something bad, she's a bad influence on you."

"Mom, stop it! Just stop it. You have no idea who she's or what she has been through all these years. She's not who you pictured her to be. And, are you upset at her that she lies to you guys? It's not her fault. The truth is, I-"

"I don't want to listen to your explanation, Ken. Enough of you trying hard to cover up her crimes. What has gotten into you? This is no longer my son, this son I had isn't like this. What do you think about your father? Do you think, he's going to support you in this? Of all girls, why must it be a murderer?!"

"She's not a murderer, mom!" He said through gritted teeth.

"I don't care! I don't care Kenneth Domanco. I'm so disappointed in you. Your father must know about this. I don't care what the consequences might be, you must learn about everything I've witnessed today."

"Mom, you're not doing anything as such right? You're not planning on saying anything to Dad?"

"Watch me, Ken. Watch how I do that, Kenneth Domanco." She threatened him.

"Mom please, I have no inten-"

"Haven't I warned you to stop calling me your mom? I'm not your mother and you have no right to call me that. Now, I want you out of my son's house. I want you out of his life completely. I do not want to see you around him anymore.. is that clear?."

"Mom, just stop it! Stop it, please."

"Chloe, just freshen up and eat something. I will be back in a few minutes." He said to me before trying to walk his mom out of the room.

"She should be the one leaving and not me. Let go of me, you silly boy!" She tried to wiggle out of his hands but he tried his best not to let her go and they both leave the room.

I slumped on the bed as tears streamed down my cheeks. What have I gotten myself into?- I thought.

Why should this happen to me at w time like this? Without freshening up, I pick up my bag and put my phone inside it before going out of the house.

•

"Here comes the lover girl!" My friend squeal out in joy the moment I stepped into the house. I almost fell but two arms suddenly wrapped around me preventing me from falling.

It's Janet.

"Yes, Ken. She's here, she just got in"

"Okay, bye" I heard her say as they both guide me to take a seat.

"What's going on here? Chloe, why are you like this?." Tiana asked in a worried tone as they both made me seat comfortably on the couch.

"It's over! Everything is over" I busted out crying.

"Can someone tell me what's going on here? Why is she like this, Janet? Talk to me?" She questioned in a desperate tone.

"Aunt found out about her real identity and threatened her to leave Ken"

"What?! H.. how? How did she find out about you? What do we do now?"

"I think, she needs some alone time. Why don't we just help her go into her room and give her some privacy?" Janet suggest as they both helped me up to my room.

They all left and I continuously cried till I had no idea how I ended up sleeping. I woke up and found myself in Ken's arms on my bed.

How did he get in though?

He looks a lot more peaceful and more like a child if he's sleeping. God, I had no idea I loved this man much not until recently. How do I live without him? Now, that I have realized my feelings for him, I was supposed to be the happiest man on the earth but, the reverse is now the case.

Ken, what do I do? Your parents now hate me. How can I dare to be with you when your mom already warned me not to be seen anywhere closer to you?

I almost touch his cheek when his eyes fluttered open all of a sudden. I hurriedly pushed him away from me and sit up as I asked in a cold tone. "What are you doing here?."

"You're awake?." He asked in a concerned tone as he sit up. What's wrong with him? What happened to the heartless Ken I once know? Why is he this nice to me when all I've brought into his life is nothing but worry.

"I just asked you a question Ken, what are you doing here?."

"Acting cold towards me doesn't suit you," He said chuckling. "Have you forgotten, that character is for me and not you, babe." He added as he held my two hands.

I don't know why I'm being emotional recently as I burst into tears again. He brought me closer to his body and hug me tightly. "Hey! Everything is going to be fine" He assured me.

"You don't get it, Ken. Nothing is going to be fine. Everything got ruined already! Your mom now hates me and I bet, so is your father and your family too. I lied to them, I deceived them which I shouldn't have done in the first place. Ken, I can't bear to lose you. No, I don't want to lose you to another woman. I know it's too early for me to feel this way but I can't control it. My heart... Here, it beat weirdly only for you I can't... I can't bear not seeing you again after realizing my feelings for you. It hurts! It hurts so much." I said, crying.

Without saying a word to me, he continued to caress my back. He broke the hug and slowly raised my chin to look straight into his eyes. "Do you trust me, Chloe?" He asked.

Of course, I do.

"Yes."

"Then, believe me when I say everything is going to come back to normal. My mom only needs some time and she'll come back to her usual self. Remember, Janet was like that too when she found out about you but, look at her today, she is now like a guardian angel to you. Look, Aunt might be the one who gave birth to her but, she got all the attributes of my mom. So, she'll come around."

"But, this is a different case. Did you see the look on her face earlier? She looks so mad and I do not think-"

"Forget about my mom for now. She isn't the problem. I'm her son and she'll have to accept you with time. I'm going to talk to her. So, let's forget about that for now, and let's get you something to eat."

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Yes, you're because you haven't taken anything since morning. Just give me a few minutes so I can prepare you something to eat."

"You can cook?" I asked, stunned. That was when I recalled that Janet had once told me how perfect they're in their family when it comes to cooking skills.

"Just wait and watch how chef Ken makes you something delicious to eat"

"But, we have Stanley. She can do that, though."

"No! I'm doing the cooking for now. Just relax and wait for me, okay?."

"I'm sorry, Ken." I apologized.

"For what?."

"I've not been taking my work seriously recently because of my problems. I've been mixing personal problems with work. The lady time o go through the company's profile diagram was last-"

"Hey! It's fine. Besides, you were an acting CEO, and I've been taking care of everything with the help of Tiana. Do you know, she made some new designs and they're set to be made by next week? So, quit working yourself up and be happy for your baby... Okay?"