The two walked into the shop, one trailing behind the other, but immediately split to go in opposite directions.
"Blaine…" Chloe Grace called his name softly, confusion etched on her delicate face.
Wasn't the way upstairs to the left? Why was he heading to the right?
"You go on ahead. I need to take care of some work," Blaine Jackson said without even turning back, striding purposefully toward the hallway.
"Liar!" Chloe pouted, muttering to herself. She knew his office was on the left, not the right. The hallway on the right only led to the lounge. From another perspective, it looked like he was avoiding her on purpose.
Was this bad? Had she already started annoying him as his new girlfriend? Or was she just inherently an irritating person?
"Miss Grace," a familiar voice called out, snapping Chloe from her thoughts.
Turning around, she saw Annie standing there with a warm smile. Chloe forced herself to smile back. "Annie, you can just call me Chloe."
"Can I? Alright, Chloe," Annie said, shrugging casually. She handed over a steaming cup of coffee. "You look a bit down. Have a hot coffee—it'll perk you up."
"Thank you," Chloe said, accepting the cup and bowing slightly in gratitude.
"You seem unhappy," Annie observed, sitting down beside her. "Actually, I noticed it from the moment you and Blaine walked in. Both of you looked upset. That's why I couldn't help but come and ask what's wrong."
Chloe blinked, surprised at Annie's straightforwardness.
"Don't get me wrong," Annie added quickly, holding up her hands in defense. "I'm just concerned. Purely concerned. That's all."
"Annie…" Chloe murmured, staring at Annie's sharp, yet kind features. For some reason, Annie reminded her of her sister. If her sister were still alive, she would have comforted Chloe in the same way. This sudden thought made her nose tingle, and she felt tears welling up.
"Chloe! Why are you crying?" Annie exclaimed, alarmed as she saw tears rolling down Chloe's cheeks. She hurriedly handed over a tissue. "Did I say something wrong? I'm so sorry if I—"
"No, no, it's not you," Chloe said, shaking her head quickly. She gave a self-deprecating laugh as she wiped her tears. "I just… you reminded me of my sister."
Annie's face softened. She gently took Chloe's hand and led her to the waiting area, where they both sat on a plush Italian leather sofa.
"If that's the case," Annie began, smiling kindly, "then think of me as your sister. I'm older than you anyway, so whenever you miss her, come talk to me. I'm here to listen."
Chloe hesitated, her fingers brushing against the rim of her coffee cup. Finally, she sighed. "Annie… am I an annoying person?"
Annie's eyes widened. "Why would you think that?"
"I just… feel like I am." Chloe frowned. "Maybe Blaine thinks so too."
Annie frowned slightly, tilting her head as she studied Chloe. "Chloe, I think you're overthinking things. Honestly, I admire you. I may be French, but I've always envied the refined, delicate beauty of East Asian women. That unique grace, the mystery—it's all there in you."
"What?" Chloe gaped. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"I mean it," Annie said firmly. "Chloe, you need to have more faith in yourself. Now, tell me—what happened between you and Blaine?"
Chloe hesitated before shaking her head, her face clouding with disappointment. "He doesn't like me."
"Did he say that to you?" Annie asked, clearly surprised.
"No," Chloe admitted, lowering her eyes. "But I can tell. His heart is already with someone else. How could he possibly like me? And now, I'm not even sure if my decision was the right one."
With a soft sigh, Chloe told Annie the full story—about her sister, Blaine's promise, and her own struggle to win his heart within the agreed time. "Now," she finished, "he's avoiding me like I'm some kind of pest. I think I'm just making things worse."
Annie listened quietly, her expression thoughtful. When Chloe finished, she gently patted her on the shoulder. "Chloe, I think Blaine does like you."
"Really?" Chloe asked, her voice laced with doubt.
"Of course. Otherwise, why would he be so upset tonight?" Annie's voice was light, but her smile was knowing.
Chloe looked confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Annie chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "You're so dense… Blaine is upset because he's jealous of your dinner with Yuto Miyazawa."
Chloe's eyes widened. "Jealous? That's impossible. He didn't even want to have dinner with me! How could he be jealous?"
"Why don't you test him, then?" Annie suggested, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Test him?" Chloe repeated, her confusion deepening.
Annie leaned in close and whispered her idea into Chloe's ear. As Annie spoke, Chloe's eyes grew wide, and then she began nodding eagerly.