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"Oh, sure, gurl!" Diamond grabbed all the reports on Vernon's desk and walked towards Chloe. "Let's have a chat in the Starbucks downstairs."

"W--Wait, why am I not included? What do you guys want to talk about?" Vernon didn't want to get left out by Chloe.

"It's a woman's business, Sir. Please excuse us," Diamond strutted towards Chloe, who stood at the door. She grabbed her best friend's hand and dragged her out of Vernon's office.

Chloe quickly looked at Vernon before she closed the door behind her and left with Diamond.

"Wait-- Ugh, damn it!" Vernon cursed in a low voice. "I want to spend some time with her too!"

**

"Diamond, are you sure you don't have work to do? You should focus on completing your work first...."

"Oh, gurl, even a secretary like me needs a break sometimes," Diamond pulled Chloe to the elevator. They went in, and the elevator went down as they continued chatting.

"But, what if Vernon gets mad at you for skipping work?"

"Because I'm helping you? Oh, he will never dare to scold me when it's all about you," Diamond giggled.

Honestly, Diamond was happy that Vernon got mad at her for wanting to introduce Chloe to her brothers because it showed that he was taking her homegurl seriously.

She knew that marriage was a huge step, but at least it was in his mind already.

Besides, all she said about Chloe was true. Chloe truly made Diamond's brothers go head over heels for her beauty. They didn't even care if she was a divorced woman.

Well, soon-to-be-divorced woman.

Chloe and Diamond entered the Starbucks right outside of the office. They ordered something and sat before Diamond asked, "So, what do you want to talk about, Gurl? I know it must be urgent since you look so troubled."

"Um..." Chloe wondered if it was okay to ask for Diamond's opinion because she was afraid of oversharing.

But Diamond was her only friend after ten years and Vernon's reliable secretary.

"So, it's about Vernon...."

"Oh? My boss?" Diamond raised her brows. "What's wrong? Did he yell at you again?"

"N--No, not at all," Chloe quickly denied to avoid unnecessary problems. "Um, do you know about my daughter's play at the autumn festival?"

"Oh yeah, Mr. Phoenix Gray already set up two bodyguards that will guard outside of the school. Don't worry, they can blend well, and they are close confidants, everything should be safe."

"Umm, thank you for helping too," Chloe smiled thinly. It took her a long argument with Vernon until he finally yielded so he didn't just storm in and crash the autumn festival with his appearance.

The argument of who would protect Chloe and Mackie deescalated from Vernon himself that would come, to hiring at least twenty bodyguards that would surround them during the whole performance, to five bodyguards, until the last agreement.

There would be two bodyguards with less-built bodies. They would blend well with the crowd, acting like janitors or security guards.

Chloe wanted to maintain this false illusion of normal childhood for Mackie, so she didn't need to feel like she was treated differently from her friends.

"So, my daughter asked Vernon to come and watch her play, replacing her Dad who will be absent, like always," Chloe explained. "But you know... he can't do that. He will be too flashy there, and Vincent might notice him through reports and stuff."

"But Vernon wants to make up for his absence. He said that he will celebrate Mackie's successful play. He said there will be cakes, and a lot more surprises."

"Diamond, I'm afraid Vernon might go overboard with the celebration...." Chloe finally let out her worry. "What if he set up a grand event for it? I don't know if I can do the same for my daughter in the future."

Diamond didn't understand Chloe's worry, "Why are you worried about that? Of course, my boss will celebrate all the events with Mackie and you. I don't see anything wrong with it, gurl."

"Besides, you don't need to worry about grand celebrations. I think he is rich enough to keep throwing expensive parties for your daughter every month for the rest of your life."

"Diamond, I--" Chloe paused for a moment. She realized that she had never told Diamond about her plan to leave after saving enough money, probably during the spring of next year.

'But I have to tell her. She won't know the real problem if I keep hiding it....'

Thus, Chloe mustered her courage and asked, "Diamond, if I tell you about something, can you keep it only for us? Please never inform Vernon about this."

"I promise, Chloe," Diamond sensed the seriousness of the topic, and her gaze deepened in an instant.

"So, I--" Chloe gulped. "--I don't plan to stay with Vernon for long. I will leave next year, after I get my salary."

...

...

Chloe closed her eyes, waiting for Diamond's uproar. Diamond might feel betrayed because of her choice, but this was a choice she made after a long consideration.

"Why?"

Diamond's reaction was out of Chloe's expectations.

She was calm and asked with a mesmerizing voice, "I don't see any reason for you to leave, Chloe."

...

"A few days ago, Vernon told me that he was very happy when you said you could stand up against Vincent and you would stick by him. Do you know what an encouragement that was for him?"

"So, Chloe Carlson..." Diamond called her homegirl's maiden name as she kept mentioning that she didn't like the Gray surname anymore.

Diamond looked pissed for some reason. She crossed her arms and gazed deeper at Chloe. She looked at Chloe as if she was lower than her.

"Why did you change your mind?" Diamond asked. "Why did you give Vernon so much hope that it made him work ten times harder for you, only for you to ditch him so cruelly."

"Is your heart made out of ice, Chloe?"