Chapter 73
73:
Christina reached out and gently took Chloe’s hand. “Come on, just tell me,” she said, her voice quiet.
A bashful grin appeared on Chloe’s face. “I’ve been thinking… Well, would you mind if I moved in with you? Is that okay?”
Knowing she might not have much time ahead, Chloe longed to stay as close to Christina as she could. If her fate was truly sealed, she figured she might as well help bring her brother and Christina together before saying goodbye.
Looking into Chloe’s unfocused eyes, Christina could feel the hope radiating from her, making it nearly impossible to turn her down. Silence hung in the air for a heartbeat, and then Christina’s lips curled into a smile. “Of course you can. But there’s one thing…”
Chloe’s eyes lit up. “What is it?” she asked eagerly. “Whatever house rules you have in mind, Christina, I’ll go along with them. No complaints.”
Laughter escaped Christina. “It’s not really about house rules. I just need to occupy your brother’s seaside villa for a bit longer.”
Christina’s agreement stemmed from one simple reason: living together would allow her to keep an eye on Chloe’s condition more easily. She figured that once Chloe was better, she’d pack up and move out.
With a playful glance at Dylan, Christina teased, “Mr. Scott, you’ve got more estates than you need. Granting me to stay in one of them for a while shouldn’t be too much trouble, should it?”
Dylan chuckled. “Take your pick. Any house you want is yours.”
In Dylan’s mind, when it came to Chloe, Christina had already done so much that offering a roof over her head hardly seemed like a big gesture.
Flashing a grin, Christina said, “You never fail to impress. Your generosity knows no bounds.”
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Ralphy couldn’t resist chiming in. “Miss Jones, I’m generous too. Name the property, and it’s yours.”
Chloe tilted her chin, and a huff escaped her lips. “Christina doesn’t need your offer, Ralphy. Dylan, give Christina a prime piece of real estate.”
With a teasing smirk, Ralphy replied, “Maybe your brother ought to toss in a helicopter while he’s at it.”
Morse adjusted his glasses, a hint of mischief in his tone. “How about adding a yacht? Every seaside home needs one.”
Bursting into laughter, Chloe squeezed Christina’s hand. “Honestly, Christina, why don’t you just marry Dylan? You’d walk away with half his fortune, and he’d still have more money than he could ever spend. Besides, nobody hustles like he does…”
Before she could go on, Dylan’s voice broke through, stern and direct. “That’s enough, Chloe.”
A worried glance shot from Dylan to Christina, bracing himself in case she took offense.
To his surprise, Christina’s laughter filled the room, and she replied without missing a beat, “How could I turn down someone who checks every box—tall, handsome, and loaded?”
With a twinkle in her eye, Christina turned to Dylan and asked, “So, Mr. Scott, when do you plan to marry me?”
Her boldness drew laughter from the others, amusement bubbling up around them.
Even though Christina was teasing, her bluntness made color creep up Dylan’s cheeks.
For someone usually in control, Dylan suddenly found himself fumbling for a response, caught off guard by her words.
When he opened his mouth to answer, Christina cut in with a playful laugh, “Relax, I’m only messing with you.”
Disappointment flickered across Dylan’s face, and he forced out a quiet, “It’s fine.”
Ralphy, quick to sense the tension, interjected, “Let me check with the doctor about when Chloe can be discharged.”
Morse jumped in next, ever the thoughtful one. “Anyone hungry? I can grab us some food and drinks.”
Hand shooting up, Chloe grinned. “Coffee for me!”
“Let’s check with the doctor first.” Turning to Christina and Dylan, Morse asked, “How about you two—need anything?”
Matching Chloe’s request, Christina answered, “Make that two coffees.”
“Alright.” Morse nodded and shifted his attention to Dylan.
A faint crease formed between Dylan’s brows before he finally said, “Coffee for me, too.”
“You’re not usually a coffee person…” Morse started to say, but one look from Dylan made him cut himself off, an awkward grin spreading across his face.
“Got it. I’ll be back with your orders,” Morse said before heading out. Even as he walked away, he couldn’t help but think how rare it was to see Dylan drink coffee.
Ever since Christina came into the picture, Morse had picked up on all sorts of subtle changes in Dylan, as if he were a love-struck teenager taking on changes for his crush.
Once Ralphy and Morse disappeared down the hall, Christina broke the silence. “I appreciate you letting me move my belongings into your villa—and for playing along.”
Dylan offered a simple nod. “Don’t mention it.”
Christina added, “I’d been considering leaving, but with Chloe wanting to stay close, I guess I’ll hang around a little longer before eventually moving out.”
Dylan didn’t hesitate. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.” Pausing to gather her thoughts, Christina asked, “Would you mind sending the staff you stationed at the villa back to your family house?”
A hint of frost crept into Dylan’s reply. “That’s not an option. If you won’t have them, they’ll lose their jobs altogether.”
Brows knitted, Christina asked, “So there’s no flexibility here?”
“Absolutely not. Their pay and benefits aren’t your concern. My family will take care of all that. But if you turn them away, they will be unemployed,” Dylan replied.
The firmness of his answer left Christina speechless. She recognized that families of the Scott’s stature followed their own code. They had their considerations, and she felt it wasn’t her place to protest further. Curiosity flickered in Dylan’s eyes as he asked, “Did the staff do something wrong?”
That brought Christina back from her thoughts, and she responded with a gentle shake of her head, “No, nothing like that. I just prefer managing on my own. I don’t need anyone to take care of me…”
“If that’s how you feel, then let them go,” Dylan said, his voice direct.
Chloe squeezed Christina’s hand and whispered, “Let them stay. Anyway, my family will pay for everything. Besides, if you let them go, once I move in, I’ll just end up giving you extra work. With the staff around, you won’t have to fuss over me.”
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