How A Billionaire's Forbidden Love Shattered Worlds

Chapter Eight

He knew Chloe was concealing something, but what was very blurry was the magnitude of what Chloe was hiding. It was still their conversation that kept replaying in his head. That word. Someone.

Tonight, at about time, Wyatt lay back on his head, staring at his ceiling, his phone resting on his chest. He was expecting Chloe to text him first, but she didn't. He breathed out loudly, unlocking his phone and opening their chat. He then typed: "you are asleep?" This message stayed for minutes before a response came in. Chloe answered,' No, just tired.' Wyatt was a bit affronted, but his fingers hovered over the keyboard, and he typed again: 'Long day?' this message took almost twenty minutes for Chloe to respond to, the same Chloe who was very active online. 'Yeah. Had a lot to do, " she replied

It was clear that Chloe was not giving Wyatt so much. And maybe, something one needed not to be bothered about — maybe she was exhausted. But now that the thought was registered in his head, he could see Chloe curled up in bed, phone in her hand, smiling beautifully at someone else's texts. That someone. His chest was screwed. He shook his head, tossing his phone onto the bed beside him.

The next day, when they had planned to grab lunch during Wyatt's visit the previous day, was when they met again. He had told himself that his thoughts would not ruin it. Chloe appeared effortlessly as always — hair falling in soft waves, a sweater dropping over her body casually, making her even prettier.

"Hey," she said, bumping her shoulder against Wyatt's. "You alright?"

"Yeah." Wyatt forced a smile. "Just tired, " Wyatt spewed. A lie. The same guy who never slept throughout the night.

They walked side by side to the counter, and Wyatt was glancing at the Menu, but Chloe had pulled out her phone. Wyatt turned back, and Chloe quickly slipped the phone into her pocket. Something heavy sank deep into his stomach. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was her mom, Zoe, or just a random notification.

As they ate, Wyatt tried acting normal. He never stopped being with his jokes but a thought lingered in his mind. Whenever Chloe looked at her phone, even for a second, something writhed inside his mind. Finally, he could not hold it.

"You have been on your phone a lot lately." Wyatt said.

"Huh, " she wink mid-bite.

"It's just that I noticed you have been checking your phone more than usual." Wyatt forced out in a casual tone

"Oh, umm ...yeah, I guess. Just keeping up with stuff." she said after faltering — but it was enough for Wyatt to catch it. Now, Wyatt seemed windy as he nodded slowly, pushing his food around his plate. He did not want to feel insecure. He tried, but the sensation just kept pushing over him. Chloe—the girl he found himself thinking about in the early hours of the day and in the late hours as well. The girl who made him laugh when he did not feel like it. Who, in an unexplainable way, made everything feel light when she was around.

A few days had rolled by. It was the same hammer that remained situated in Wyatt's chest. He had decided to grab some bottles of drinks at a cafe in town. Wyatt did not plan this with Chloe. And she was the last person he had expected to see at the Cafe that day. He had just walked in and taken a sit down when he caught sight of her. This was Chloe, his heart kept ringing. And it became more entirely striking because Chloe was not alone; she was with someone. Someone whom Wyatt had not been able to figure out ever since could possibly be the guy sitting there. The one who brewed the storms that he is now trying to calm. He thought to walk to that table and confront him, but suddenly, he was in no position to pull that through now; yet, he had little things in his heart that leaped whenever he saw Chloe, but there was nothing to seal it. Something like a symbol of affection and emotional connection. He unhesitatingly changed his seat to a corner where Chloe would not see him, but he got a perfect view of the space in which they were. This was the same Chloe who did not pay much attention to him the last time they met, so wholly engrossed with whatever the guy was saying. 'Maybe they were even discussing the flowers?' Wyatt thought aloud, his eyes almost red.

He looked around him, yet everyone—those with, perhaps, their friends or families having some bottles of wine went on with their resplendent and deep rapport. Some faces lidded with laughter while some sat with rapt attention to what the other person was saying, oblivious that the Earth was turning upside down. It dawned on Wyatt that he was alone on his different planet. His eyes bulging out of torture, he grabbed his wallet, which was on the table, and hurried out.

Wyatt could not say he had a friend he could not do without, but as with Joe, he was still the first among equals. While they were on drinks, Wyatt, whose face was a crest of unhappiness and sadness, was urged on by Joe to free himself. He was beginning to carry too many burdens in his heart. This was what Joe told him. It could cost him so much. At the twinkle of an eye, he could see that he was no longer his complete self again at a time when his career goals would have been eliminated like cards. Clearly, he was already bargaining for that because there they were: his health, career, positive drives, and every other thing that made him whole being arranged like cards on the table, waiting patiently to be eliminated.

"Those who love you will not punch a hole in your heart. Instead, if there is one, they fill it up and guide your heart against externalities." Joe said

Wyatt did not know if he should agree with him. He could not make any decision.

***

Chloe sat at her usual spot in the private Library. The room was quiet, safe for the rustle of pages. She was deep into her project writing, trying to ensure that she had a smooth one with Professor Emily Anderson, her project supervisor. She glanced up at the clock, and it dawned on her that time had flown. The library was about to close, and the rain had picked up outside. She gathered her books, pen, and laptop and zipped up her jacket, set to go. Just as she was about to exit the building, she turned to the corner and bumped into Someone.

"Oh, Chloe!" Wyatt stood there, he gave her a smile.

"I didn't know you had here as your soft spot as well." Chloe said, a smile forming on her lips.

Wyatt scanned his eyes around. "This place is one of my best go-to places for studies and research. Besides, it's very quiet."

"Well, I do..." Chloe wanted to say but stopped when he moved so close to her. His face softened, his eyes ransacking for Chloe's.

"I like you, Chloe. I like you more than I have let myself say. I didn't want to mess things up."

Chloe's heart sped a combination of nerves and maybe something else—that which is warmer—covering her chest. She had been afraid to say it, afraid to risk it. But hearing Wyatt say it first made it feel less scary.

"I do like you." Chloe confessed. "I just wanted us to be sure. To figure it out together."

Wyatt smiled a soft, genuine smile that made her stomach leap. "We will figure it out together.." he paused, his expression now. "I want us to see where this goes, officially, if you are ready?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice steady now. "I am ready."

There was a long pause, a moment of silence that registered their understanding.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked softly. His voice was almost a whisper.

The kiss was soft at first, but it deepened as they both relaxed, letting go of whatever fears they had in their hearts for so long. When they pushed away, she couldn't stop smiling, and she saw the same smile beaming on his face