That year, the one where we were practically broke, I followed Alexander to Germany for his studies. He casually mentioned Christmas was coming. I washed dishes at a local diner for half a month, then spent twenty euros on a small Christmas tree. He glanced at it and called it pathetic, practically trash. That very evening, Alexander maxed out all my credit cards to get Vivian a whole farm of German firs. The next day, they returned home together. Their high-profile union became the talk of the town. Meanwhile, I was penniless, evicted by my landlord, and nearly froze to death in the heavy Munich snow. Six years later, we met again. Alexander stood at the entrance of my temporary apartment, lugging a luxurious Christmas tree, his eyes red as he wished me a Merry Christmas. I firmly stated, “Mr. Alexander, I absolutely despise Christmas.” Chloe’s POV Alexander clearly froze at my words, a flicker of bewilderment crossing his usually playful eyes. He probably hadn’t expected such a blunt rejection. After all, when I was sixteen, I’d been so thrilled by a ring he’d woven from grass that I couldn’t sleep for three days. “Chloe,” he said, setting down the priceless Christmas tree. His voice was laced with a hint of caution, completely lacking the demanding, high-status CEO image he usually projected in the media. “Don’t be mad. I know you’re blaming me.” “Back then, I truly had no choice. If I didn’t play along, we’d both starve.” He tried to reach for my hand. “I’m free now. My grandpa handed the Alexander family over to me.” “I’ve taken care of Vivian too.” “Chloe, look, I still remember you once saying you wanted a Christmas tree covered in crystals.” The tree he brought was adorned with all sorts of expensive crystals, shimmering beautifully in the sunlight. It was stunning. “You suffered so much with me back then. I can make it all up to you now.” “Chloe, let’s start over, okay?” But my heart felt strangely calm. If it had been the Alexander from six years ago standing here, saying these things, I probably would have joyfully leaped into his arms, screaming and kissing his face. Now, though, as I looked at the opulent Christmas tree, I only felt a sense of absurdity and a bitter laugh welling up inside. What was the point? Could it take me back six years, so I wouldn’t have to rummage through restaurant dumpsters for food on freezing nights? Could it prevent my landlord from throwing my luggage onto the street because I couldn’t pay rent? “Mr. Alexander,” I said, taking a step back, avoiding his touch. My voice was soft. “I’m doing perfectly fine now.” “Fine?” Alexander frowned as if he’d heard a joke. “Living in this hundred-square-meter apartment is ‘doing fine’? Chloe, stop being childish. Come back with me to…” “Mommy.” A timid voice interrupted Alexander mid-sentence. A tiny head peeked through the crack in the door. Lily, in her pink bunny pajamas, clutched a worn-out teddy bear, her eyes wide with fright. She had a tendency to be very shy, fearful of strangers and loud noises, and only truly comfortable with me. Seeing me confronting a strange man at the door, she was clearly terrified, but still bravely ran out to find me. The little one clung tightly to my leg, trembling all over, but wouldn’t let go. Alexander’s voice died in his throat. He looked down, his gaze falling on Lily. The little girl, around five or six years old, had fair skin and dark, shiny eyes like grapes. They were red-rimmed from fear, and her pressed lips showed a stubbornness that was heartbreaking. The soft, warm glow of the apartment lights fell on Lily’s face. Anyone could see the striking resemblance between the child’s features and my younger self, and that defiant expression was so much like his from back then. Before he left Germany six years ago, despite our many conflicts, we hadn’t slept in separate rooms. Alexander’s hand trembled as he pointed at Lily in disbelief, his voice hoarse. “Chloe… this child… who is she?” Just as I was about to pick Lily up, Alexander suddenly crouched down, staring intently at Lily’s face, his eyes instantly turning alarmingly red. “She’s my child… isn’t she?” He stammered, the wild joy of rediscovery almost overwhelming his reason. “Back then… back then you were already pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me? Chloe, how *dare* you wander around all these years with *my* child!” I ignored Alexander’s accusations, quickly trying to soothe Lily, who was trembling with fear. “Lily… you named her Lily…” Alexander’s wild joy intensified. “I knew it! Chloe, you still care about me! I used to fantasize about it, and even told you, if we ever had a daughter, we’d name her Lily! You remembered!” By the end, his voice was choked with tears.
Chloe’s POV I looked at Alexander like this and almost burst out laughing. He had probably conjured up an entire dramatic saga of a single mother on the run in his head—like me enduring hardship and humiliation alone in a foreign country to give birth to his child. This instantly sent his already overflowing guilt soaring to its peak. “Alexander, get a grip,” I said, looking at him coldly. “Not every child in the world is yours.” “You’re still trying to trick me!” Alexander suddenly stood up, his emotions raw. “The timing matches, the looks match! Chloe, you’re doing this to get back at me, keeping my child from me, aren’t you?” “I know I was an ass, but I truly had no choice back then, Chloe. Let me hold her, I’m her father.” He reached out to touch Lily. “Ah—!” Lily shrieked, startled. Her psychological defenses were fragile, and a strange man’s closeness instantly sent her spiraling. She let go of me, covered her ears, and crouched on the ground, her tiny body curled into a ball, beginning to tremble violently. “Lily!” My heart tightened, and I quickly crouched down to comfort her. Alexander stood there, flustered. “I… I didn’t mean to, I just wanted to…” The elevator door opened, revealing Aldrich. “What’s going on?” Aldrich was wearing a dark gray cashmere coat, clearly just back from work, a strawberry mousse cake for Lily in his hand. Seeing Lily trembling on the floor, he quickened his steps, first handing me the cake, then kneeling down on one knee. He skillfully pulled Lily into his arms, his broad hand gently patting her back. “Lily, it’s okay, Daddy’s home.” Lily, who had been screaming moments ago, immediately quieted down as soon as she heard Aldrich’s voice and caught his familiar scent. She buried her face in Aldrich’s coat, her tiny hands clutching his collar, whimpering, “Daddy… I’m scared…” Aldrich gently kissed her forehead, then stood up, holding her with one arm. With his other hand, he instinctively pulled me behind him. He turned, facing a stunned Alexander. Alexander stared at the child in Aldrich’s arms, then at Aldrich’s stern face. “Daddy?” Alexander gritted his teeth. “Chloe, you’re letting my daughter call some random guy ‘Daddy’?” Aldrich slightly raised an eyebrow, his gaze calm as he looked at Alexander, his voice gentle but sharp. “Mr. Alexander, is it your family’s etiquette to harass my fiancée and daughter at my doorstep late at night?” Alexander looked at Aldrich. The Aldrich family, though discreet and not flaunting their wealth, everyone knew Aldrich was a formidable figure. He’d cut his teeth on Wall Street in his early days, then slowly began taking over the family business. He was a force to be reckoned with. “Your wife and daughter?” Alexander laughed. He pointed at Aldrich. “When did the famous Aldrich suddenly get such a grown-up daughter? This child is clearly…” “Clearly what?” Aldrich took a step forward. He was a head taller than Alexander, and his height advantage gave him an imposing aura. “Alexander, if you truly cared, if you had visited Chloe even once in her four years in Germany, you wouldn’t be barking like a stray dog here now.” Alexander winced, his face flushing with embarrassment at having his secret exposed. Aldrich didn’t look at him again. He just turned to me, speaking gently. “It’s cold out here. Take Lily inside. I’ll handle the rest.” I nodded, took Lily, and closed the door. The Alexander from back then would also tell me to hide behind him, but then, for his own future, he’d let go of my hand again and again.
Chloe’s POV The argument outside slowly died down. After comforting Lily, I hesitated for a moment, then couldn’t resist walking to the floor-to-ceiling window and looking down. The black Maybach sat in the snow for a long time, not moving. The streetlights cast its shadow long, much like that field in my memory that felt impossible to cross. And on the haystack beside the field, the boy with a blade of grass dangling from his lips. That was sixteen-year-old Alexander. Back then, he wasn’t called Alexander; everyone in the village called him a bastard. He was the Alexander family’s illegitimate son, hidden away and left to fend for himself in the countryside. I lived next door. Two unsupervised kids, growing up intertwined like wild weeds. That summer was stiflingly hot. After school, we’d run to the small river behind the mountain to cool off. Alexander caught two fish, grilled them golden brown, and gave me the biggest one. As he meticulously removed the bones, he confidently said, “Chloe, when I’m rich someday, I’ll buy this entire mountain, build you a huge house, and treat you to meat every day.” I laughed, calling him a braggart. “You can’t even scrape together your tuition.” He just smiled, his eyes bright like stars in the sky. “Now is now, and the future is the future! Chloe, believe me, I’ll definitely make something of myself.” I smiled back. “Of course I believe you! When you make it big, don’t forget me!” Wealth arrived more suddenly than we could have imagined. The head of the Alexander family lost two sons and four grandchildren in quick succession, and finally remembered there was still a bloodline in the sticks. The day that black Rolls-Royce drove into the village, the dust it kicked up almost blinded everyone. The butler, in a black suit, stood in our dilapidated yard, his eyes filled with disdain, yet he had to respectfully invite Alexander into the car. When Alexander left, he clutched the car door, refusing to get in. His eyes red, he turned back to me, then grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. “I’m not going! I’m taking Chloe with me!” The butler, his face cold, pried his hand away. “Mr. Alexander, you’re going back to inherit the family business. What would taking a country girl like her look like?” “Once you’re educated and your career is stable, what kind of woman couldn’t you find?” Alexander was forcibly pushed into the car. The window rolled down, and he leaned half his body out, yelling at me, his voice hoarse: “Chloe! Wait for me! You absolutely have to wait for me! I’ll come back for you!” I laughed confidently. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely come find you!” Two years later, I got into a top university far from our village. To save money, I bought the cheapest long-distance train ticket. The twenty-plus-hour journey was filled with the smell of stale feet and crying babies. I stood squashed in the aisle for an entire night. When I got off the train, my legs were swollen and aching like crazy. The destination was a grand city, bustling with people. I dragged my frayed, dusty old canvas bag, feeling lost and unsure where to go amidst the dazzling crowd. “Chloe! Over here!” A familiar voice cut through the noisy crowd. I smiled and turned. There was Alexander, standing in the most conspicuous spot at the exit. In two years, he had changed. He was taller, his skin fairer. He wore a neat shirt and casual pants, his hair meticulously styled. He glowed. He was no longer the wild country boy but the heir to the Alexander family. I instinctively wanted to hide that canvas bag behind me, feeling utterly ashamed of my appearance. But Alexander didn’t hesitate at all. He rushed over, pushing aside anyone in his way, and pulled me, smelling of sweat and travel, tightly into his arms. “Silly girl, if you needed money, you should have asked me. Didn’t you get tired sitting on that train for so long?” His voice trembled with concern. He snatched my dirty canvas bag, slung it over his shoulder, and held my hand tightly with the other, as if afraid I’d get lost. He ignored the strange looks people gave us. He escorted me all the way to school. At the campus gate, someone heckled, “Well, well, Alexander, is this your childhood friend? She looks so cheap-looking!” Alexander’s face darkened, and he shot them a cold glare. “Shut up. This is my girlfriend. Anyone else want to say something?” He took me to a restaurant near the school gate. The prices on the menu made my jaw drop. Alexander puffed out his chest, his eyes shining with youthful arrogance and ambition. “Chloe, even though I’m not in charge yet, I’m working hard. My grandpa really likes me these days.” “Don’t worry, with me around, you’ll never have to suffer like this again.” “I’ll have you fly on planes, ride in private cars, live in mansions. I’ll even take you to study abroad and see the most beautiful sights in the world.” That pizza tasted so good that day, the melted cheese stretched, as if melting my heart. Through the hazy steam, I looked at the smiling boy across from me, my heart brimming with happiness.
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