Ⲏⲁⲣⲣⲩ ⲱⲉⲉⲕⲉⲛⲇ, Ⲁⲙⲟꞅⲉ𝛓. Ⲏⲁⲣⲣⲩ ꞅⲉⲁⲇⲓⲛ𝓰. 😘

50 comments for the next chapter as usual. 😘

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CHAPTER 23

CHLOE was smiling the whole time while watching Cross bond together with his friends. The guys were teasing the girls, throwing jokes at them, but the girls didn't let them win with the teasing game. It was funny when they pretended that they were pissed and the guys gave up right away, including Cross, and she found it so adorable.

She didn't expect this side of him. He looked genuinely happy and enjoying the moment with everyone and he became even more handsome in her eyes.

His friends were very welcoming and she didn't expect that. She thought, she would feel awkward since she didn't know them but they made her feel welcome and the next thing she knew, she was enjoying their company as well.

Grey also came and he was with three of his other friends. He didn't even get surprise that she saw her with Cross, as if he was already expecting it and now, the guys were playing billiard while drinking some beer.

They even had a bet that whoever the loser was would suffer the consequence of being lost. In short, they would make him do something whether he likes it or not.

"So, you and Cross are together now, huh? I didn't expect it. I really thought, Cross would actually wait for a miracle before he decides to finally court you." Grey said when he finished playing billiard and came up to her. It was Cross' turn now against River, one of their guy friends.

"Hey. I can hear you badmouthing me in front of my woman." Chloe couldn't help but to laugh when she heard Cross' voice while looking at their direction. His eyebrows were scrunched.

"What the heck. Are you a part doggy of something? How did you even hear that? And I was almost whispering here and yet, you still heard it." Grey answered with a smirk.

"Whispering? Your voice is loud as fùck and yet, you thought you were whispering? Do you have an ear problem or something?" Troy, another friend of them said, while shaking his head.

"I don't have a hearing problem. You people just have super hearing powers when it comes to gossips. Do you think I didn't notice you glancing over our direction full of curiousness?"

"Well, I didn't look at you two so I'm not included." River said, feigning innocence, and Grey shook his head.

"Just keep playing and mind your own business." He looked at Cross. "You too, man. This conversation is for my cousin and I only. Shoo!" He even motioned his hand as if he was shooing a dog away or something and Chloe laughed.

"I really can't believe that he had his eyes on me way back five years ago and yet, I didn't notice him. Was I blind back then?"

"Well, you weren't blind. You were just too busy obeying your parents. To be honest, I wanted to help Cross to get to know you back then but he didn't want to accept my help. He was in denial that he thought, no one ever noticed about his interest in you. He didn't know that how obvious he was." Grey chuckled in amusement while saying that. Chloe's smile disappeared upon remembering about the past and she chewed on her bottom lip.

Yes, she used to obey everything that her parents say, especially her father, because she thought that everything he was saying was for her own good. But after what Liam had done to her, that served as a wake-up call for her and decided to be mature enough to say no to her father for once.

"What if Liam was out of the picture back then? Do you think Cross would have the courage to approach me and tell me about his feelings?"

"Hmmm. I think, I know the answer to that. But I won't tell you." She raised an eyebrow at her cousin.

"And why's that?"

"Because I want you to ask that to him directly." She leered at him and he laughed.

"By the way, I won't say sorry for standing you up the other day because look at the result. You're finally with someone whom you belong." That put a smile on her face.

"You sound so sure. Are you sure that Cross is the one; that we're going to end up together?"

"Don't tell me, you thought that you could still get out of your relationship with him? Sorry to disappoint you, missy, but knowing him, he would never let you go for sure." Her heart raced.

"W-What?"

"You heard me right, Chloe. Anyway, I can see that you're happy being with him even though your relationship is still new and I'm happy for the both of you. At least, I know that you're with someone better than you're a*shole ex. That b*astard should be thankful that I didn't destroy him after what he'd to you in the past. If you didn't stop me back then, that guy would've been kissed their family business including his career away." Yes, Grey was so angry when he learned what Liam had done to her and was about to avenge her but she stopped him.

Knowing her cousin, he tends to lose his cool and rational thinking whenever he was mad and there was a possibility that he would go too far. She didn't want him to go to jail.

"I'm just thankful that you weren't really in love with that guy that's why it was easy for you to move on. But you still got depressed of that scandal that's why you chose to quit showbusiness." Chloe released a breath.

"That's all in the past now, Grey. Besides, I quit entertainment industry because I didn't want that life in the first place. I only did it because dad asked me to."

"Yeah, right. For his business." Grey bitterly said while shaking his head. Yes, her father asked her to enter showbusiness for the benefit of their business and she succeeded on promoting their brand name during her time as an actress.

In fact, the income of the company tripled just because she was endorsing it.

"Anyway, just like what you said, that's all in the past now and it's useless to talk about it now. At least, you have a protector now in case someone is going to hurt you again."

"Protector? You mean..."

"Who else could it be other than that guy?" He even pointed at Cross' direction with his puckered lips. She looked at Cross and the beating of her heart became harder and faster.

She bit her lower lip. "I don't know what spell he had casted on me but one thing is for sure. I'm happy being with him. Everything between us happened so fast but I don't feel anything wrong about it. Yes, our relationship is still new but I can be myself without a care in the world whenever we're together and this is my first time experiencing this kind of thing. It's weird and yet, such an addicting feeling." Grey didn't respond and remained staring at her while gaping at her.

Her eyebrows knitted together. "What's with the staring?"

"You're in love." His voice was certain and her eyes bulged before she shook her head.

"No. that's impossible! It's too early!" Grey chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"Hmmm. I don't think so."

"Hey, Grey! It's your turn." River called for him and tossed the cue stick to him which he caught with his right hand.

"Well, it's my turn. Talk to you later." He was about to go when Chloe spoke.

"Grey, wait." He faced her. "What do you think of Cross?" He didn't answer right away and after a couple of seconds, he smiled.

"I won't say that he's a saint, Chloe, because he's not. He has a lot of flaws and I'm hoping that no matter how ugly those flaws are, you could still accept it." He then joined his friends without waiting for her answer.

That made her think. What did he mean by that?

"Hey, Chloe. Why don't you change into your swimsuit so that you could join us here in the pool? Just let Cross bond with the guys." Nevaeh, one of the girls suggested as she swam towards her direction. They've been calling her since a while ago to join them in the pool but she was busy with Cross and just told them that she would join them later.

"Okay. I'm coming." While she was in the restroom, changing into her swimsuit, she couldn't help but to think of what Grey said a while ago. She felt like there was something deep behind those words which made her curious. Then, she shook her head when she realized where those thoughts were heading to.

"No. I'm sure, he didn't mean anything bad. Just enjoy this day, Chloe, and forget any negative thoughts." She looked at her reflection in the mirror and then readied a smile to show to the people outside before going back to the pool area.

She couldn't suppress her smile when Cross saw her coming back from the restroom. His lips were parted while gazing at her full of admiration.

"Hey, close your mouth before an insect gets in there." Troy said laughingly and the other guys joined in teasing him.

"We know that Chloe is stunningly beautiful and sexy but stop staring at her like that as if it's your first time seeing a woman wearing a swimsuit." It was River. The other guys continued on making fun of him.

"Shut up and don't you dare stare at her more than two seconds of else, I'm going to poke your eyeballs!" Cross warned and everyone laughed. Chloe shook her head and joined the girls in the swimming pool.

"HAPPY birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, happy birthday. Happy birthday to you!" Cross looked so alive and happy while listening to everyone singing him happy birthday.

Jade came out of nowhere and was holding a cake with number candles, 27, on it. The guys even popped party poppers.

"Make a wish!" They cheered and Cross smiled before looking at her. Their gazes met and she caught something that passed through his eyes that she couldn't comprehend. It was some kind of emotion that she couldn't pinpoint but it wasn't a negative one.

In fact, it made her heart pound hard and fast like crazy.

"Hey, we said, make a wish not to stare at Chloe. You look like you have a plan of melting her with your gaze." Jade said and Cross laughed.

"Well, I don't have to wish for anything more than I have right now because I have everything that I could ever want now." He then winked at her and her heart leapt. She playfully sneered at him and that made him chuckle.

"Anyway, thank you for making this simple yet merry birthday party possible, guys. I appreciate your effort." He then blew out the candles of his cake and everyone took turns on hugging him and wishing him again a happy birthday. Chloe was the last one.

"Happy birthday." She kissed him on the cheek but he pouted cutely.

"Thank you. But really. Just a kiss on the cheek? C'mon, cariño. You can do better than that." He held her by her waist and pulled her closer to his body. Her eyes bulged when he was about to angle his head to kiss her.

"Cross! We're not alone here!" She whisper-yelled and he smirked. Thankfully, the others were busy as the guys were complaining about the flavor of the cake. The girls were the ones who ordered it and they ordered what flavor they preferred which the guys weren't in favor of.

"So, what? They're not paying attention to us. Look at them. They're busy. C'mon, cariño. Just one kiss. It's my birthday today so do this for the birthday boy." He even puckered his lips while wiggling his eyebrows naughtily.

"Birthday boy, really? You're too big to be a boy." He grinned.

"Of course. No boy can bring you straight to heaven with just this." He whispered and even pointed at his mouth upon saying the last three words. Her eyes went wide and looked at the others. She almost sighed in relief because it seemed that no one heard it.

She pinched the side of his abdomen. "You're so naughty!" He chuckled and gathered her into his arms before kissing her forehead. She couldn't understand why but she couldn't even get mad at him even though he tends to be vulgar sometimes.

"I was just messing with you. But I still need my kiss. My lips feel so empty without your kisses." She couldn't hold back her laugh.

"That's so corny."

"I'm only corny when it comes to you." Her heart swelled and she couldn't hold back herself and kissed him on the lips.

"That's it? One more time, please." She rolled her eyes but obliged anyway. She only intended to give him a peck on the lips but he didn't let her get away just like that.

He claimed her mouth fully and deepened the kiss as if he hadn't kissed her for a very long time. A moan erupted from her throat as her lips moved on their own and kissed him back fervently. But when she remembered where they were, she knew that they had to stop.

She was about to pull away when he placed his hand on the back of her head, prevented her from pulling away from that kiss, and then deepened the kiss even more instead.

Another moan escaped her throat as she held onto his shoulders and responded to his kisses with equal fervor. Goodness! She couldn't deny his advances!

Her body felt so hot as the fire of desire engulfed her wholly.

"Hey, you two. The room's upstairs if you prefer to celebrate together alone." Chloe's body went frozen upon hearing Raven's voice.

They pulled away from that kiss and Cross looked a bit irritated as if he didn't like the interruption. Then, he sighed and pulled her closer to his body even more. Chloe felt like her cheeks including her neck turn red in embarrassment. She couldn't believe that she actually forgot that they weren't alone!

"What do you think? Is it best for us to celebrate alone?" Cross whispered to her playfully and she pinched him on the abdomen again which made him laugh. Such a naughty guy! 

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What do you think of this chapter, Amores? 

Do you think their happiness will continue? 

Do you think Cross is genuinely honest the whole time about himself and hi feelings for Chloe?

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