A/N: Hi, Amores! Sorry that this update is kinda short. I'm still not ok and this was the only update i managed to write. I hope you like it. Enjoy reading!

50 comments for the next chapter. :)

°｡⋆★- - - - -☽───⛧ ༺♰༻ ⛧───☾ - - - -★⋆｡°✩♡

CHAPTER 60

Knowing him and Beatrice, they were doing this on purpose so that he would lose his patience with them and would surely mess up in this very important night of his life. They wanted to rain on his parade.

They knew how strict his father was when it comes to Larsen Corp. and if he messed this up, there was a possibility that he would change his mind and take back his decision. That was what Vito and Beatrice wanted to see but he would never let them play him with their little fingers.

He took a deep breath and faced them confidently.

"C'mon, Beatrice, Vito. You know me better than that. We're family after all. I mean, you should be lifting me up by supporting me, right? Now that I'm the new CEO of Larsen Corp., seeing you supporting me means a lot." He said faking an amused tone.

Beatrice looked like she was surprised of his answer but quickly pulled back her poise right away. "Well, you're right. We're a family that's why we're concerned about you. We're just giving advice. I hope you don't mind. I'm just doing my part as your second mother." Cross wanted to laugh because Beatrice seemed to be having a hard time keeping that fake smile of hers but when he heard the last sentence she just uttered, that made his blood boil.

His fists tightened but didn't let them notice that what she said got into him. He was about to retaliate but somebody spoke.

"You're step-mother is right, Mr. Larsen. I mean, your performance in the company was exceptional that's why we're expecting great things from you from now on. I hope, your issue regarding women won't affect your job as the CEO." It was Mr. Chang. He's been a longtime friend and business associate of his father.

"Of course, not, Mr. Chang. And for your information, I'm not some womanizer out there. I only have one woman in my life that I love her the most. That's my fiancée."

"That's great then. A faithful man is a great image of the company. I'm glad that you're not like those other rich guys who has done nothing but to collect woman after woman." Another man, which was a member of the board, said and everyone seem to have liked what he just said except Vito and Beatrice, including Paige who had her fists clenched tightly while looking at him in pain.

He groaned inwardly. Even though Paige has been a nuisance ever since the first time they met, she couldn't blame her. She didn't have any idea of what was happening around her and that affected his conscience.

Even though he's been called cold by many, his heart wasn't made of stone. He was just a normal human being.

"Oh, Fiancée? That's good to hear. Where is she? Don't tell me, she didn't come to support you? What kind of fiancée is that? Or maybe, she already broke up with you." Vito's voice was obviously taunting, trying to get on his nerves but the smile on Cross' face didn't fade.

"Don't worry, bro. Chloe and I are still together. I love her too much to let her slip through my fingers. If I loved her before, I love her even more now." Vito's eyebrow arched and Cross caught Beatrice rolled her eyes.

"And why's that?"

Cross smirked as he shrugged his shoulders. "As much as I am very proud to announce it, I still have to get her permission."

"Permission? I didn't know that you've stoop this low just for a woman." It seemed that Vito didn't have a plan of giving up.

"What the heck are you trying to say to your brother, Vito?!" Their father couldn't hold back his temper but Vito seemed unaffected.

"What? I'm just making fun of my brother, dad. Relax."

"It's okay, dad. We all know how childish Vito is. Anyway, to answer your question, brother; I respect Chloe that's why I always ask for her permission if she's involved with it. That's how much I love her and I will never be embarrassed to shout that to the world." He faced the other people who were just quietly watching them.

"Anyway, we're not here to talk about my personal life, right? For now, why don't we go back to the party and enjoy the night?" Everyone agreed but Vito and Beatrice gave him a glare before following the others.

Paige stayed on her spot.

"Paige, you should stop all this and just forget about me. I'm not the Cross that you used to know. That Cross will never come back anymore so learn how to accept that. I'm sorry that you've been hurting this much but I can't give you what you want.

"The only woman who owns my heart is Chloe Winters Rosenberg. She's the love of my life and I can't live this life without her. Whatever mom promised you for you to do what she's been asking you, don't believe it because it will never happen. I hope, this will be our last time to talk about this." He was about to walk past her when she spoke.

"I hate you, Cross." Her voice cracked as tears ran down her cheeks while staring at him for of resentment.

"That's right, Paige. Hate me and don't ever stop hating me. I am not the right man for you. The Cross that you fell in love with isn't with us anymore." Yes, he knew that he's cruel of saying those things but he was just being honest.

She didn't want her to keep on hoping for something that was impossible to happen.

CHLOE couldn't control the worry in her chest while she was on the way to the party but she tried to relax because she didn't want her baby to be affected. She would just make sure that Cross was doing fine.

Upon arriving there, she went to the front desk right away and was about to tell her about her purpose of going there but she spoke before she could even utter a word.

"Good evening, Ms. Rosenberg. The party is this way. You may enter." The woman motioned to her right and her jaw dropped.

"How did you know my name and how come you knew that I came here for the party? I don't even have an invitation."

The woman smiled. "Because Mr. Cross Larsen already informed us about you. He specifically instructed us to let you in right away the moment you showed up."

"Oh, is that so? Thank you then." Even though she was still confused, she proceeded on entering the party hall and quickly spotted Jade and the others but Cross was nowhere to be found.

She walked up to them.

"Do you think Chloe would buy what we told her?" Raven asked his friends. It looked like they just finished eating. The sweet music was a little loud but it wasn't that loud for her to hear their conversation. Some couples were dancing at the dance floor.

Jade sighed. "I don't know if what we did was right. I mean, Cross hasn't been himself lately but I think, he's handling himself just fine since he arrived here at the party." That surprised Chloe. They just said all those things to her over the phone, for what?!

"Even though I'm still pissed off at him for what he's been doing, I hate seeing him and Chloe like this. Knowing Cross, he's just hiding his pain inside. He loves Chloe so much." Jade continued while shaking her head.

"If we need to lie in order to help them with their problem by forcing them to talk, then so be it. This is not healthy for the both of them. Chloe has been broken and Cross seems like he's going mad because of their situation." Troy added.

Hearing those made her feel angry. They just lied to her! And she even came because she was so worried! Furious, she turned around and was about walk out of there when she saw Vito, his parents and some other people. It seemed like they just came from somewhere. Maybe a balcony.

Vito automatically smiled upon seeing her so she walked up to him.

"Hi, Chloe. I thought, you couldn't come tonight?" She released a breath.

"Something happened but that's not important now. I should go. I don't have anything to do here anyway." His eyebrows creased.

"Already? Why don't you stay for a bit? I mean, you're already here anyway." She shook her head.

"No, Vito. It's getting late. I should go."

"Wait! It looks like I get it now why you're here. It's because of Cross, right?" She squeezed her eyes shut for good three seconds and then released a breath.

"If you want to talk to him, you can find him on the balcony that way. Go before he leaves. The party is almost done and he seemed like he was in a hurry to leave right away." She didn't know why but there was this weird spark of something that passed through his eyes.

She didn't know why but she felt the need to check on Cross before she leaves even though she already overheard from Jade and the others that they just lied to her in order for her to come to the party.

Without saying anything, she walked towards the direction that Vito was pointing. Her heart was pounding hard for some reason.

When she reached the balcony, that was when she understood why she was feeling that way. Her heart broke into tiny pieces. 

♡✩°｡⋆★- - - - -☽───⛧ ༺♰༻ ⛧───☾ - - - -★⋆｡°✩♡

How's the chapter?

COMMENT, VOTE, SHARE  & FOLLOW