Chloe Schmidt

Everyone was speechless. Looking at the newcomers.

" Oh. My. Gosh! " she shrieks.

" Nick! Is that your baby? "

" What the hell? " Nicolo's brows furrowed as he whispered those words.

Dr Travis chuckled quietly and hid his smiles from his gorgeous companion. Don Augustus suppressed his smile too.

" Hello, Grandpa! How are you? "

And the gorgeous woman glides forward to the old man and gives him a hug and a peck on his cheek. She's graceful just like a ramp model.

" What a surprise, Chloe. When did you come back? "

" I love surprises Grandpa. Just a couple of days ago. I got bored in Paris so I decided to go home. " she smiles sweetly and then pouted when she said she was bored.

" Wow. You talk like Paris, France was just across the street. " Nicolo muttered.

" I heard you Nick! " she glared at him. But then she smiles and glides again towards him.

" Hello, sweetie! You are so pretty like me! "

" What?!? Don't make her cry, Chloe. "

" You are so mean, Nick. I hate you. "

" You always do. "

" So, is she your wife? What did you force her to eat? Is she blind or something? "

" Hey, Travis. Didn't you educate your wife? Where did she get that horrible idea? I'm having goosebumps. Nicolo said with utter disgust.

" Oh. That's my line. " Mirage fires back after a long time listening to them.

" Oooohh. I like her. We both hate you, Nick. Ha! " Chloe said with a smirk.

" Whatever. Let's just eat. This baby's hungry. "

And he gives Euphemia to her mom.

They are laughing together while chatting about how beautiful Euphemia is.

" It took all my strength not to punch Nick for saying that. " Chloe said, sounding irritated.

" It must be hard, right. " Mirage said.

But Nicolo just ignores them and eats to his heart's content.

After the whole breakfast discussion including Mirage's accident and health condition, they all went to their respective cars, bid goodbye and go to work.

" So, what do you do now? "

" Besides taking care of Euphy, nothing much, really. Your husband's instructions are cold steel. I'm not supposed to do anything that will tire and exhaust me even if it's already been 5 weeks since the time that I passed out. "

" Oh, I wouldn't argue with that. He's so unbelievably stern most of the time that's why I've been frequently going out of town to unwind. " Chloe said matter of fact.

" I wonder how the two of you ended up together, you seem totally... "

" Opposites? Yes, we are. " Chloe smiles.

" So, how come? "

" What else? Arranged married. " Chloe said unbothered.

" Oh. I don't know if that's still happening today. "

" Well, for the rich families it was called an investment. "

" Do you regret that? "

Chloe's smile widened.

" I like you. I really like you. Your straightforwardness is amusing. "

" Ah. Really? I don't know, it's just when I want to ask something I ask, and if you don't want to answer, then don't. Simple isn't it? "

" That's true. Why make things complicated right? "

" Yup. "

" Anyway, I'm not regretting any of it. Travis is a good man. And he's understanding me all the time. Unlike those other men I know who cheated and beat up their wives, I'm glad he's the one I've got to marry. "

" Well, I can see that he is indeed a good person not just because we're cousins. " Mirage thriftly smiles and Chloe smiles with her.

" And a good person isn't hard to learn to love. "

" I bet that's true. "

And then they decided to go to Mirage's room to put Euphemia down to her bed. She's fast asleep as the two women talk about everything and anything.

As they arrive at her room, Chloe roams her eyes.

" Hey, can I check your closet? "

" Ha? Ah, sure. "

Chloe excitedly walks toward the door of her built-in closet. Mirage carefully put down Euphemia in her crib. And a loud squeal was heard from the closet. Mirage quickly ordered the nanny to watch out for her baby and then she ran towards the closet.

" What happened? Are you alright? "

" What is this? Why do you only have tshirts, sweatpants and pajamas here? "

Chloe said while pointing disgustingly at her clothes. Mirage can't help but smack her own forehead lightly.

" Oh my goodness. " she whispered in disbelief.

" This is a crime, Mir. "

" Stop being so dramatic, Chloe. " she said as she can't stop rolling her eyes at Chloe's antics.

" I'd rather wear those pajamas and shirts than a hospital gown, okay? "

" Well, you have a point but. Ahhh! I can't take this. Let me get out of here! '' and she went stomping out of the built-in closet. Leaving Mirage alone.

She sighs.

"I swear, she is impossible. " she muttered to herself before she followed the woman who was throwing tantrums over a bunch of clothes inside her closet.

She found Chloe standing at the veranda fanning herself with her hands.

" I swear, Mirage. This is the first time. This is the very first time I saw something like that. "

" I can't really see what's wrong with my clothes, they're comfortable. "

Chloe shut her eyes up suppressing her irritation, I guess.

" Does your injury have something to do with your taste? "

" Who knows? " Mirage just shrugged.

" I get it that those are comfortable. Way better than a hospital gown as you say. " she said while rolling her eyes. " But for goodness sake! Does it have to be a dozen of black, a dozen of gray and a dozen of white? Don't you know any other colors? Have you gotten colorblind? Those colors are so depressing! " she said without a break.

Mirage was dumbfounded. So that's her problem? The colors? She sighed.

" You know what? You're being funny and dramatic at the same time. I only let the maids buy me clothes because I am not yet able to get out. I don't want to wear clothes that I don't like of course. So I chose the generics. The basics. The simplest. Okay? "

" Not really. I still can't take it. A beautifully built, built-in closet was wasted! "

" Oh shut up. What do you want to do then? "

And there. In just a snap. Chloe's frown vanished into thin air and her lips were curled into her beautifullest, if there such word, smile that she ever let Mirage see.

" Oh crap. I feel like I've fallen into a trap. " Mirage cursed under her breath.

" Let's go shopping!!! "

Chloe screams gleefully.

" Sheesh. Stay quiet, Euphy is sleeping! " Mirage just said. Defeated.