Falling for Him Head over Heels(6)

14

If not him, who else could it be?

I wanted to question him. Presumably, the drunkenness made me recall how I had been flustered and ashamed that afternoon.

More than a month had passed. Even so, I dared not mention what had happened that day to my mother.

Only when I occasionally found that she was staring out of the window in a daze did I realize that she had never let go of her feelings for Rory.

At this moment, I couldn't say whether I blamed myself or hated Cruz more.

In an instant, I was too weak to confront him.

I just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

I looked at him wearily, saying, "No matter who released the photo, your father and my mother were over. So were you and I. Many girls have a crush on you. Cruz Chow, you don't need to pester me."

He looked down and lifted his head after a while. As he looked at me, he appeared aggrieved and wronged.

"It's the same for you, sis. You've hooked up with so many young boys, so you've never needed me, right?"

"You got it right."

Looking at me for a moment, he sneered and left without looking back.

Standing where I was, I watched him disappear at the exit of the parking lot. After a long time, I moved and walked home slowly.

When I got home, I found that my mother had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room.

I kicked off my high heels, walked over, and gently woke her up, saying, "Mom, I'm back. Go to bed."

She opened her sleepy eyes and said, "Chloe, why is it so late?"

"Yes, I'm busy working overtime."

I helped her to the bedroom and watched her lie down and fall asleep again. Then, I put down my bag, went to take a shower, and got changed.

After taking a shower, I picked up my cellphone and found that Stella had called me twice and sent me several messages.

I quickly replied, "Don't worry, I'm safe."

Her reply came in an instant, "I was scared to death! Lebron said that another little boy took you away, and you didn't answer my call. I thought something had happened to you."

"I'm safe and sound."

"If there's nothing else, go to bed early. By the way, Lebron asked me if you changed your phone number. I told him no. I guess he must still have feelings for you."

As soon as she finished speaking, I saw Lebron's friend request on Facebook.

After hesitating for a moment, I accepted the request. Lebron quickly messaged me an emoji and asked, "Chloe, are you home?"

"Yes, I'm going to bed."

"Is the man at the door of the bar your boyfriend? Did you two quarrel?"

I held my cell phone and hesitated for a moment. Thinking that it was too complicated to explain this matter, I replied, "Sort of."

He typed for a long time and then sent a message: "Chloe, I don't think he respects you given what he did today."

...

Lebron was as simple as ever. I could see through what he was trying to imply at a glance.

But he seemed to think that he had done a good job and continued, "Actually, I was worried when I saw that you were drunk tonight, so I wanted to send you home. I didn't expect him to misunderstand me. Chloe, I don't think he trusts you at all."

...

At this moment, Lebron Floyd, who had been loyal to me from the very beginning, was right beside me. For some unknown reason, I thought of Cruz Chow instead.

I remembered that night when the lights were blurred. Due to my misunderstanding and his deliberate seduction, we two began to be involved in each other's lives. Under the influence of alcohol, we indulged ourselves and let the situation get out of control.

That night, in addition to the swaying lights and shadows, there was only me reflected clearly in his eyes.

When I came to my senses, I suddenly didn't want to read Lebron's message anymore. I sent him a message, saying that it was late and I should go to bed early.

Then I threw the cell phone under the pillow.

I had a beautiful dream. The next morning, I rubbed my throbbing temples and sat at the dining table. The doorbell suddenly rang.

My mother went to open the door. Soon, a familiar voice came from the door, "Daisy, I'm here to send the car keys that Chloe left behind last night."

15

I choked on a mouthful of milk and coughed violently as I strode to the door. After snatching the car keys from Cruz, I was about to close the door.

Surprisingly, my mom stopped me.

She looked at Cruz with a torn look before stepping aside to make way for him. And she said, "Come in."

Cruz entered the room and closed the door behind him

The three of us stood at the narrow entrance at once, having no room to move around.

Cruz was very tall. Standing in front of my mother, who was shorter than him, he looked docile.

"Daisy, I'm sorry to disturb you so early. I was just worried that Chloe couldn't find the car keys since she needs a car today."

His words sounded meaningful.

Lebron was indeed no match for him in terms of being elusive.

He sat obediently on the sofa, and my mom went to the kitchen to get some water. I quickly followed her.

"Mom, why did you invite him in?"

She paused and looked up at me, saying, "You've been feeling uneasy for more than a month. Isn't it because of him?"

"I... I'm not..."

...

When I denied it diffidently, my mother patted my hand and whispered, "I know that Cruz has never wanted me to marry Rory. Now it's impossible for us to be together. If you still like him, you can talk."

I felt a lump in my throat, saying, "But he released the photo."

"Then ask him in person and see how he will explain it. Then you can decide whether to forgive him or not."

She carried a glass of water and walked out first, saying, "Cruz, I'll go out and buy some groceries first. If you have anything to say to Chloe, take your time."

However, Cruz suddenly reached out to stop her.

"Don't bother, Auntie. In fact, I also want to treat you to a meal today to apologize for my insensibility before."

I was incredulous that he would be so considerate and sensible.

Soon, he drove us to a restaurant with good vibes in the city center.

The lights in the restaurant were warm. After sitting down, I found a rose in the white porcelain vase on the table.

All of these indicated that this restaurant was for couples to date.

Just as I was wondering why he had brought my mother and me here for a meal, I followed his gaze and looked at the window on the side. Suddenly, I was stunned on the spot.

There were two people sitting by the window, and their every move indicated they were intimate.

The woman in the white dress was intellectual and beautiful, while the elegant man in the suit opposite her was familiar to all three of us.

When I came to my senses, I turned to look at my mother, only to see her pale face.

I grabbed her cold hand and heard her ask Cruz, "After your dad and I were separated, he finds a new lover so quickly?"

Cruz was silent for a moment.

"Auntie, she's not a newcomer. When she was with my dad, you hadn't moved out of my house yet.

"The guests at the banquet that day weren't relatives of mine. I wasn't the one who put the photo on the projector.

"He just feels that you are forcing him to get married and wants to get rid of you once and for all."

My mother's lips trembled. She suddenly stood up, shook off my hand, and walked to the table of the couple. After picking up the champagne on the table, she splashed it on Rory's face.

"Rory Chow, you're shameless!

"If you don't want to marry me, just tell me. You took advantage of my daughter's reputation. Who do you think you are?"

She was burning with anger. Rory was stunned for a moment before glancing over quickly.

At the sight of Cruz, he frowned slightly and regained his composure.

"Daisy Shawn, I'm glad that I didn't marry you." He shook his head and took out a tissue to wipe the wine off his face.

"I'll tell you the truth. Will you listen? As for your daughter, she deliberately seduced my son. I don't have to ruin her reputation."

My mother roared at him, "You're talking nonsense! Your son, a grown-up man, is 6 feet tall. Can't he push a girl away? He took advantage of her, and now he is showing off. You and your son are birds of a feather!"

Hearing the commotion, a waiter came over and politely asked my mother out.

I quickly chased after my mother.

When we entered the elevator and turned around, I found that Cruz had caught up with us.

"Chloe."

I raised my hand to stop him, saying, "You knew early that your father was a jerk. He has been dating several women at the same time, right?"

"I."

"That night, in the private room of the restaurant, you deliberately waited for me at the door, didn't you?"

When the elevator stopped, he shook his head. It seemed that he wanted to defend himself.

Smiling, I took my mother's hand and walked out.

"Cruz Chow, I'm seriously telling you, this matter ends here. Don't contact me again."

16

After getting into the car, my mother hugged my arm and burst out crying.

She sobbed as she said, "Chloe, it's my fault. I am 50 years old, but I still get cheated. It is because of me that they ruined your reputation."

I shook my head hard and said, "Mom, don't say so. You did nothing wrong."

My mother had done nothing wrong.

Rory Chow was shameless. Cruz Chow looked on coldly, while I was frivolous and indulgent.

In this complicated relationship, she was the only one who did nothing wrong.

After we got home, my mother was sick. I asked for leave from the company and took care of her at home for a few days.

After she recovered, she seemed to have changed into another person. She was no longer looking forward to love like a childish girl.

Instead, she was an indifferent middle-aged woman who had seen through everything.

One day, when I came back from work, my mother mentioned Cruz at the dinner table.

"He actually moved into our residential quarter. Who knows what he's up to now?

"Like father, like son. Chloe, don't let him cheat on you again."

I swallowed the pasta and said, "Okay."

After dinner, I went downstairs to throw away the garbage, only to run into Cruz by the flower bed.

He had been slender before, but now he had lost a lot of weight, rendering him haggard and desolate.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and retracted my gaze. After throwing away the trash, I turned around and walked back.

He caught up with her, saying aggrievedly, "Chloe, I want to talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about." I looked steadily forward, adding, "My mother told me not to interact with you guys with the surname Chow."

In the next few days, I could see him standing downstairs from time to time when I went to work or came back from work. He seemed to be waiting for me. After I reprimanded him, he didn't dare to go forward.

It was already early winter. On this day, the sky was gloomy when I got off work and went home. There were layers of thick, dark clouds in the sky, as if there would be heavy snow at any time.

I wrapped my coat tightly around myself, walked out of the underground parking lot, and headed for the door of the building in a hurry, only to see Cruz standing at the corner with a big cake box in his hand.

Today was indeed my birthday, but my mother had prepared a table of food for me at home, so I passed by him without looking sideways.

After going upstairs, I saw my mother boiling soup in the kitchen. I took an orange, walked to the window, peeled it, and casually looked down.

It turned out that Cruz was still standing there motionlessly.

I was a little stunned. Then my mother in the dining hall called me, "Chloe, the soup is ready. I've unwrapped the cake for you. Hurry up and blow out the candles."

...

Halfway through the meal, I saw that it had begun to snow heavily outside.

I could tell with my rationality that a spoiled young man like Cruz couldn't stand such heavy snow. He must have gone back a long time ago.

Emotionally, I couldn't control myself. From time to time, I wanted to take a look outside through the window.

I finished my dinner uneasily and planned to go to the kitchen to help my mother wash the dishes, but she handed me half a bag of garbage, telling me to throw it downstairs.

I felt relieved and walked out with the garbage. When I walked out of the unit door and threw away the garbage, I found Cruz standing in his previous position.

A thin layer of snow had fallen on his shoulders and the top of his hair. Even his long eyelashes were dripping with melted water.

My heart skipped a beat. Finally, I couldn't help but walk over and glare at him, saying, "Cruz Chow, are you crazy? Do you think you're acting in some sad TV series? It's snowing so heavily. Why don't you go home? Why are you standing here?"

He looked up at me and handed over the cake box in his hand. His lips had turned pale from the cold, and he said with difficulty, "Chloe, happy birthday."

"You should go home."

He didn't listen to me. Instead, he continued, "Actually, it is my 19th birthday today.

"When my mother gave birth to me 19 years ago, she died on such a snowy day."

I was dumbfounded on the spot.

In front of me, he was still standing with his back straight, looking gentle and harmless. He reminded me of a stray cat baring its belly at me on a rainy day.

He was showing weakness, which couldn't be more obvious.

I felt a little bitter in the deepest part of my heart. In the end, I resigned myself to my fate and walked over. After taking the cake box from his hand, which had even been frozen stiff, I said, "Let's go home first."