All Chapters of Let The Years Be: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Helen blew up Stephen's phone with frantic calls, but he just could not bring himself to answer.The vibe at the Lagoon View Villa was the same—chilly and deserted.It did not seem to matter where they were, the emptiness was the same.Only when the night deepened and the chill became too much to bear did they finally head back to the villa.As they opened the door, they found Helen, curled up and snoozing on the couch, the soft glow of the villa's lights casting a warm, if not slightly somber, ambiance.However, neither Andrew nor Stephen could care less about the cozy scene."Why aren't you in bed?"Stephen's voice was laced with exhaustion and a hint of annoyance. Babysitting a sick person was the last thing he wanted to do.Without a word to Helen, Andrew strode off to his room, his parting shot harsh and clear. "Go to bed on time. Stop waiting for us."Helen, huddled on the couch, was taken aback.What changed? Andrew and Stephen used to be so kind to her. Could Chloe's

Stephen was rooted to the spot, his expression cycling through disbelief, anger, and hurt.Finally, he forced a smile so pained it was worse than if he had burst into tears.He struggled to find his voice. "Chloe, where'd you dig up this guy? His acting is terrible, cut the act."Even with the rings and the marriage certificate glaringly obvious, he could not accept it.Chloe had not expected to run into them so soon, but she had long since decided she was done with them."He's not some actor I hired. Sorry to burst your bubble. As you can see, I'm married."Her tone was nonchalant as she casually showed off the marriage certificate to Andrew and Stephen.Jeffrey casually slid his arm around Chloe's waist and gave a polite nod to the pair."Hey, there. I'm Chloe's husband, Jeffrey."His eyes were a soft shade of amber, and with a dismissive glance at Andrew and Stephen, he exuded an effortless superiority.Andrew's eyes narrowed, a flash of anger burning inside him. He fought

Andrew and Stephen had made a pact. Whoever Chloe picked, the other guy would shove all those pesky feelings aside and stick to being just a regular friend.However, what they had not seen coming was Chloe not picking either of them.Why did things go down like that? How did their grand plan flop so spectacularly?Exchanging glances, Andrew and Stephen each felt a twinge of blame.Why did they ever think that the bet was a good idea?If only they had been a bit earlier, or a bit later, maybe they could have kept their calm trio going. Anything was better than that awkwardness, where just trying to hang out was like pulling teeth.The helicopter touched down on the roof of the Lagoon View Villa with a thud.The bodyguards tossed them out without a shred of dignity, and the helicopter was back in the air before they could even dust themselves off.The thumping of the rotors had Helen racing upstairs to see what was up, and she teared up when she saw Andrew and Stephen tied up."

The investigation results came in the next day.As soon as Helen stepped into Chloe's company, she zeroed in on her.Chloe had that classy vibe, always dressed to the nines, and she spoke with such grace.Right off the bat, Helen pegged her as a rich kid.All Helen did was play the sympathy card in front of Chloe, shedding a few tears every so often. She even paid people to pretend to be her parents and call Chloe, who fell for it and took Helen under her wing.However, it was not until Helen was hanging around Chloe and met Andrew and Stephen that she realized just how high Chloe's family flew.Andrew was a guy Helen had only seen in those glossy finance magazines.Stephen was Marina City's star racer, the guy whose face plastered the walls and had the city buzzing.Jealousy ate Helen up inside. She could not believe that the very people she would never be able to charm were all flocking around Chloe.Feeling totally shafted, Helen latched onto Chloe, pouring out her sob stor

Without a second thought, Lily grabbed Helen's collar and dunked her head into the fountain. The water was not rushing, but it filled Helen's lungs, each gulp more agonizing than the last. After what felt like an eternity, Lily yanked her back up. "How's that for a taste of Chloe's nightmare? So close to making it, yet totally helpless!"With a look of pure disgust, Lily dropped Helen like a sack of potatoes and dusted off her pristine hands."Stephen, Andrew, since when does making a girl jealous clarify your feelings for another? Idiots! No shocker Chloe ditched you for Jeffrey from Kingston City," Lily spat out, done making excuses for her son. Teresa, ever the picture of grace, simply nodded in agreement. "You both crossed a line. Chloe's moved on, married and all. It's high time you left her be."Andrew's gaze was lowered, his eyes a storm of flickering emotions that he kept to himself. Stephen clenched his jaw, his lips pressed into a thin line, defiance written all ov