Ch. 11..15: Divorced My Scum Husband, Married His Evil brother Chapter 11-15

Chapter 11

"It's okay, Mommy. Daddy took me to play in the mall! But I'm tired now. Can we go home, Mommy?"

Chloe's face paled instantly.

She looked at her daughter, and her words were stuck in her throat.

She hesitated for a moment since Mackenzie was too young to know about the problem that forced them to leave their beautiful home.

"S—Sweetheart, what do you think about a little vacation?"

"Vacation?" Mackenzie tilted her head as she got confused. "Mommy, Mackie has school tomorrow. Mackie can't go!"

"Ah, this is just a short vacation, like a picnic! We'll live somewhere else for a while, but not too far from your school!" Chloe tried to keep up with the smile, just enough to fool her daughter.

"Oh, that sounds fun! Daddy will go picnic with us too?"

"Ah, your Dad is busy as always…." Chloe glanced at the baggage beside her daughter and pulled it towards her side. "That's why he brought your bag! Because I already told him that we will go to a picnic for a while!"

"Aw…" Mackie pouted. "Daddy never plays with us…."

"Well, he is busy working for you," Chloe said, though she was absolutely disgusted whenever she talked about Vincent. "Let's go now."

Mackenzie nodded, and they left the party through the backdoor. Chloe ordered an uber, and they hopped in.

They arrived in front of the motel, and Chloe carried the baggage while they entered the motel lobby.

Chloe gave a thin smile to the receptionist and headed straight to her room.

Mackenzie was looking around. She didn't understand why her Mommy would bring her to an old place like this. There were many dirt, dust, and creepy people that Mackie wasn't used to.

"Mommy, why is this hotel so scary?" Mackie asked as she hastened her small steps to hog on Mommy's hand.

"Ah, well, we're not going to the usual hotel vacation, remember?" Chloe said. She unlocked her room and entered with Mackenzie.

Mackenzie looked around the shabby motel room, "Mommy, this room is so small…."

"It's fine. It's comfortable for two of us, right?" Chloe tried to ignore her daughter's various questions that choked her, and she opened Mackie's baggage.

She sighed in relief because at least Vincent had put all the necessary school uniforms and clothes for Mackie, including all her school books.

Though, she also noticed that Vincent didn't pack any of the toys and luxurious clothes that he bought for Mackie;

'Maybe he wants to force me to return, in case Mackie wants the toys and all her expensive stuff back.'

'Fine, if that's how he wants to play this. I will try to find a good job, enough to provide for us both.'

Mackie climbed the bed and sat on it. She was a little disappointed because the bed wasn't comfortable, but her attention was shifted to her Mommy.

"Mommy is getting skinnier again…" Mackenzie commented.

"Ah, ahahaha… it's fine, Mackie."

"Mommy should eat. Mommy throws up a lot!" Mackie said. She might be young, but she witnessed her mother going in and out of the toilet almost every day because she would throw up all her food.

Mackie didn't understand why would her Mommy do that, but whenever Daddy was home, Mommy's gagging up schedule would double.

"We will eat after this, okay?" Chloe said.

p "Um!"

**

This was the first time her Mommy had ever brought her to a shabby place like this. But she didn't mind, as long as Mommy was always with her. Though she already missed her Daddy, she could live for a while without her Daddy's presence because she was used to his absence.

Chloe changed her dress to a regular shirt and jeans, and they walked to the nearest 7-Eleven and bought two sandwiches.

Chloe and Mackie sat at the table inside the store. Chloe kept glancing at her daughter, afraid that her daughter wouldn't like the store-bought sandwiches. Since Chloe always cooked for her family, especially for Mackenize. Even when they were eating out in a restaurant, they always went to an expensive one.

"Do you like it?" Chloe asked.

"Umm… Mommy's food is better!" Mackie said. But she still ate the sandwich. She saw her Mommy only eating half of the sandwich. "Mommy, eat more!"

Chloe shook her head and pushed the sandwich to Mackie, "You eat it. Mommy is not hungry anymore.'

Mackenzie puffed her cheeks. Her Mommy always did this whenever they were eating anything, but she always ate everything because Mommy would vomit again if she ate more than that.

Chloe bought a few necessities before returning to their motel. She locked the door and told her daughter, "Do you have homework, Mackie?"

Mackenzie nodded.

"Then I will check your homework after you're done."

"Okay!" Mackenzie took out her book from her bag and sat on the carpet, doing her homework.

Chloe's smile faded a little when she saw her daughter. She couldn't stay like this. She refused to let her daughter live a difficult life because of her choice.

'I need to get a job in less than three days,' Chloe thought. She opened her phone and started checking the job application on the internet. She had already sent a few of her online curriculum vitae to some companies. She was willing to work on anything, even as a cleaning service. Because all she could care about right now was money and her daughter's wellbeing.

She also searched for a few places that accepted a walk-in-interview. She was a little hesitant about a walk-in interview, knowing those usually expected youngsters than a woman in her thirties like her.

But she would try anything, anything for her daughter!

Chapter 12

"Thirty-five years old?" the HR interviewer frowned when she read Choe's curriculum vitae. She looked at Chloe sitting on the chair in front of her and then at the document in her hand.

"Wow, I have to admit that you look younger than your age, but…" the interviewer put the paper down and sighed, "I can't hire you."

"Ah, don't worry, I can work in anything here—"

"No, there is only one opening here, to be the receptionist, and the age limit is twenty-seven years old. You're way past that," the HR interviewer said. She put the document on the table and pushed it to Chloe. "I suggest you search somewhere else for work. Maybe to a daycare? I mean, they would certainly accept a thirty-five years old woman with little job competence."

Chloe sighed. She thanked the interviewer and left the office.

Chloe drank from a water bottle that she refilled from the nearest water fountain and checked her phone.

"It's been three days," she said. She started to lose hope as she had been job hunting around to no avail. Of course, they could take her even though she had no competence for some low-paying jobs.

But there was always a better candidate, younger, more beautiful, more vigorous, and a university graduate.

"I don't have much savings as well…" Chloe mumbled. Of course, she got a text from Vincent this morning;

— Bastard Vincent —

Giving up now?

I know that you'll return anyway. A little dumb bitch like you think you can get a job outside? Come on, how can you be so naive?

Return to me with Mackie. As long as you beg, I will forgive you.

—

"In your dream, asshat!" Chloe cursed as she texted back. She saw that it was already evening and she had to pick up Mackie from her school.

…

Chloe waited in front of the gate for Mackenzie to return. She thought that Mackie would greet her with a smile on her face, but Chloe could see the sulking from far away.

Mackie sulked as she walked out of the gate, and she sulked even more, when she saw her Mommy.

"Oh, dear, what's wrong?" Chloe asked as she caressed Mackie's head.

"Mommy, I pushed Jaden today."

"Jaden? Your friend? Why?"

"He said that her Mommy kissed Daddy…." Mackie reported. "It's not true, right? Why would Daddy kiss Jackson's Mommy? I don't understand…."

…

Chloe could only stay silent because that was true. Jada Jackson was one of Chloe's acquaintances. She met her during a teacher-parent meeting in school about a year ago.

She attended that event with Vincent back then, and his eyes were always on Jada Jackson. So it wasn't surprising when Jada called Chloe about a year ago and said Vincent and her had a fling, apparently.

Jada said she wanted to inform Chloe because Vincent said that his wife was used to seeing him cheating, so it didn't matter. Of course this news hurt her so much when she heard it for the first time, but she grew nonchalant overtime.

Jada Jackson was just one of Vincent's flings anyway, she didn't matter.

No woman mattered for him.

"Mommy? It's not true, right?"

"A-Ah, of course, it's not true, dear," Chloe held Mackie's hand, and they walked to the Uber that Chloe had ordered. They drove back to the motel.

Mackie was still pondering, "But Jaden said that he saw it with his own eyes. He said that Daddy kissed his Mommy last night in their living room!" Mackie said as she followed her Mommy inside.

Chloe finally turned around and crouched in front of Mackie, "Maybe Jaden is just playing pranks on you. Don't think about it too much, okay? Your Daddy is busy, as always."

…

"Okay, Mommy…"

Chloe had to admit that she didn't feel much knowing that Vincent was sleeping with Jada Jackson last night. Knowing how much of a bastard he was.

When you got used to something, you saw it as something trivial;

'Heh, I would be more surprised if Vincent suddenly decides to be a good husband and father. That'd be more shocking than him sticking his dick everywhere."

…

"Mommy, when will we leave this place?" Mackie asked as they were watching TV together.

"Hm? Why do you ask? Do you not like it here?" Chloe returned the question, and she glanced at Mackie, who was still sulking.

"No, I don't like it. So many scary people in here…" Mackie replied. "Can we return home instead? I don't want this picnic anymore…."

"We can't return home, Mack. Daddy is uh… leaving to another country this morning. He told us to go on a picnic..."

"Then, can we go to a picnic somewhere else?"

"… That would need to wait, okay?"

Mackenzie sulked again after realizing that she would be stuck here for a while. She stopped watching the TV and pulled the blanket instead, ending the conversation immediately without any answer.

Chloe sighed. She knew that she was already at her wit's end. She didn't have enough money to stay in this motel for more than a week. She couldn't return to her mother because her little sister and her family were already living in her mother's house right now.

Besides, if her mother knew about this whole thing, she would be calling Vincent and be the one who begged Vincent to take her daughter back to the house.

…

Chloe slid into the drawer beside her bed and picked up the business card handed to her by Vernon on Dorothea Gray's birthday.

"That man…" Chloe started imagining the face of that man again. Of course, she could see his face on the internet. Vernon Phoenix Gray was infamous for dating various actresses.

But seeing his face in real life, she realized that Vernon was a lot more… charismatic. He had short black hair and jet black eyes. He was clean-shaven, so Chloe could see all of his facial features.

His facial features reminded her of one actor, Henry Cavill.

His eyes were deep, and he had this… somewhat dangerous aura, even if he tried to be nice in front of her.

"That dangerous aura…." Chloe looked up, staring at the ceiling as she tried to process what would she do next. "Maybe because he is Vincent's brother, it's the same dangerous aura I sense with Vincent."

…

"Maybe they're the same bastards. They're brothers, after all. But I have to take any job that I can land. But, I think Vernon and Vincent aren't close, even before Vernon left for a long time. Vincent told me once that Vernon never likes to talk with him.""

Chloe turned her head to the left, staring at Mackenzie, who was already sleeping.

"But I need to take the chance."

Chloe decided to put Vernon's office number on her phone. She planned to call his office tomorrow morning.

Chapter 13

"Remember to ignore Jaden if he says something weird, okay?" Chloe said as she walked her daughter to the front gate of the school. "Don't get into trouble."

"But, Jaden is wrong, Mommy…."

"Well, sometimes, you should not react to someone playing pranks on you. Jaden will forget about you once he realizes that you're not paying attention to him, understand?"

"Un…" Mackenzie nodded. She still felt that Jaden was the wrong one, but her Mommy was never wrong, so she just followed her words.

After sending Mackie to school, Chloe sat inside the nearest convenience store and called Vernon's office number.

After a few beeps, the call was connected.

—

"Goldenstar CEO's office, good morning. This is Diamond speaking. How may I help you?" the secretary answered the call professionally.

"Ah— uhm…" Chloe got tongue-tied suddenly because she didn't expect the phone call to directly connect to Vernon's office. She thought that it would be connected to the main receptionist.

"Hello?"

"I—Is this Vernon Phoenix Gray's office?" Chloe asked awkwardly. She was trying to find good words to say that she wanted to meet him.

"Yes, Ma'am, this is Mr. Phoenix Gray's office. How may I help you?"

"I— I uh…." Chloe swallowed her saliva hard and mustered her courage. "I want to meet with Vernon Phoenix Gray."

"Do you have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Gray, Ma'am? May I know your name and your company? So I can match it in my computer."

"I… I don't have a meeting scheduled. But he said that I can always call him since he gave me his business card."

…

The secretary across the call went silent for a few seconds. Chloe heard the sound of typing on the computer keyboard on the line, which made Chloe even more nervous, "Hello?"

"Ma'am, may I know your name?"

"Chloe…"

"Which Chloe? There are so many Chloes here," the secretary asked.

'So many Chloes? What does that mean?' Chloe wondered. But she dared not waste the secretary's time, worried that it might annoy the secretary. "My name is Chloe Carlson."

"Chloe Carlson? I'm sorry, Ma'am, there is no Chloe Carlson on Mr. Phoenix Gray's list. I cannot direct you to him."

'What list?'

The more she heard it, the more confused she got. But she felt that she had to use that cursed name once more. Maybe it would help her since she was bearing the important name of Vernon's family.

"How about Chloe Gray?" Chloe asked.

"Wha— Chloe Gray?!" the secretary panicked instantly. Chloe heard even louder keyboard typing, and the secretary's voice turned sweeter than before. "Mrs. Chloe Gray, Mr. Phoenix Gray's sister-in-law?"

"Yes."

"A—Alright, Mrs. Gray. You can come anytime you want. Do you need a car to pick you up?"

"Eh? N—No, I can come on my own."

"Okay, the address is—"

The secretary gave out the office's address, though Chloe already knew it. After they talked, the secretary asked if Chloe would come today, and she said yes.

"Okay, Mrs. Chloe Gray, I will wait in the lobby for your arrival."

"Isn't that a bit… too much?" Chloe wondered. Vincent also owned a few companies, and in his main company, Chloe was free to use his private lift to reach Vincent's office.

But none of Vincent's secretaries would wait in the lobby like Vernon's secretary did to him.

"Not at all, Mrs. Gray. It's just how we operate."

"Uhm, okay… I would probably arrive around nine," Chloe said as she checked her Lyft.

"Okay, I will be waiting, Mrs. Chloe Gray."

Beep.

—

"Huh, that secretary is so weird. Did Vernon tell her that I would come? But he is a busy man. There is no way that he would remember about me too much," Chloe commented as she ordered a Lyft and hopped in. She pondered during the whole ride.

'Maybe Vernon already expects my arrival?'

…

'Nah, that's not possible. He is too busy for that.'

The car stopped in front of the office. Chloe got off and stared at the tall building in front of her.

She clenched her bag strap and walked in.

She saw a gorgeous African-American woman with long hair and a slim-fit blazer already standing in the middle of the lobby. She was probably in her mid-twenties and had a nametag on her chest.

- Diamond J.

Secretary. -

Diamond approached Chloe immediately and offered her hand, "Good morning, Mrs. Gray. My name is Diamond. I'm the secretary you talked with on the phone before."

Chloe accepted the handshake, "I'm Chloe… Gray."

"Yes, please follow me, Mrs. Gray."

Diamond led Chloe to the private lift, and they went to the top of the office building. Diamond brought her to a spacious office, bigger than Vincent's office, for some reason. There was also a wide glass pane that showed the city view below.

"Please sit down, Mrs. Gray. Do you want tea or coffee?"

"Ah, I don't need one, thank you," Chloe refused politely. "Where is Vernon— I mean, Mr. Phoenix Gray?"

"Mr. Phoenix Gray has a meeting right now, but he will be available in about twenty minutes. Please sit patiently, do not touch anything."

Chloe nodded, and Diamond finally left her alone in this office.

Chloe sat for a while and looked around. The office was wide, decorated with beautiful ornaments like expensive paintings and weird, a few artistic statues that she didn't understand.

But the main attraction in her eyes was a door at the corner of the room. It was a beautifully carved door, complete with that fingerprint door lock. She had this ominous feeling as she continued staring.

Her imagination started running wild, thinking that Vernon might be hiding something crazy there. Nobody in the family knew what Vincent was doing other than everything told on social media. Many people, including Vincent, said that Vernon had so many secrets they didn't know.

'He… he didn't keep a corpse inside, right?' Chloe thought of many crazy ideas. She got up, wanting to check the carved door. But before she could take one step towards the carved door, she heard a voice from behind;

"I thought my secretary told you to sit down and wait, Sister-in-law."

Chapter 14

"I thought my secretary told you to sit down and wait, Sister-in-law."

Chloe heard a voice from behind. She turned her head and froze on the spot when she saw Vernon Phoenix Gray standing at the opened door.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Vernon. I was just… just…." Chloe got tongue-tied now as she got nervous. She was unsure on how to make it less awkward as Vernon caught her prying around the room, even wanting to check a door.

Vernon looked at her with a smile, but his eyes were dangerously staring at Chloe, making sure that Chloe didn't move an inch from her position, "Sit down, and I will talk to you."

"Y—Yes!" Chloe reacted spontaneously. She sat on the seat again and heard Vernon's steady footsteps as he walked past her. Vernon sat on the opposite seat, only a few inches away from hers.

He leaned on the backrest and crossed his legs as he stared at Chloe with his brooding gaze, a gaze that made Chloe feel even more nervous than before.

Vernon was still in his suit, with his short hair combed to the back. He was wearing rimless glasses at work. Vernon still had a thin smile as he opened his mouth, "I'm glad that you called, Sister-in-law. It's been a long time since we talked, right?"

"Y—You can call me by my name…." Chloe requested as she felt awkward when Vernon continuously called her sister-in-law.

They hadn't been in contact for years, more than ten years, in fact. So it felt a bit awkward for him to keep addressing her as sister-in-law.

Other than that, Chloe wouldn't be his Sister-in-law after she divorced Vincent.

"No, I like to call you sister-in-law. It reminds me that you're married to my brother," Vernon replied. His thin smile disappeared for a split second before he smiled again, but his eyes darkened as he mentioned 'marriage.'

Chloe felt uncomfortable talking about her marriage. She wanted to say that she was already in the divorce process with Vincent.

'But I am going to ask for a job from Vernon, which is Vincent's little brother. Would he give me a job if he knows that I'm going to leave Vincent?'

Chloe started weighing the pros and cons of her decision and decided not to tell Vernon about it.

She needed a job badly. She didn't care whether Vernon would fire her after knowing the truth. At least she could save a lot of money before that happened.

But of course, she had to play it safe, making sure that Vernon wouldn't notice her desperation too quickly. Maybe a little chitchat would help.

"Vernon, you were like… a teenager when the last time I saw you before you left? Maybe you're around thirteen to fourteen years old? Look at how you've grown to be such a dashing man!" Chloe praised Vernon, hoping that would make the CEO relax a bit.

But Vernon didn't react much. He only grinned and replied, "Do I look handsome and big now?"

"U—uh, yea, you're a big man now, hahaha…" Chloe laughed awkwardly. She felt that Vernon's eyes were too focused on her and her body, making her nervous and self-conscious. She looked down to avoid his gaze and checked on her appearance.

'Did I wear the wrong outfit? No, I'm wearing a tucked striped long shirt and jeans. It shouldn't be too shabby.'

'Maybe he thought that I'm too old or ugly to work here. He is Vincent's brother, so he must be judging me from my body right now, just like Vincent usually did.'

"I'm a big man, indeed," Vernon finally relaxed. "Sister-in-law, what brings you here?"

"Ah, I just want to catch up—"

"Catch up? You come here only for chatting? Both of us know that you have a more urgent matter, right?" Vernon said. Chloe raised her head immediately and saw Vernon smiling meaningfully at her. "I mean, it's just a little illogical that you would call your estranged brother-in-law just to chat, right? I gave you my business card in case you need help."

Her breath stiffened for a few seconds. She really thought that Vernon already knew about the whole thing. But he made sense because Vernon was seriously estranged from his family, let alone with a mere in-law like Chloe.

To come here only for chitchat sounded stupid.

"Don't worry. I'm always open to listen to your request. We're a family, after all," Vernon assured.

Vernon was right. She had to strike while the iron was hot. Vernon seemed to be more reasonable than Vincent. Surely, he would help, right?

Chloe took a deep breath, prepared herself, and uttered her real reason, "I… I need a job."

Chapter 15

"I… I need a job."

"A job?" Vernon raised his brow. "Why would you need a job? My brother has given you anything that you want, right? His inheritance alone would be enough to give you a lavish lifestyle, and he is also good at managing his business."

Chloe swallowed her saliva hard. Vernon was undoubtedly correct. Vincent's money was enough to give her a lavish lifestyle until her old days.

But that wasn't really what Chloe wanted.

Chloe married Vincent for his love. Money was just a bonus. But now, even the bonus wouldn't be able to cover the hole in her heart.

Vernon noticed that Chloe got tongue-tied suddenly. Thus, he fished for more information, "Is there any problem with him?"

"A—Ah, no, not at all…." Chloe tried to dodge it. But her nervousness should be telling already. "I—I just want to work. I've been a housewife for so long, I want to work to keep myself busy."

"Being a housewife is already hard work, is it not? You have to take care of everything in the house, on top of caring for your daughter," Vernon said. He was satisfied as he saw Chloe getting more and more nervous. "Don't you think you should focus on raising your daughter first? I can give you a job later—"

"N—No! I need it now!" Chloe reacted as she was about to get turned down by Vernon. But she zipped her mouth instantly as she saw the smirk on Vernon's face as if she had been led by her nose.

"What's with the urgency? I can always give you a job if it's urgent, but…." Vernon got up from the seat. He walked past Chloe and stood right behind her seat.

Vernon put his hands on the backrest of her chair. His finger touched Chloe's shoulder, which made her hunch her shoulder immediately, trying to avoid his touch.

She knew that Vernon wasn't interested in her. He had ladies in stock. He could sleep with anyone he wanted. But to feel Vernon's aura behind her already made her heartbeat accelerate.

She looked down and felt even smaller, with Vernon's eyes burning through her skin as she felt his hooded eyes looking down at her.

"I want your honesty, sister-in-law," Vernon said. He stared down at Chloe, and his pupils dilated, "Do you have trouble with Vincent? I know he can be reckless in his pursuit of pleasure."

…

"I will guarantee you a job after you're telling the truth to me, isn't that fair?"

…

Chloe was desperately trying to hide her marital problem because she didn't want Vernon to drop her request as soon as he heard about the divorce between her and Vincent.

But his offer was tempting…

"Y—You promise to give me a job after telling you the truth?"

"Yes, I can give you the one with good pay, of course," Vernon said. He already had guesses about Chloe's problem but still wanted his sister-in-law to say it.

Chloe started fiddling with her fingers, finding the correct word to bring in the terrible news.

"I… I'm in dire need of money because I'm going on a divorce with Vincent," Chloe said. "I already left the house with Mackenzie and living in a motel with my saving right now. I need money to give my daughter a comfortable life."

"You're not going to ask for money from my brother?"

"Never," Chloe said without hesitation. She might not be the strong woman in movies. She was just a housewife in the process of breaking free from an unhappy marriage. But she was 100% sure that she wouldn't take a dime from Vincent.

It was a matter of pride since Vincent would call her names and mock her for it. But Vincent could also weaponize it in the court. Knowing him and his connection, anything that would disadvantage you in a court could be fatal.

Vernon's grin grew wider, "Your situation is regrettable, Sister-in-law. I can always give you a job, and I can also give you nice pay. I can also provide you with the office's facility. But the job is quite… unconventional."

"I—I will take any job, Vernon— I mean, Mr. Phoenix Gray!" Chloe finally braced herself and looked up. Vernon was looking down at her, and their gazes met.

She held her breath instantly because, from this angle, Vernon looked like the devil holding her in his grasp.

Chloe looked down instantly, hunching her shoulder even more. She felt so small as the devil looked down on her.

Vernon chuckled upon seeing Chloe's reaction. It was truly the reaction that he wanted.

Vernon gently put his hot hands on his sister-in-law's shoulder, making her shudder instinctively.

"Are you sure you want to take the job? Whatever that is?"

"I… I will do whatever for money! You don't understand how desperate I am right now," Chloe convinced Vernon of it. She was ready to take any job, even if it was a hard one.

Maybe he would tell her to work as a cleaning lady that would scrub the office toilet or serve coffee or tea to all the employees in this building.

As long as she got money, she didn't care.

"If you're that desperate, I can give you one job. This is the only job that is currently open in my office."

"W—What is it?"

"You can be my personal assistant, Sister-in-law. Taking care of all my daily needs," Vernon slowly leaned in, whispered in her ears, like the devil chanting his charm, "Especially in bed."