Chapter 13: Sweet Dreams

A pair of strong and sturdy arms wrapped tightly around her slender waist, and his handsome, captivating face held a smile that could mesmerize the world. His deep, entrancing eyes locked onto hers, filled with a tenderness that made her feel as though she was his entire world. 

Chloe Grace's heart trembled slightly as her gaze lingered on his thin, inviting lips. Slowly, she closed her eyes, leaning in to meet his soft, luminous lips with her own... 

"Ring-ring-ring—!" 

The sudden blaring of an alarm shattered the tranquility. 

Chloe frowned deeply, unwillingly opening her eyes. Then, in a sudden burst of frustration, she grabbed the penguin-shaped alarm clock and yanked out its batteries with excessive force. "Why? Why did you have to interrupt me now? I was so close to kissing him!" she muttered indignantly. 

How annoying! Was it too much to ask for even a kiss in her dreams? Chloe couldn't help but feel the universe was conspiring against her, depriving her even of fleeting moments of joy in her sleep. 

Grumbling, Chloe crawled out of bed, still groggy and irritated. Her sharp eyes caught sight of a note left on the bedside table. Curious, she snatched it up and, upon reading its contents, broke into a smile. 

The note read: 

**Chloe, breakfast is a light meal of porridge and side dishes, already prepared and kept warm. Eat when you wake up. Remember to drink some light salted water to stay hydrated. I'm working downstairs.** 

"Tch! He couldn't even wait for me to wake up before leaving," she pouted. Chloe had imagined waking up to find him by her bedside, like yesterday morning. But wait—last night, she remembered them sitting together on the couch in the living room. How had she ended up in her own bed? 

Could it be that she had fallen asleep leaning on his shoulder, and he had carried her to her room? 

Taking a deep breath, Chloe carefully folded the note as if it were a precious treasure and placed it into her jewelry box. With that, she headed to the bathroom to freshen up. 

---

Blaine Jackson's gaze fixated on the package sitting on his desk. After a long pause, he began to unwrap it carefully. Inside was a collection of cosmetics, neatly arranged into a series. 

Raising an eyebrow, he noticed a handwritten note on the edge of the packaging. His cold eyes softened as he read it. 

**Blaine, I know Japan has Zuan counters too, but I couldn't resist preparing this set for you myself. I even repackaged it for you. Take care of yourself while you're there, and don't make me worry about you.** 

This girl. He had only been in Japan for a few days, and she was already sending him cosmetics. Did her jealous boyfriend know about this? Would this little act lead to another dramatic outburst of jealousy? 

As Blaine pondered, the sound of approaching footsteps pulled him back to reality. 

Turning around calmly, he saw Annie, his assistant, walking in gracefully. Her poised demeanor and striking appearance reminded him of the "special someone" Chloe had casually mentioned the other day. 

What a joke. From any angle, Annie couldn't be more different from the woman in his heart. 

"Director, the CEO of Royal Fashion, Yuto Miyazawa, called earlier. He's very eager for Blue Muse to agree to this collaboration. He's even willing to increase the profit margin by another ten percent," Annie reported crisply, handing over the proposal document she was holding. 

"An additional ten percent?" Blaine asked in a surprised tone. 

"Do you suspect something's off, Director?" Annie asked, puzzled. 

"It's unusual," Blaine replied, sinking into his chair as his sharp gaze fell on the cosmetics package. He ran his slender fingers along the edges of the packaging thoughtfully. "Blue Muse's flagship store is well-known in Europe and Asia, but in Japan, it's a newcomer. Royal Fashion, on the other hand, is a local giant. Why would they give up such a large share of their profits to us? What's more, they're also covering the cost of hiring models for the fashion show. Deducting all that, Royal Fashion would hardly make anything. Would Yuto Miyazawa, known for his shrewd and ruthless business tactics, really make such a deal?" 

"Oh, is that what you're concerned about?" Annie's expression cleared. 

"What? Do you have a different take on this?" Blaine asked, raising an eyebrow at her. 

"Not exactly. I just wanted to point out that the models participating in Royal Fashion's show this time aren't hired from modeling agencies like before," Annie replied. 

"Really? If they're not hired, are they Royal Fashion's in-house models?" Blaine asked, slightly surprised. 

"Exactly. These models were part of a failing agency that Yuto Miyazawa acquired. He restructured them into Royal Fashion's exclusive modeling team," Annie explained. 

Blaine nodded thoughtfully, his fingers tightening into a fist over the package as a look of realization crossed his face. 

"I think I understand why Royal Fashion is so determined to collaborate with us," he said finally. 

"And that reason is...?" Annie asked, her curiosity piqued. 

"Contact Yuto Miyazawa and arrange a meeting with me," Blaine instructed, turning on his laptop to do some research. 

"Understood, Director," Annie replied. Though she didn't fully grasp the reason behind Blaine's sudden decision, she knew better than to question him further after years of working at Blue Muse. 

---

After washing up, Chloe walked into the kitchen and carefully placed her breakfast tray on the coffee table in the living room. Sitting cross-legged, she began to savor the meal. 

Wait... savor? The word caught her off guard, and her chest felt as muddled as her thoughts. 

Frustration bubbled up inside her. She had always prepared her meals for him with care and affection, but his effort this morning had only been prompted by her cold. It had nothing to do with love or sentiment. 

When, oh when, would Blaine Jackson finally notice her existence? 

Chloe listlessly stirred her vegetable porridge with a spoon, her gaze drifting toward the door. Her mind wandered far, far away...