"P-Pardon?" Robin exclaimed in disbelief.
"I couldn't think of any other reason."
The next day after Ryuchen offered a job to his wife, he talked to his assistant about his plan.
"B-But engaged... me? I don't even have a girl... friend, Mr. President."
"I... apologize for that."
Ryuchen couldn't help but to laugh when he remembered Chloe said about Robin, he knows she didn't mean to insult him and just stating what she thought.
"Anyway, once my wife accept my offer, you will teach her for at least two to three day before you take your leave. She will handle all my schedules and meetings and you will still handle the rest from home."
"Okay, Mr. President."
"You can leave now and prepare all my schedule that you need to handover to my wife."
-----
Chloe decides to go to a mall to buy clothes so she could start working on Ryuchen company as his secretary.
She didn't know if she was just imagining, or he really was extra careful with her yesterday night. He looked different from his usual, he didn't sound sarcastic or have any tinge of anger in his expression either. He was supposed to hate her, avoid her and be mad at her, but the way he treated her last night was the opposite and now she couldn't help but to get her hopes up.
It was a once in a lifetime chance to hold on to him, that's why she should take advantage of the situation. Still, she thought she should draw a clear line beforehand in case she will regret it in the future, because she doesn't know how long it will last.
For now, she should just focus on that luckiest moment that happened to her life so she decided to accept the job he offered to watch him for a while.
-----
It's been two days but Ryuchen still hasn't received a call from Chloe.
She said she wanted a job, but why is she not calling him about the job that he offered to her. He didn't want to bother her by knocking on her door just to asked her, because she might think he's annoying and he doesn't want that to happen.
Does she not want to work with me?
But now, he decided to knock on her door once he got home. He's the one who's chasing Chloe now, so he has to be a bit aggressive if he really wants to be together with her. He had wasted so much time back then, so now he would not let a day pass without her on his side.
Ryuchen didn't expect to have overtime because of the amount of work he had to finish, and it was passed eight when he arrived at his wife's apartment. He fixed his hair, coat and took a deep breath before he knocks on her door.
A few seconds later, Chloe's fragrant scent greeted him as she opened the door, the smell of shampoo and soap that Chloe used mixed together makes him feels relax. All the fatigue he felt earlier suddenly disappeared, and it was refreshing.
"What can I do for you?" she asked as she drying her hair with a small towel.
"...My phone is fine, but why can't I get a call from you?"
"Sorry, what?"
"I've been waiting for your call since yesterday, I even asked Robin to fix my phone but I still can't receive a call from you."
Ryuchen frowned when his wife laugh, did he say something funny to make her laugh like that? He was restless since yesterday because he couldn't receive a call from her and there she was, laughing.
"Why are you waiting for my call?" she asked smiling.
"Didn't I offer you a job."
"Ohh, yeah." she exclaimed as if she just remembered. "I forgot to tell you-- hey, what are you doing?"
Ryuchen took the small towel on Chloe's hand while she was talking, he was a bit upset that she seems forget his offer and left him hanging.
"I will dry your hair." he said.
Now is his chance to do what he was studying, according to one of the tips on the popular book he read about love and relationships, number forty three page twelve on the book '100 ways to make your relationship strong'. One of the things women want their partner to do is to dry their hair, so he wants to dry Chloe's hair.
"I can dry-- hey, who said you can come inside my apartment?" she exclaimed as he walked in inside her apartment
Ryuchen just ignored his wife and went straight inside her apartment excitedly while holding her towel.
The interior of her apartment was simple and smaller than his apartment, the wall was off-white with a small pink tulips design. There was three doors on the left side, most likely the one was bathroom and the rest was her room and a guest room. And the small kitchen and dining area was connected on the small living room.
It was just a typical normal apartment with nothing extravagant and fancy decoration, but her apartment seems cozy that makes him relax and feels like he's home.
A sudden image of two little cute children playing happily in the living room while Chloe was busy cooking in the kitchen, made his heart overwhelmed with pleasure. But his happiness quickly faded when he remembered that they were supposed to have a child back in their previous life, and because of his mistake, he lost them both.
His heart beating like a drum and his heart feels so heavy because of guilt.
"Give me back my towel."
Ryuchen's mind returned back on earth, and quickly move away the towel he was holding to Chloe so she will not take it away from him.
"You don't use hair dryer?"
"I... I do."
"Where is it?" he asked and looks around. "It's cold at night, so you should dry your hair quickly."
Ryuchen walked and was about to enter one of the room to find Chloe's hair dryer, but stopped when he felt her grabs his arm using her both hand to prevent him from entering.
"I... I forgot where I put it, so just wait here while I'm looking for the hair dryer." she said then quickly entered the room.
There was no doubt that it was her room, he could smell her feminine fragrance coming from that room either. He even noticed few boxes lying on the floor inside, like she's still not done tidying her belongings.
While Chloe was busy looking for the hair dryer inside the boxes, he walked inside her room without any noise.
As she turned her back on where he was standing, he had the opportunity to see the whole room. Her bed was small compared to his, but can still fits both of them if they lie down. There's a small vanity table as well next to her bed with powder, hairbrush and small box like a make-up kit on top of it. The room was very simple, just like the owner.
Ryuchen looked at Chloe who was still sitting and looking for the hair dryer, and noticed that she opened most of the boxes on the floor. He sat behind her and hugged her from behind, he felt Chloe's body stiffened.
"Chloe..." he whisper to her ear, she was so small and soft and smells so good. "Can I live here?"
"Huh?" he hugged her tightly as he felt she wanted to leave his embrace. "Ryuchen, let me go my feet are numb."
Ryuchen helps Chloe to stand up without breaking his embrace on her.
"Can I stay here with you?" he asked, then put his chin on her shoulder and smells her fragrants once again. "We're married, aren't we? Why do we have to live in a separate apartment?"
"Ryuchen..." Chloe turned to him without leaving his embrace, and put her small hands on his chest. "I told you to give me time. To be honest, everything is so unreal to me and I don't want to get the wrong idea. You're acting so different and it's scares me thinking that you're just doing this to hurt me."
"Of course not, I don't have any plans to hurt you." he exclaimed. "I'm really sorry for all the things I had done to you, but you are the one I want to be with in this lifetime. You are the one I will choose, and I don't want to repeat what happened to you back then."
Chloe didn't answered so he tightened his embrace, scared that Chloe will leave him any moment. He didn't know what he will do to make her feel better, he knew she suffered a lot so it's hard for her to trust him. But how could he possibly resist loving her now that he found a lot of interesting things about her.
"You don't have to prove yourself to me anymore, because I will believe only you." he said, reassuring her. "You don't need to get my attention, because I will be the one who will chase you from now on so please, trust me this time and please don't stop loving me."
Ryuchen heard her sighed, causing him to got nervous. She might even hear his heart beating out of his chest at that rate, he was afraid that she will say no and still insist on getting a divorce.
"I told you to give me time to think, Ryuchen." she said.
His heart calm down a bit, it means that he still have a chance to be with her if he will give her time she needs.
"If you really want to think about it, why not accept my offer and work in the company. Stay by my side, so you can also see if it's worth it to trust and forgive me."
"Actually... I was planning--."
"Give me a month." he interrupt her, he was anxious that he might not like what she will say. "Stay by my side for a month while my assistant was on leave, please give me a chance to show you that I've changed and take care of you, Chloe."
"...Sure." she said and smile.
Ryuchen's eyes widened in surprise.
"Did you just agree to work with me?"
Chloe nodded.
"I went to look for clothes that I could wear in your office since yesterday, and I didn't know that it will take too long finding clothes." she scratched her cheek shyly. "I was planning to call you tomorrow morning to inform you that I will start next week but you came here tonight."
Ryuchen's face brightened and his heart beating so loud that it might explode because of happiness, he even hugged her tigthly and spinned her. He could heard Chloe's calling his name, but there was no objection can be heard on her voice, in fact it seems that she's enjoying it because of her soft chuckled.
He want to kiss her but he was afraid that Chloe might change her mind if he he did. Ryuchen was happy that she agree and he was satisfied, that was enough for now. All he needs to do now is to show her that he really changed, and no one can bully or hurt her anymore.
"Okay, that's enough, put me down now."
"Did you eat?" he asked as he put her down.
"Yes, I already ate."
"I'm not."
A sudden soft growls heard from Ryuchen stomach, causing him to feel embarrass while Chloe was trying her best to prevent her laughter to come out.
It was only then that he realized that he hadn't eaten since noon, and he hadn't been able to buy food because he wants to come quickly to her apartment.
Chloe couldn't help but to smile as she looked at Ryuchen who looks like a sad huge puppy, she could even see an ear on his head and a tail wagging down. He looks like he didn't eat since lunch and has to work overtime so perhaps he didn't have time to eat dinner as well, she had no choice but to cook for him.
"Fine..." she said with a sigh but smile as she turned her back on him. "I can only prepare simple dishes, is that okay with you?"
Ryuchen face brightened, he could finally able to eat his wife cooked food.
"Yes, of course! of course!"
While he was busy watching Chloe cooking in the small kitchen, he couldn't help but remember what he had done in their previous life.
Every time he goes back home, the head maid will inform him that his wife cooked dinner for him, but he will not eat it and will tell the head maid to throw it. He realized that Jason was right when he said that he's an asshole, a ruthless and stupid, now he thought why he had a bad impression on Chloe back then?