Chapter 368: Our Imperfectly.. Perfect Relationship !!
Moonlight quietly poured through the bedroom window at Mars Residency.
The silver light reflected across the wooden floor before reaching the edge of the bed.
Outside...
The city had long fallen asleep.
Only the occasional breeze rustled the trees beyond the balcony.
Inside the room...
Chloe sat against the headboard.
She hadn’t slept.
Not even for a minute.
A soft toy rested beside her while her phone remained in both hands.
The screen lit up again.
She typed.
"Did you eat properly?"
She stared at the words.
A few seconds later...
Backspace.
The message disappeared.
She sighed softly.
Another attempt.
"I hope you’re safe..."
Again...
She erased every word.
The empty chat window stared back at her.
For nearly half an hour...
She repeated the same cycle.
Typing.
Reading.
Deleting.
Never pressing send.
Her thoughts refused to settle.
Every possibility filled her mind.
Had he eaten?
Was he resting?
Was he alright?
Every answer she imagined only created another question.
She lowered her head.
"...I just..."
"I want to tell him everything."
Her fingers gently tightened around the phone.
"My worries."
"My thoughts."
"My fears."
"But..."
"I don’t want to become another burden."
She looked toward the moon outside.
The silence inside the room felt endless.
No matter how many times she tried calming herself...
Her heart refused to listen.
It kept returning to the same person.
Again.
And again.
And again.
She unlocked her phone one more time.
This time she slowly typed...
"Can I... call you..."
Her thumb hovered above the send button.
Several long seconds passed.
Then...
She erased it again.
Chloe rested the phone on her lap.
She hugged her knees.
"Will he think..."
"I’m too weak?"
"That I can’t even control my own emotions?"
She quietly smiled at herself.
"Am I..."
"Creating unnecessary boundaries for him?"
Her thoughts wandered elsewhere.
She remembered Elena.
She remembered Daniel.
The way they cared for one another.
The freedom they always gave each other.
The trust that never seemed forced.
"How did Mama and Papa do it back then?"
She whispered softly.
"How could they love each other so deeply..."
"Without making love feel like a cage?"
She lowered her eyes.
"...Am I just too naïve?"
Silence answered.
Several minutes passed.
Then she slowly shook her head.
"No."
A determined smile appeared.
"I don’t want another regret."
"Not like last time."
She closed her eyes.
"I simply..."
"I simply want to hear his voice."
Without giving herself another chance to hesitate...
She unlocked the phone.
Opened his contact.
And instead of typing...
She directly pressed the call button.
The screen switched immediately.
Calling...
She waited.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Before the call could even connect...
The screen suddenly changed.
Miles Calling...
For a second...
Chloe simply stared at the display.
Then her eyes slowly closed.
A warm smile spread across her face.
She answered immediately.
"Miles..."
Just saying his name made her chest feel lighter.
On the other end...
Miles smiled the moment he heard her voice.
"I had a feeling something wasn’t right."
His voice remained gentle.
"You couldn’t sleep?"
Chloe nodded instinctively before remembering he couldn’t see her.
"...I couldn’t."
"I got worried."
Miles chuckled softly.
"I figured."
"I noticed something."
"What?"
"For the past two days..."
"I didn’t receive a single missed call from you."
Chloe quietly listened.
"I told you I probably wouldn’t be able to answer."
"And you remembered every word."
His voice became even softer.
"You’re too innocent, my dear."
She smiled faintly.
Miles continued.
"It’s okay to break the rules."
"Just because I asked you not to call..."
"Doesn’t mean you should ignore your own heart."
There was a brief silence.
"Break the rules."
"Push the boundaries."
Then he laughed quietly.
"And tell me you miss me."
"Just like I miss you."
Those simple words completely broke the wall Chloe had been holding onto.
Her eyes slowly became wet.
She finally whispered what she had wanted to say for two days.
"I miss you, Miles."
"I miss you very much."
For a moment...
Neither spoke.
Miles smiled warmly.
"I miss you too, Chloe."
"I’m sorry I made you worry."
His voice carried a comforting certainty.
"I’m coming home tomorrow."
Chloe closed her eyes.
"I’ll be waiting."
Miles immediately laughed.
"Don’t wait by sacrificing your sleep."
"I don’t want my Chloe greeting me tomorrow with swollen eyes."
She couldn’t help smiling.
While wiping away the tiny tears gathering in her eyes...
She quietly asked,
"Tell me honestly."
"You couldn’t sleep either..."
"Could you?"
Silence.
Only for a few seconds.
Then Miles sighed dramatically.
"...I’ve been caught."
Chloe laughed softly.
"Look at you."
"Trying to stay strong all by yourself."
Miles leaned back against the hotel bed.
"You make me stronger, Chloe."
"Because of you."
"My family."
"My friends."
He looked toward the dark ceiling.
"I always find another reason to keep moving."
"Another reason to become stronger."
"So I can return home..."
"To all of you."
Chloe listened quietly.
Her heart finally felt peaceful.
"I was scared."
She admitted honestly.
"My thoughts became uncontrollable."
"I kept remembering..."
"Those years without you."
"The years spent missing you."
"The regrets."
"The loneliness."
Miles answered almost immediately.
"Listen to me."
"It doesn’t have to be perfect."
"Our relationship."
His voice was calm.
"Get upset with me."
"Argue with me."
"Complain to me."
"Tell me when I’m wrong."
"I promise..."
"We’ll overcome every regret together."
There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in his words.
"I can sacrifice everything I have..."
"For you."
"So..."
"Don’t ever be afraid of breaking the rules."
"It doesn’t make you weak."
"It’s your right."
Chloe smiled through the tears.
"...Why?"
She laughed quietly.
"Why do you always know?"
"Even from thousands of Miles away..."
"You still understand exactly how I feel."
Miles smiled.
"Simple."
"Our love is very strong."
She laughed.
"Listen to you."
"So confident."
Then she spoke with unusual determination.
"Then let’s both sacrifice little things."
"You for me."
"And me for you."
She smiled warmly.
"And together..."
"We’ll build an imperfect..."
"...Perfect relationship."
Miles quietly smiled.
"I like that."
Chloe glanced at the clock.
Nearly three in the morning.
"I think..."
"I can finally sleep."
She spoke gently.
"You should sleep too."
"You have a flight tomorrow."
"I don’t want to see my Miles looking exhausted when he comes home."
Miles chuckled.
"Then..."
"I’ll meet you in your dreams."
Chloe covered her face with one hand.
"You flirt."
"Now I really won’t be able to sleep."
Miles laughed.
"Alright."
"I’ll behave."
"Good night."
"See you tomorrow."
Her smile never faded.
"Good night."
"Come home safely."
The call ended.
The room became quiet once again.
But this time...
The silence no longer felt lonely.
Chloe slowly lowered the phone.
She looked at the time.
2:57 AM.
Almost three o’clock.
She placed the phone carefully on the bedside table.
Then she lay down beneath the blanket.
Pulling the soft toy gently into her arms.
She hugged it tightly.
A peaceful smile rested on her face.
The worries that had kept her awake all night...
Had quietly disappeared with a single phone call.
Outside...
The moon continued shining over the sleeping city.
Chloe finally closed her eyes.
.....
The next day...
Frankfurt felt unusually peaceful.
The tension that had gripped the city over the past two days had quietly disappeared.
Kenan had already left before sunrise.
He wasn’t interested in staying any longer.
For him...
Life always came first.
The underworld could wait.
Friendships could wait.
Even mysteries could wait.
But life itself...
Never waited for anyone.
Miles smiled after receiving Kenan’s farewell message.
A few hours remained before his own flight.
Instead of returning to the Safehouse...
Miles found himself standing in front of the chocolate boutique Thea had recommended the previous day.
A small brass bell chimed as he stepped inside.
The warm aroma of freshly made chocolate immediately surrounded him.
Rows upon rows of handmade chocolates were displayed like pieces of art.
Some were dark.
Some were milk chocolate.
Others contained fruits, nuts, spices and flavours he had never even heard of.
He quietly walked along the display shelves.
Reading every small description.
A middle-aged saleswoman noticed his curiosity and approached with a welcoming smile.
"Looking for a gift?"
Miles nodded.
"For someone very important."
Her smile became warmer.
"Then you’ve come to the right place."
For nearly twenty minutes...
She patiently explained everything.
The difference between cocoa percentages.
Which chocolates were sweeter.
Which carried fruity notes.
Which melted slowly.
Which paired well with coffee.
Which were usually chosen as gifts.
Miles listened without interrupting once.
Occasionally asking another question.
The saleswoman couldn’t help smiling.
Finally...
Miles laughed.
"I never realised..."
"There could be an entire syllabus dedicated to chocolate."
The saleswoman laughed along with him.
"Oh, there certainly is."
She pointed towards the display cases.
"It’s a bittersweet syllabus."
"And young people like yourself..."
"Should experience every Chapter."
Miles smiled.
"Then..."
"Pack everything you think she’ll like."
He paused before adding another request.
"And something for my younger brother and sister too , they are very young."
The saleswoman nodded happily.
"Of course."
"I’ll prepare a beautiful selection."
Just then...
A familiar voice spoke behind him.
"I thought I’d find you here."
Miles turned around.
Princess Thea stood near the entrance.
Today she wore a simple cream-coloured coat instead of her elegant evening attire.
Her security personnel remained outside the shop, giving her enough privacy.
Miles smiled.
"Were you looking for me?"
Thea shrugged playfully.
"Why?"
"I like bittersweet things too."
She looked towards the saleswoman.
"Mrs Bauer."
"My usual order, please."
The saleswoman immediately recognised her.
"Welcome back, Miss Thea."
"I’ll prepare it right away."
Thea smiled.
"Thank you."
Mrs Bauer began wrapping another familiar package.
While working...
She looked at Miles with a pleased expression.
"So..."
"How do you like the customer I brought you?"
Mrs Bauer laughed.
"Your young friend is a wonderful listener."
She glanced at Miles.
"Just like you."
She smiled warmly.
"Thank you for bringing such an important guest."
She looked at both of them.
"I’ll give you a discount today."
Thea’s eyes brightened.
"Really?"
"Thank you."
Miles looked at her with disbelief.
"Hm?"
"So this was your real plan?"
Thea blinked innocently.
"What plan?"
"You used me..."
"So you could get a discount on chocolate."
She crossed her arms proudly.
"Hmph."
"So what?"
Miles couldn’t help laughing.
For a moment...
Neither of them looked like influential figures feared across Europe.
Just two young friends teasing each other inside a chocolate shop.
After a brief silence...
Miles asked,
"Heading back to Norway, Princess?"
Thea’s smile faded ever so slightly.
"New York."
She answered quietly.
"I’ve been asked to go there."
Miles looked at her.
"Aren’t you afraid?"
"You’re casually telling me the movements of someone connected to the WEB."
Thea met his eyes without hesitation.
"Afraid?"
A confident smile appeared on her face.
"A Princess isn’t afraid of anything."
Miles chuckled.
"I suppose that’s true."
He didn’t ask any further questions.
Instead...
Thea asked the question she had been holding back.
"What about them?"
Miles tilted his head.
"The people from yesterday."
"Did they call?"
Miles smiled knowingly.
"Why are you suddenly so curious?"
Thea looked away.
"I’m not."
"I simply want to know..."
"If there’s going to be another Conclave next year."
Miles remained silent for a moment.
Then...
He smiled.
"That old man gave up."
Thea blinked.
"He did?"
"I met both of them before coming here."
He remembered the conversation from earlier that morning.
"The decision has already been made."
Relief slowly appeared across Thea’s face.
"...That’s good."
"I’m happy for Johanna."
She truly meant it.
After everything she had witnessed...
No one deserved freedom more than Johanna.
Then she became curious again.
"So..."
"What’s next for them?"
Miles simply smiled.
"That..."
"You’ll see over the coming days."
Thea narrowed her eyes.
"You really enjoy keeping secrets."
"I enjoy surprises."
Miles laughed.
"I know."
She picked up her neatly wrapped chocolates from Mrs Bauer.
As they walked towards the entrance together...
Thea smiled gently.
"The next time we meet..."
"I hope you’ll show me Star Harbor."
Miles nodded without hesitation.
"Of course."
"I’d be happy to."
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
They simply stood in the little chocolate shop.
Two people from completely different worlds.
Enjoying one last peaceful conversation before returning to lives filled with responsibilities once again.