Chapter 342: And What’s Mine.. Will Always be yours!!
After a few hours of driving, the car gradually slowed before coming to a gentle stop.
It was already past three in the afternoon.
Chloe was still fast asleep.
Her head rested lightly against the window, strands of her hair falling across her face as she breathed peacefully.
A faint smile remained on her lips, as if she was still enjoying whatever dream she had wandered into.
Miles smiled to himself.
He carefully brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face before leaning slightly closer.
"Wake up, sleepyhead."
"We’re here."
Chloe frowned slightly without opening her eyes.
"Let me sleep more, Lissy..."
Miles let out a quiet laugh.
"So your boss troubles you even in your dreams."
Slowly, Chloe opened one eye before rubbing the other.
"Hmm..."
She looked around in confusion.
"Where are we?"
"How long did I sleep?"
Miles smiled.
"Did you rest well?"
She stretched lazily before letting out an adorable yawn.
"It was a sweet dream."
"We almost kissed..."
"And then you woke me up."
Miles raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
"What did you just say?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Chloe completely woke up.
Her sleepy expression vanished.
Her cheeks instantly turned bright red.
"N... nothing."
She quickly looked away.
"Did you hear something?"
Miles could not help smiling.
He gently cupped her face with both hands and slowly leaned closer.
"How about we finish the dream?"
Chloe immediately leaned backward, trying to escape while covering her face.
"You meanie."
"Stop teasing me."
Miles sighed dramatically.
"Well..."
"You were the one dreaming about it."
Chloe refused to answer.
Instead, she hurriedly looked straight through the windshield to distract herself.
Her eyes widened.
A large wooden entrance stood ahead.
Above it rested a beautifully carved sign.
The Daisy’s Happy Home
Silverwood Town
Sponsored and Managed by Sterling Foundation
Chloe blinked.
"What’s this place?"
Miles smiled.
"You’ll know once we get inside."
He gently pressed the horn.
The large entrance gates slowly opened.
The car rolled inside before stopping near another smaller gate deeper within the property.
Miles stepped out first.
Walking around the vehicle, he opened Chloe’s door like a gentleman.
She stepped outside while curiously looking around.
The place felt incredibly peaceful.
The surrounding walls were covered with colorful paintings.
Flowers.
Rainbows.
Animals.
Trees.
Every artwork carried the innocent charm of children’s imagination.
Some drawings were uneven.
Some were wonderfully creative.
Some simply consisted of colorful handprints.
Large playgrounds stretched across the open grounds.
There were football fields.
Basketball hoops.
Swings.
Slides.
A small skating area.
Flower gardens bloomed beside walking paths while butterflies lazily drifted between them.
Children’s laughter could almost be imagined even though the place seemed strangely quiet.
Chloe slowly looked around.
"So..."
"Who are we meeting here?"
"This place feels so peaceful."
Miles smiled.
"Peaceful?"
He shook his head.
"This is just the silence before the storm."
She looked at him curiously.
"Storm?"
"Wait."
Miles suddenly raised his voice toward the buildings.
"Where is everyone?"
"I brought snacks."
Chloe instinctively looked toward the entrance building.
For a brief second...
Nothing happened.
Then...
A tiny little head carefully peeked around the corner.
A little boy looked toward them.
The moment his eyes landed on Miles...
His entire face lit up.
He ran into the middle of the courtyard.
"Big Bro Miles!"
His excited voice echoed throughout the entire orphanage.
He cupped both hands around his mouth.
"Big Bro Miles is here!"
"Come out everyone!"
Almost instantly...
The peaceful atmosphere disappeared.
Dozens of tiny footsteps echoed everywhere.
Children burst out from every direction.
Doors flew open.
Windows slid aside.
Laughter filled the air.
"Big Bro Miles!"
"He’s really here!"
"Big Bro!"
Within seconds, a cheerful swarm of children surrounded Miles and Chloe from every side.
Some grabbed Miles’ sleeves.
Others hugged his waist.
A few excitedly jumped around him.
Several curious little faces stared toward Chloe.
Chloe instinctively held onto Miles’ hand.
Her eyes sparkled brighter than ever.
"They’re..."
"So many little kids..."
Miles smiled warmly.
"They wanted to meet you."
She looked at him in disbelief.
"I don’t think I can be surprised anymore today."
Miles laughed.
"How are you all doing?"
"We’re good, Big Bro!"
"We missed you!"
"I practiced football!"
"I got first rank!"
"Teacher praised me!"
"My tooth fell out!"
The children spoke all at once.
Miles laughed while trying to answer everyone.
Then he gently looked toward Chloe.
"Like I promised all of you..."
"I brought her."
Instantly...
Every child became quiet.
Their attention shifted completely toward Chloe.
She suddenly found herself facing dozens of curious little eyes.
For a few awkward seconds...
Nobody spoke.
Chloe smiled nervously before giving a small wave.
"Umm..."
"Hello everyone."
"I’m Chloe."
"I heard you all wanted to meet me."
Silence.
Then...
A tiny little girl stepped forward.
She carefully held out a freshly picked white daisy.
"This is for you..."
"Big Sister Chloe."
Chloe’s heart instantly melted.
She accepted the flower with both hands.
"Thank you."
The little girl beamed.
That was all it took.
The children suddenly exploded into excitement again.
"Big Sister!"
"You’re prettier than Big Bro said!"
"Can you draw?"
"Do you like cartoons?"
"Can you stay with us today?"
"Big Sister!"
They surrounded Chloe from every direction.
Some tugged at her sleeves.
Some held her hands.
Some asked questions so quickly that she barely had time to answer.
Even Miles was pulled away by another group of children eager to show him something.
Chloe laughed helplessly.
She wanted to answer every single child.
But there were simply too many.
She looked adorably overwhelmed.
Just then...
A calm but firm voice echoed from the entrance.
"Hey."
"Are you trying to scare her?"
Every child instantly froze.
They all turned around together.
Standing near the doorway was a graceful woman wearing a simple cardigan.
Her gentle smile carried natural authority.
It was Elle.
The caretaker of the orphanage.
The children immediately lowered their heads.
"What did I teach all of you?"
"How do we welcome guests?"
The children quickly exchanged embarrassed looks.
Then almost in perfect synchronization...
They stepped aside.
A clear path formed before Chloe.
Together they bowed slightly.
"Welcome, Big Sister Chloe."
Chloe could not stop smiling.
Elle slowly walked toward them.
"Welcome, Miss Chloe."
She extended her hand politely.
"I am Elle."
"I manage this orphanage."
"It is finally nice to meet you."
"We have all been looking forward to today."
Chloe shook her hand warmly.
"It is wonderful to meet you too, Miss Elle."
Elle studied her for a brief moment before smiling with satisfaction.
"Please."
"Come inside."
Chloe nodded and followed her.
The children happily skipped alongside them.
She glanced back one last time.
Miles was already sitting cross legged on the grass.
Three children were climbing onto his shoulders.
Another was trying to steal his watch.
One little boy proudly dragged him toward the football field.
He looked less like the chairman of a multinational company...
And more like the biggest child among them.
Elle noticed where Chloe was looking.
She smiled knowingly.
"Leave Boss out of it."
"He’ll be like that for quite a while."
Chloe gently covered her mouth as a soft laugh escaped her.
"I can see that."
Chloe sat beside Elle near the large window overlooking the playground.
Miles had already taken off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He was on the basketball court surrounded by children. Every few seconds, laughter erupted as he let the younger kids steal the ball from him before pretending to lose.
A teenage boy from the orphanage quietly approached with a tray carrying a teapot and two cups.
"Thank you, Ethan," Elle said with a smile.
The boy nodded politely before returning outside.
Elle poured the tea into both cups.
"Do you have any questions, Miss Chloe?"
Chloe gently wrapped both hands around the warm cup.
"I probably have many."
She looked outside again.
"But strangely... I don’t want to ask them."
"I’ve seen him with Hope and Asher."
"I’ve seen how much he loves his family."
"But seeing this side of him..."
She watched Miles lift a little girl onto his shoulders so she could throw the basketball.
"It surprised me."
Elle smiled knowingly.
"He really is a good man."
"For many years, this place struggled just to survive."
"There were days when we worried about whether there would be enough food for everyone."
"Some children had to leave because we simply couldn’t support them anymore."
Her eyes softened.
"Then one day..."
"He came here with Flora."
"Everything changed."
Chloe looked back.
"Sister Flora was here?"
Elle nodded.
"Flora and Dion grew up in this orphanage."
"They lived here until they eventually ran away together."
"Years later..."
"Flora returned."
"She had been injured in an accident."
"Dion was missing."
"She stayed here for several years."
"She helped me take care of the children while waiting for Dion to come back."
A gentle smile appeared on Elle’s face.
"I am truly glad both of them met Miles."
"He is like an angel."
"He somehow brings happiness wherever he goes."
"Even though..."
"He hides many of his own emotions."
Elle looked at Chloe.
"I believe you already know that."
Chloe smiled softly.
"I do."
Elle nodded.
"The Sterling Foundation changed not only this orphanage..."
"It keeps on changing countless lives."
"I once asked him why he spends so much on children."
"Do you know what he told me?"
Chloe shook her head.
Elle smiled.
"He said..."
"’What is the point of earning money if I have to live in a world where children cannot smile?’"
"He funded their education."
"Their food."
"Their medical care."
"Their playgrounds."
"Their dreams."
"Everything a child deserves."
Elle looked outside again.
"Flora once told me..."
"’He never had a normal childhood.’"
"’Yet somehow...’"
"’He remembers every little thing children need.’"
"’Things the world forgot while chasing money.’"
Chloe’s eyes quietly followed Miles.
He had just intentionally missed another basket, causing several children to celebrate as if they had won a championship.
She smiled.
"I am really happy he brought me here."
"He keeps sharing the happiest parts of his life with me."
Her voice grew softer.
"I wonder..."
"Will he ever share the sad parts too?"
Elle looked at her kindly.
"If you ask me..."
"I think he is slowly letting those memories go."
"I can tell."
"He wants to begin a new Chapter."
"A life with you."
"The past will always remain the past."
"There will certainly be difficult days ahead."
"No one’s life is without sorrow."
"But I believe..."
"You two will carry those burdens together."
She gently placed her hand over Chloe’s.
"The important thing is..."
"He found his family again."
"He found you again."
"I don’t think he wishes for anything more."
A cheerful voice suddenly interrupted them.
"Hey, Elle."
"No fair."
"Why don’t I get any tea?"
Both women turned.
Miles stood at the doorway.
His suit jacket rested casually over one shoulder while his shirt sleeves remained rolled up.
A little boy was still clinging to his arm, refusing to let him leave.
Elle laughed.
"I thought you weren’t planning to come inside, Boss."
Miles smiled.
"It’s been a while since I met everyone."
"They refused to let me go."
Chloe crossed her arms playfully.
"You can just admit you were enjoying it."
"I was."
He answered without hesitation.
His honest reply made Chloe laugh.
Miles looked between the two women.
"So..."
"What were you talking about?"
Chloe quickly coughed.
"Nothing."
"I was just saying..."
"This really is a Happy Home."
Miles looked around before smiling.
"Well..."
"It may not be the most ideal place for a romantic date."
"But I am glad you like it."
"I love it."
She answered immediately.
"I am really happy you brought me here."
After a brief pause she asked,
"Can I come here often?"
Elle quietly looked toward Miles.
Miles smiled.
"This place belongs to you."
"You can come whenever you want."
Chloe blinked.
"Belongs to... me?"
Miles turned toward Elle.
"Elle."
Elle nodded.
"I received the papers this morning."
She opened a nearby drawer and carefully placed a neatly prepared file before Chloe.
Chloe looked at it in confusion.
"What is this?"
Miles slowly walked closer.
"To tell you the truth..."
"My life wasn’t always filled with sadness."
"There were moments when my elders praised me."
"When my mentors acknowledged me."
"When strangers thanked me."
"When I met you in Paris."
His eyes drifted toward the playground.
"And..."
"There were places that quietly became reasons for my happiness."
He looked back at Chloe.
"This orphanage..."
"The Sterling Foundation..."
"They are among those reasons."
He gently pushed the file toward her.
"I want you to become part of them."
"I am entrusting this place to you."
"The documents authorize you to participate in decisions made by the Sterling Foundation."
Chloe stared at the file in silence.
"This..."
Miles smiled gently.
"It is a great responsibility."
"I know."
"But I also know..."
"As long as this place continues bringing smiles to children..."
"You will always have a reason to smile too."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"There will always be sadness somewhere in life."
"But your happiness..."
"Is my happiness."
"And what is mine..."
"Will always be yours."
Chloe slowly stood.
She held the file tightly against her chest.
Her vision blurred.
Without saying another word, she stepped forward and rested her forehead against Miles’ chest.
"Thank you..."
"For making me part of this."
"I promise..."
"I will never let this reason for your happiness fade."
Miles gently wrapped his arms around her.
"Are you crying?"
She nodded quietly.
Elle smiled.
Several children had secretly gathered there.
Tiny faces peeked around the corner, watching the scene with sparkling eyes.
Miles softly patted Chloe’s head.
"And you call me the kid."
"You should keep your heart stronger."
"There is still one final destination left for today’s date."
"I hope you don’t faint there."
Chloe laughed through her tears before looking up at him.
"There’s... more?"
She placed a hand over her heart.
"I don’t think my heart is as strong as yours."
Miles smiled warmly.
"Don’t worry."
"I’ll take care of it."
The children outside could no longer stay quiet.
"So cute!"
The excited chorus echoed through the hallway.
Miles looked toward the door before letting out a helpless laugh.
Chloe looked at them "I see you love painting walls, How about I also draw something on a wall for you??".
[A/N: See you all tomorrow, Just like you, I can’t wait too ^_~]