Cherish Love

CHARLES ALEXANDER's POV

"What did you just say?" We heard dad asked in disbelief while I'm still here comforting my sister who has been crying ever since she woke up.

"It may sound ridiculous but when our parents died 3 years ago together with my eldest sister… I suddenly became the heir of 'La Flair Conglomerates' but because I am still so young at that time… The board has decided to wait for me until I become an a.d.u.l.t and gave the position of the President to my parents close friend but unfortunately..." We heard Dylan said before he took a deep breath before he returned his gaze to dad.

"That person betrayed us and stole millions and left the company with so many debts and that is the reason why I need to step up and become the CEO and President of our company at an early age..." We heard Dylan said seriously. Yes, that's right and I know how hard it is to have a big position as him.

"But isn't your company is facing bankruptcy right now?" My dad suddenly said that made me and Dylan looked at each other. Geez. That's right… I haven't talked about this with Dylan before… I can clearly see how hesitant he is right now while looking at dad that makes me really worried. How are you going to ask that question, Dylan?

"Yes and that's also the reason why we can't tell you about our relationship..." We heard Dylan said that made me sigh in relief. What a relief...

"What do you mean?" I heard dad asked while still looking at him seriously but wait a minute… Why is dad looking at him seriously but with gentleness as well? This is the first time I have seen dad like that...

"Because we don't want her family to think that I'm just using Chloe for the sake of our company." Dylan said seriously. Hmmm…? I must say that Dylan's acting is quite convincing for me...

"Why? Isn't that right?" I heard dad asked sarcastically. Huh?

"Of course not, Mr. Ramirez…" Dylan answered immediately as he divert his eyes on dad. I just sighed while still calming my sister. I don't know why dad is so heartless sometimes. I also wonder why...

"Do you think I'll believe you just because you say that?" Dad suddenly asked sternly. Just as expected… This will definitely not be easy especially when changing dad's decisions.

"I know that, Mr. Ramirez but Chloe…" We heard Dylan suddenly said before he throws a short glance at Chloe before he returned his gaze to dad.

"Chloe is someone very special to me and believe it or not…" Dylan said before he returned his gaze at Chloe who's still hugging me tightly but she already stops crying and I'm glad she did because just like what I've a while ago… She's been crying ever since she woke up.

"She was and she will be the only girl that I want to spend the rest of my life with…" Dylan said seriously while looking at my sister with so much passion in his eyes. I don't know why but I couldn't help but wonder… What exactly is in your mind right now, Dylan? You can't possibly have fallen in love with her, right?

"What if Chloe was not born as our daughter… Would you still want to love and marry her, La Flair?" Dad asked direct to the point that made Dylan returned his gaze at him. Oh no… Another difficult question… I mean, if these two were really in a real relationship, then it will be easy for Dylan to answer that but they don't have that kind of relationship in reality so it will be very difficult for him to answer that...

"Want to love her? I'm sorry but that never crossed my mind…" Dylan suddenly said that made all of us including Chloe to turn and look at him. Huh?

"D-dylan…" I said. What were you saying!?

"What do you mean?" Dad asked a bit irritatedly. What were you saying, La Flair!? How can you convince them if that's what you were saying!?

"Because I didn't plan on loving her in the first place, Mr. Ramirez but ever since I fell in love with her that time… That's also the time I realized that I have already found the girl that I want to spend the rest of my life with...and the only girl that I wanted to marry someday..." Dylan answered while seriously looking at dad straight in the eyes. Oh… So that's what he really means...

"If the Martinez Family offers me a merger between our companies… What can you offer for me, La Flair?" Dad suddenly asked that shocked me. What!?

"Dad…!" I said in disbelief when I suddenly saw my mom looked at me as if she's pleading me not to speak anymore. But mom…! I just sighed. Is money and reputation all dad thinks of? Does his children's happiness still matters to him!?

"To be honest, I can't offer you anything right now especially when our company is suffering from a huge amount of debts and loss..." I saw Dylan said before he took a deep breath. Tsk. Did I really made a mistake by inviting him to come here right now? Is this really not the perfect time yet? Did I really made a wrong move?

"But I can assure you that no matter what happens, I will never make her cry." We heard Dylan said that made Chloe turned to look at him once again and as I take a look at my sister who's still hugging me tightly with swollen eyes… I saw her gently looking at him while silently listens to him. Come to think of it… She stops crying the moment Dylan started talking to dad a while ago...

"This is ridiculous. Let's go, Christine." Dad suddenly said while shrugging his shoulders before he started walking towards the door and passed by Dylan who is still standing close to the door since a while ago.

"Okay…" Mom suddenly said before dad went out of the room.

"Charles…" Mom called me as she approached us once again.

"Yes, mom?" I asked politely as I saw mom looked at Chloe with so much worries in her eyes.

"I'll ask Lily to come over here later to help you take care of your sister but for now, please take care of her, okay?" Mom said as she c.a.r.e.s.s my sister's hair before Chloe distance herself with me and hugged our mom.

"Of course, mom. I will." I said while mom and Chloe are hugging each other.

"I'll be back once our business transaction has been finished, okay?" We heard mom said as she gently brushed off her fingers on Chloe's hair.

"Chloe…" Mom called her name with so much gentleness in her voice. I couldn't help myself but smile.

"Mom…" Chloe called her as she hugs mom tightly. I know that 'A Mother's Love' is unconditional but in times like this… We're very glad that we have her as our mom...

"I love you, Chloe… I love the both of you very much… You know that, right?" Mom said as she tries her best not to cry that made me just sighed. I really hate it especially when I saw a girl is crying right in front of me...

"I will take care of everything, okay? I will do everything that I can so please don't do this again to yourself, okay? Because mom doesn't want to see you and your brother being hurt, okay?" We heard mom said as her tears started to fall down in her eyes that made me divert my attention to them to Dylan who's simply looking at them with a blank expression. I have a feeling that he remembers his mother and his older sister to Chloe and mom right now.

"I'll go now but I will call from time to time, okay?" I heard mom said to Chloe as Chloe finally distance herself from mom while nodding her head and wiping her tears before mom turned to look at me and c.a.r.e.s.s my cheek.

"I leave your sister to you, son." Mom said with a gentle voice that made me just nod.

"Yes, mom. I will take care of her." I said that made her just nod before she started to walk towards the door but was stopped in front of Dylan that made him shocked.

"You are Dylan, right?" Mom suddenly asked that made Dylan startled.

"Y-yes, ma'am… I am Dylan Ethaniel La Flair." Dylan said as he introduced himself once again. I saw mom smiled at him before tapping his shoulders.

"You did a great job, Dylan..." Mom suddenly said that made all of us surprised especially Dylan.

"Thank you for loving and saving my daughter, Dylan..." Mom said once again that made Dylan startled.

"T-that's…" He said and obviously, he is too shocked to react on what our mom had told him.

"Please take care of her from now on, Dylan..." Mom told him as if mom is already giving her blessings to him and Chloe. Eh? Wait… Does that mean… We managed to convince mom!?

"Yes… I will, ma'am." Dylan said nervously that made my mom chuckled before mom bid farewell once again and left the room.

ANNE ALEXANDRIA CHLOE's POV

Honestly, I don't know what I should I feel anymore… It's as if my whole life has become meaningless ever since Christian broke up with me. I know he has reasons to get mad at me in the first place but why didn't he gave me a chance to explain to him everything? What made him think that I no longer love him anymore? If only he knew what I'm doing just to wait for him...but he didn't give me a chance to explain and in addition to that… Dad suddenly forcing me to announce our engagement publicly which I really don't want to happen even if I die that leads dad suddenly slaps me. That night… I actually don't know what to do anymore… It feels like my whole world crushes and my whole life is a total mess that I could no longer fix anymore… I'm tired… I've already given up that's why I finally decided to end my useless life until I woke up here at the hospital and was forced once again to attend that engagement party. I know that I'm not a perfect daughter, a sister and a friend...but why is world being so unfair to me? I thought that this is really the end of everything… That I could no longer do anything to stop this anymore until I heard that very familiar voice who stops my father from hurting me that gives me hope and a chance to live my life once again but this time...without Christian by my side.

"You did it, Dylan..." I heard my brother suddenly said that made Dylan turned to look at him.

"You think so?" Dylan asked while still in shock.

"I'm sure because mom already gave you her blessings though I'm still not sure about dad but at least we have mom and Nathan on our side, right? So it wouldn't be that hard to convince dad about it, right?" I heard my brother suddenly asked while still standing beside my hospital bed. I'm so tired… I slowly lay my body on the hospital bed and closed my eyes. I don't know why but I feel so empty right now.

"Chloe, are you okay?" I heard my brother suddenly asked that made me just nod while my eyes are still close but honestly, I don't know if I'm really okay right now… I just feel so tired and that's all I'm feeling right now.

"Chloe..." That voice… It's Dylan but I don't have the strength to talk to him right now, that's why I remained still while my eyes are still close.

"You can hear me, right?" I heard Dylan asked with a gentle and calm voice that made me just nod.

"Then, listen to what I'm going to say right now because I don't think I will repeat this later." I heard Dylan said that made me curious. What is it?

"I promise to protect you and look after you for as long as we are under that contract." I heard Dylan said as I suddenly felt someone held my hand and I'm sure that it's him because brother's hand is different from him.

"So will you marry me, Ms. Chloe Ramirez?" I heard Dylan suddenly said that made me opened my eyes and saw him sitting on the chair beside my hospital bed while looking at me with those sincere and gentle eyes of him.

"I'm sorry that I didn't prepare any ring right now because everything was so sudden but don't worry, I'll find you an engagement and wedding ring that will definitely fit you the most." I heard Dylan said as he smiled at me. I don't know why but my tears suddenly fell down in my eyes that shocked them.

"Promise?" I asked in a very low voice that made them surprise especially my brother who's just standing beside me.

"Chloe…" I heard my brother said but my eyes are still focused on Dylan who gently smiled at me once again before he wipe my tears on my cheeks.

"Of course… Just get well soon, okay?" I heard Dylan said before I nodded at him while he's still wiping my tears that wouldn't stop falling from my eyes.