60 Chapter 60 – Dinner Negotiations and Unexpected Advocates
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Chapter 60 Dinner Negotiations and Unexpected Advocates
Liam’s POV
After my conversation with Adrian, I knew I needed to find the right approach to convince Chloe to help me. The answer was obvious – her boyfriend would be my key. They were Hazel’s closest – friends, and I had to make them believe I truly wanted their friend’s happiness.
I pulled out my phone and dialed the number Adrian had provided. She picked up on the second ring.
“Hello?”
“Hi Chloe. This is Liam Sterling. Do you have a moment to talk?“.
The
pause before she responded told me everything. “Liam. Where did you get my number?” “I’m a businessman, Chloe. Getting information is part of what I do.”
“Shame you couldn’t get the information that Hazel was innocent before you destroyed her reputation.”
This girl had claws. Adrian had warned me she would be difficult. “I regret that more than you know, Chloe.”
“Sure you do. Look Liam, let me save us both some time. I know exactly why you’re calling, and the answer is no. I won’t help you win Hazel back.”
“I understand your position,” I said carefully. “But I’d like to meet with you in person, Chloe. I hurt your friend badly, and I owe you an apology as well. Would you and Noah join me for dinner tonight?”
Her silence suggested I had caught her off guard. I pressed my advantage.
“Just dinner, Chloe. You wouldn’t be betraying Hazel by hearing me out.“.
“Fine, Liam. You choose the place and pick up the tab. Text me the details and Noah and I will show up.”
The line went dead, but I pumped my fist in victory. She had agreed to meet. I immediately called Damian – I would need backup for this mission, and since Hazel was equally furious with him, he had his own amends to make. After making our reservation, I sent Chloe the information.
Damian and I arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes early. We ordered whiskey and settled in to wait. Right on schedule, we watched Chloe and Noah walk through the entrance.
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60 Chapter 60- Dinner Negotiations and Unexpected Advocates
“Evening, you two morons,” Chloe announced as she approached our table, while Noah
struggled to suppress his grin.
“Can’t argue with that assessment,” I replied, standing to pull out her chair.
“Are we really in that deep?” Damian asked Noah with genuine concern.
“Listen, I know both these women pretty well. Hazel has pride, which is good news. She might eventually forgive you both, but it won’t happen overnight. And if Chloe has her way, you’ll be put through hell first,” Noah explained, running his hand through his hair.
“Then we’ll endure whatever punishment they see fit,” I declared, meeting Chloe’s challenging
stare.
“We’ll see how long that confidence lasts,” she shot back.
The dinner conversation flowed surprisingly well as we discussed everything except the elephant in the room. Noah proved to be excellent company – articulate, funny, and clearly devoted to his girlfriend. He was the kind of man who anticipated her needs without being asked.
⚫ I began to understand why Chloe and Hazel were such close friends. They shared the same
sharp intelligence and quick wit. Despite coming from wealth, Chloe showed no signs of entitlement. She was grounded, socially conscious, and treated everyone with equal respect regardless of their background.
When our dessert arrived, Chloe finally cut to the chase.
“Alright Liam, enough small talk. I came tonight because I was curious to see just how shameless you could be. So tell me what exactly do you want from me?”
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“Chloe, I want to apologize to you personally. When I hurt your friend, I hurt you too. I was reckless and unfair…”
“You were arrogant, self–righteous, and a complete bastard,” Chloe interrupted sharply. “Both of
you.”
“Chloe, you’re defending your friend, right?” Damian interjected, receiving a curt nod. “Well, I was defending mine too. Liam is like a brother to me, and when I thought he’d been betrayed, it infuriated me. But we were wrong, and you’re absolutely right – we treated Hazel unfairly. We should have investigated before jumping to conclusions.”
“Chloe, I’m truly sorry. I love Hazel in ways I never knew were possible. I’m desperate here. Please forgive me and help me make this right. I’ll spend my entire life earning Hazel’s forgiveness if that’s what it takes,” I pleaded.
“You destroyed my friend, Liam. And you, Damian, you delivered the killing blow.” The pain in
Chloe’s voice was unmistakable.
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Noah reached for his girlfriend’s hand, looking directly into her
as he spoke.
“Chl, they screwed up badly, but who hasn’t? Remember when we first got together and you were convinced I was cheating because Leticia told you she’d seen me with someone else? You didn’t give me a chance to explain. Later we discovered it was all lies, and we worked through it. That was our second chance. Maybe Liam deserves one too, and Damian along with him.”
“That’s completely different, Noah. What we went through was nothing compared to what these two put Hazel through. Liam told her she belonged in the gutter,” Chloe’s fury was justified.
“And you called me a worthless piece of garbage, Chl. When we’re hurt and angry, we say things we don’t mean,” Noah responded patiently. “Everyone deserves a second chance. And you’re not considering what’s best for Hazel, or how much she’s suffering right now.”
“Of course I’m thinking about Hazel, Noah. She’s suffering because of them. I won’t let them hurt her again.”
“But what if her love for Liam is stronger than this pain? What if losing him forever would hurt her more than forgiving him?” Noah was becoming my unexpected advocate, and I felt a surge of hope.
“Noah, are you seriously taking their side?” Chloe asked incredulously.
I had to admire Chloe’s loyalty. Hazel was lucky to have such a fierce protector in her corner.
“I’m taking the side of our friend’s happiness. Let me ask you this – have you considered that he might be the love of her life, the one person who could make her truly happy?”
Chloe groaned and stared down at her untouched dessert.
“I don’t know, Noah. Maybe you’re right, but I can’t help them – it would be betraying Hazel. Besides, this idiot already has the best possible ally and he’s too stupid to see it. Leo is your direct line to Hazel’s heart,” she said, looking at me like I was missing the obvious.
“Chloe, I would never use Leo to manipulate Hazel. That would be despicable. I genuinely care about that boy in ways I can’t fully explain. There’s a connection there, probably because he’s the son of the woman I love,” I said with complete honesty.
“You wouldn’t be betraying Hazel, Chloe. You’d be helping your friend find happiness,” Damian added. “I would do anything to see Liam happy. And if you include me in this forgiveness deal, you and Hazel will gain the most loyal friend you could ask for.”
Chloe studied each of our faces before letting out a long, weary sigh.
“I’m probably going to regret this completely, but fine. I’ll help you both. Only because I’m sick of watching Hazel suffer, and I can see you genuinely care about Leo, Liam.”
“You won’t regret this decision. I’ll make your friend happier than she’s ever been,” I promised,
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60 Chapter 60–Dinner Negotiations and Unexpected Advocates
briefly squeezing her hand.
“You better, because if you mess this up again, I’ll destroy you,” Chloe warned. “And I want another piece of that strawberry cheesecake.”
“You can have the entire cake if you want it,” I replied, grinning widely.
