Rural Belle & Three Heirs
Chapter 31 You Just Dislike Me

As soon as Chloe finished speaking, Grant's hand shot to her face, attempting to yank off the mole he assumed was fake. Unfortuantely, Chloe had used extra adhesive that morning, and under the relentless sun, it had formed a tenacious

bond. His tugging only resulted in hurting her skin, making his intentions painfully clear.

The sting snapped her back to the present. She shoved Grant's hand away, jumped up, and, with dramatic flair, covered her face. "Grantie, why are you pulling at my face?" she accused, her voice a mix of indignation and desperation. Grant's confidence faltered, unable to comprehend why the mole wouldn't come off. He had been certain he saw it out of place that night.

"What's up with that mole?" he asked, bewildered.

Chloe's expression tightened, her hand instinctively covering the mole. After confirming it was still in place, she composed herself. "This mole has been on my face forever. What's the deal, Grantie? You got an issue with my mole?" she challenged, her voice steadying.

Grant hesitated before speaking, replaying the scene in his mind. "But at the welcome party the other night, I could've sworn I saw your mole out of place, like it was fake."

Hearing Grant say this, Chloe quickly adjusted her expression. She tilted her face slightly, making it seem as if the mole had shifted toward her nose.

"Like this?" Chloe asked, her voice laden with innocence.

Grant was left utterly speechless. In the dim light at the welcome party, he had been convinced he saw her mole looking like it was about to fall off. But now, as he thought back, doubt gnawed at him. Had the poor visibility tricked him, or had the alcohol clouded his perception? Either way, Grant found himself riddled with uncertainty.

Chloe sniffled pitifully, her voice breaking as she accused, "Grant, I know you, Mic, and Liam think this mole is ugly, but Grandpa and Louis insisted I come; it was not my intention to embarrass myself. This morning, Liam said he'd found a dermatologist to remove it, and now you're trying to pull it off! If you don't like me, I'll just pack up and go back to my hometown."

Chloe's words sent a surge of panic through Grant. Chloe's presence in their home was Nicholas's brainchild. The fact that she had to choose from among the three brothers was Louis's decree. If Louis found out they had scared Chloe away, his wrath would be a force to reckon with.

Normally unflappable, Grant felt himself start to unravel. Trying to soothe her, he stammered, "I'm sorry, Chloe. I didn't mean to upset you. I just..."

"You just think I'm ugly, right?" Chloe interrupted, her voice quivering with distress.

"No, I was just curious. I thought..."

"You think I don't deserve to be with any one of you." Chloe continued, her voice breaking into sobs.

"No, I..." Grant felt completely out of his depth

At this moment, an old adage crossed his mind: even God couldn't handle a woman in tears. Logic often abandoned the room when women cried, and Chloe, despite her age, had mastered this art.

He wasn't like Michael, who often mingled with women, acting in movies and appearing on variety shows, able to use lines from films to easily calm angry women.

He wasn't like Liam, who had many friends to help him come up with ideas.

He was alone, and faced with Chloe's tears, he was helpless.

Feeling conflicted and cornered, Grant acted on impulse. He stepped forward and pulled the weeping Chloe into his arms. Chloe went rigid, shocked by the sudden embrace.

"Chloe, I'm sorry. I really messed up. I was drunk that night and didn't see clearly. I never meant to hurt you. I'm truly sorry," Grant murmured, his voice thick with regret.

Since meeting Chloe, the usually stoic president of the Martin Group had shed his armor of arrogance. Never before had he apologized so earnestly. But Chloe's tears had stripped away his pride.

Chloe, inwardly, had planned to use this moment to make her escape, but Grant's earnest apology made her hesitate. She decided to give him a chance but resolved to still leave a terrible impression, ensuring he would ultimately scorn her. Embracing this new strategy, Chloe pulled away slightly, wiping her eyes in a deliberately overdramatic fashion. "Grantie, if you want me to forgive you, you've gotta show some real action. You can't just push me around and expect me to forget it."

Grant listened intently, nodding with a seriousness that surprised even himself. After all, he had been raised to understand that actions had consequences. "Alright. Tell me what I need to do."

Chloe, seizing the opportunity, began her exaggerated performance, ready to push Grant's limits.