Chloe Preston was completely exasperated by him. This man... How can he just say whatever comes to mind without considering the occasion! Chloe Preston placed a hand on his chest and gave a gentle push. "It’s too hot. Stay away from me." Donovan Xavier lowered his head, inhaling the pleasant, light fragrance from her skin. His nose brushed against her neck. "Where is it hot?" Chloe Preston was horrified. "We’re outside! Don’t be reckless! Mind your behavior!" She put on her prettiest scowl, looking adorably fierce. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was giving him the cold shoulder. Nearby, a group of young ladies from prestigious families watched, gritting their teeth so hard they might crack. The rumor mill claimed that Donovan Xavier was naturally cold and aloof. He was known to be self-disciplined, proper, and completely uninterested in women. Get full chapters from novel※fire.net His three great passions in life were said to be tasting tea, painting, and collecting antiques. Any woman who tried to approach him was destined for a bad end. Because of this, some even suspected he had a different sexual orientation. Either that, or he suffered from some hidden illness. On the sofa, Donovan Xavier’s dark eyes were fixed intently on the woman as he lifted a hand with its distinct knuckles, affectionately stroking her head. The next second, Chloe Preston couldn’t hold back a sneeze. Donovan Xavier furrowed his brows, immediately shrugging off his suit jacket and carefully draping it over her shoulders. "And here you were complaining about the heat. You’re so cold you’re about to catch a cold. Come on, let me warm you up." As he spoke, he reached out, intending to pull her into his embrace. Chloe Preston reacted quickly, stopping his hands. "Ahem," she whispered, "don’t lose your composure." She shifted slightly to the side, but a twinge in her waist made her wince and suck in a sharp breath. "What’s wrong?" Donovan Xavier asked. "Nothing," Chloe Preston said. "I probably just bumped it when I fell earlier." Donovan Xavier frowned. Without a word, he reached around her lower back and began to massage it gently. As Chloe Preston watched him, her shimmering eyes flickered. His palm was warm against her waist, but the heat spread straight to her heart. The women watching looked on, nearly going mad with jealousy! This was the untouchable Donovan Xavier, a ruthless, top-tier magnate! Yet here he was, humbly massaging a young woman’s lower back, his gaze so incredibly gentle! Who on earth started the rumor that Mr. Xavier wasn’t interested in women?! Not far away, Adrian Rhodes lazily watched the scene, one hand in his pocket. He clicked his tongue and said, "Mr. Sterling, get a load of Mr. Xavier’s dopey grin. He hardly looks like a man at all!" Adrian Rhodes turned his head. Beside him, Leo Sterling was gazing at the woman next to him, completely captivated, his own grin even dopier than Donovan Xavier’s. Leo Sterling took a sip of wine, his Adam’s apple bobbing. His voice was deep. "Heard you broke up?" "Huh?" Ivy Lane started, then nodded. "Yeah." Then, Ivy Lane glanced at her phone and frowned before looking back at the man. "Attorney Sterling, something’s come up. I have to go." Leo Sterling remained silent, his dark eyes deep as he quietly watched her walk away. "Interested?" Adrian Rhodes suddenly leaned over to ask. Just then, a woman came rushing over. She had a cold, beautiful face with fine lines at the corners of her eyes, but her elegance gave her a unique charm. Seeing her approach, Donovan Xavier stood up. "Auntie, why are you here?" Claire Chandler completely ignored him, walking straight past to embrace Chloe Preston. "Oh, my dear Chloe! I just heard from a servant that you were hit! Does it hurt?" Chloe Preston shook her head with a smile. "It doesn’t hurt." Claire Chandler released her and looked her over from head to toe, her heart aching. "Tell Claire who the bastard was that hit you. I’ll get justice for you!" "There’s no need. I’m fine," Chloe Preston said. Donovan Xavier’s brows furrowed slightly as he watched them chatting away with each other. "Auntie, you two know each other?" Claire Chandler continued to ignore him, gently patting Chloe’s hair. Donovan Xavier’s handsome face darkened. "Auntie, am I invisible to you?" Claire Chandler simply took Chloe Preston’s arm and, smiling and chatting cheerfully, turned to leave with her. Donovan Xavier, "..." A moment later, he noticed Evan York standing not far away and walked over. Seeing him approach, Evan York spoke first. "Cousin, what’s up?" Donovan Xavier didn’t beat around the bush. "I want to know, what is Chloe Preston’s relationship with the Yates family?" Evan York paused for a few seconds before answering in a low voice, "She stayed with us for a few days, right after you two broke up." Donovan Xavier’s heart skipped a beat. Evan York swirled the wine in his glass. "Back then," he said slowly, "she was hiding from you, so Ivy Lane brought her to stay at our family home for a while. My mom and she hit it off immediately. She really liked her." He continued, his eyes downcast as his emotions began to stir turbulently, "At that time, her mother had died and her father had borrowed from loan sharks. With the family also owing massive gambling debts, she worked relentlessly every day, desperate to earn money." "She never smiled during those days. She barely ate and was so thin she hardly looked human. She would often hide in a corner and cry by herself... She was probably thinking of you..." "You probably don’t know, but she has severe depression. Ivy Lane once secretly looked through her drawer and said it was full of empty antidepressant bottles." Donovan Xavier took in every word, his brows knitted. A sharp pain suddenly bloomed in his heart. "She... she never told me any of this." A faint smile touched Evan York’s lips. "She’s in love with you. How could she bear to tell you and make you worry?" "How do you two know each other?" Donovan Xavier asked. Evan York took a breath. "We were high school classmates. I went abroad for university, so we lost touch." "Cousin, I’m begging you, please be good to her. She really can’t take being hurt by you a second time..." With that, he turned and walked away. Donovan Xavier remained rooted to the spot, processing everything he had just been told. Adrian Rhodes popped up beside him. "Mr. Xavier, no wonder you couldn’t find Chloe back then, even after turning all of Kryton upside down. So she was hiding at your cousin’s place!" "Both Evan and Connor Sutton seem to really like her. Aren’t you afraid that one day, they might just steal Chloe away from you?" Donovan Xavier glanced at him, a half-smile on his face, but the look in his eyes was cold. "Steal her away?" "Heh. No one can take my woman from me!" Leo Sterling appeared from the other side, laughing teasingly. "You’re certainly confident." Donovan Xavier’s eyes narrowed. A chilling laugh escaped his thin lips, his tone domineering and intense. "If someone does take her, I’m not afraid. I’ll just take her back!" "In this life, her body and heart are both mine. I’ll kill whoever tries to take her!" Adrian Rhodes raised an eyebrow, leaning in to tease him. "Evan’s your favorite cousin. Are you going to kill him, too?" Donovan Xavier’s gaze turned frigid as he glared at him. Chloe Preston was forcibly kept overnight by Claire at the Yates family home. She took a bath, lifted the covers, and got into bed. She picked up her phone for a look, but the man hadn’t sent her any messages. It was late, and she didn’t want to disturb him, so she turned off the light and closed her eyes to sleep. A few moments later, a corner of the quilt was gently lifted. In the pitch-black room, someone was sneaking into her bed. Feeling something moving against her, Chloe Preston woke with a start, terrified. "Who is it!" The man flipped over to press her down, then leaned in and planted a light peck on her forehead. "Don... Donovan Xavier! How did you get in!" Donovan Xavier didn’t answer. In the darkness, Chloe Preston tried to push him away. "Donovan Xavier, stop messing around! And don’t touch me like that." Donovan Xavier laughed.