Chapter 785: Cannot Let Go

The dinner was incredibly lavish, consisting of eight dishes and a soup. Most of the food suited Chloe Reed’s tastes. Taking in the scene, the old lady wore a faint smile on her lips.

"Preston, anyone can tell your cooking skills are excellent just by looking at this," she praised.

Preston Vance smiled gently. "Try some, Grandmother. If there’s anything you don’t like, just point it out, and I’ll practice to improve it."

"Alright." The old lady picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

Chloe, however, seemed a bit absent-minded.

The old lady glanced at her. "Chloe, Preston cooked this entire table of delicious food. Why are you zoning out? Hurry up and eat properly."

Snapping back to reality, Chloe offered a small smile and nodded. "Okay."

She had tasted Preston’s soup before and knew it was genuinely delicious, so she was already aware of his culinary skills. Yet, this time, he still managed to amaze her. The dishes were perfect in color, aroma, and taste, and everything was seasoned exactly the way she loved. She lowered her eyes slightly and ate in silence.

Seeing that she wasn’t offering any opinion, the old lady sighed softly in her heart before speaking up. "This is truly wonderful."

Preston smiled mildly. "As long as you both like it."

Uncle King, the butler, walked over. "Would you like some fruit wine? Isn’t this a reunion dinner? It definitely feels like something is missing without a little alcohol."

The old lady nodded. "Alright, let’s have some. Fruit wine won’t get you drunk."

But Preston interjected, "Chloe is taking traditional Chinese medicine, so she has dietary restrictions. Let her have juice instead."

Uncle King nodded. "Yes, I know. I’ve prepared a soft drink for her." He placed a glass of orange juice next to Chloe. "Come, come, let’s raise our glasses together to celebrate the upcoming new year." Always good at livening up the atmosphere, Uncle King sat down and spoke with a smile.

They all raised their glasses, clinking them gently together with a crisp CLINK.

Preston gazed at Chloe. "I hope that in the new year, you will be safe, and everything goes smoothly for you. May you get everything you desire."

Chloe curled her lips into a smile. "Thank... you."

Preston then looked at the old lady. "And I hope Grandmother’s health continues to improve, and that you live a long, fulfilling life."

The old lady smiled and nodded. "Then I also hope that in the new year, your career will flourish and all your wishes will come true."

"Cheers!"

The atmosphere gradually warmed up. They chatted about recent events, international affairs, and entertainment gossip. The topics jumped around quickly, but it made everyone feel thoroughly relaxed.

After dinner, Chloe loaded the dishes into the dishwasher. When she turned around, she saw Preston standing at the kitchen doorway, his eyes gazing at her with gentle warmth from behind his glasses.

Holding up her phone, Chloe typed out a question: "What’s wrong? Is there something you need?"

"I just had a sudden thought," Preston said. "The scene just now gave me a strong sense of déjà vu, as if we were an old married couple."

Chloe looked at him helplessly and typed: "Preston, did you drink too much? Fruit wine barely has any alcohol in it."

Preston sighed softly. "I didn’t drink too much. That was just my wishful thinking. Chloe, the truth is, you’ve never been able to let him go, have you?"

Having spent this recent period interacting with her, he had taken all her shifting emotions to heart. Once again, he realized with absolute clarity that the sheer accumulation of time had occupied too much of her heart. All the romantic flutters of her youth had revolved around Walker Grant, and they possessed the foundation of so many years of a stable relationship. It might truly be impossible for anyone else to easily squeeze their way in.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he would have met her earlier had he not gone abroad, and if he would have had a better chance if he had.