Chapter 170: A forgotten memory

The moment Vlad said those words, Chloe released a low gasp, keeping her face unreadable. She couldn’t understand whether it was Vlad’s demand or the warmth in his eyes for her that made her heart skip a beat.

She nervously grabbed her spoon, filled it with food, and shoved it into his mouth without even looking at him. If Vlad hadn’t moved his face at the last moment, she might have shoved it into his nose.

"Khwak, you’re trying to kill me or what?" he exclaimed as the spoon almost touched his throat.

"O-oh, sorry," Chloe gasped, quickly grabbing the water glass. She fed him water with one hand, while her other hand gently caressed his cheek. "Are you okay?"

She had never been this gentle with him, not after she passed the age of ten. For a moment, Vlad wondered if she had returned to how she used to be when they were younger, when they used to eat, sleep, and bathe together.

"I’m fine," Vlad replied in a reassuring tone after taking a few sips of the water.

She moved the glass straight to her lips next and drank down the remaining water in it, trying to calm her nerves.

Once they were done with dinner, Vlad cleaned the table, throwing all the disposable plates into the dustbin at the corner of the room.

Meanwhile, Chloe settled on Vlad’s bed, leaning against the wall and covering herself with his fluffy, heavy blanket.

"How do you know that’s my bed?" Vlad asked, his eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Because it smells like you," Chloe replied matter-of-factly.

"Huh? Are you a dog or what?" Vlad laughed, sitting at the edge of the bed, his back facing her.

"You will not recognise my things with my scent?" Chloe asked, tilting her head.

Now that she mentioned it, Vlad could recognise her sweet lavender fragrance any time, any day. Now it didn’t seem all that surprising that she recognised his bed.

"Hm, I sure will," he confessed before asking, "It’s getting late. Let me take you back to your dorm."

A brief silence followed his words. Moments later, Vlad felt her head touching his back.

"I’m scared, Vlad," she whispered, her voice slightly breaking. "Hug me to sleep tonight."

Her words slightly widened his eyes, rewinding an old memory that he had completely forgotten.

---

"Vlad! Vlad! Vlad!" Chloe’s desperate voice entered Vlad’s ears, breaking him from his sleep. His limbs were short, his face a bit chubby and round.

Beside him on the bed, little Chloe was sitting, her lavender hair only reaching her shoulders. She was also small, just like him, the duo barely over the age of seven.

"There is not any food in the kitchen, Chloe," Vlad grumbled in half-sleep, his eyes closing. "Go back to sleep."

"Vlad!" Chloe called again, a bit louder, her voice slightly breaking, causing Vlad to open his eyes.

Now that he looked at her, her lavender eyes were moist, her little hands trembling as she desperately shook his shoulder to wake him.

"What happened, Chloe?" he asked, jolting into a sitting position.

Chloe wrapped her little arms around him, her body shaking.

"I saw papa die," she whimpered, her grip tightening around him.

Her words caught him a bit off guard. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

"I-it was just a nightmare," he replied, giving her gentle headpats. "Everything is fine. I’m with you here."

"I’m scared, Vlad," she murmured. "Hug me to sleep tonight."

"Hmm," Vlad nodded as they lay down. Chloe rested her head on his arm, her face placed against his chest while he continued to give her headpats to calm her.

"Vlad," she called him a few minutes later, her voice calmer now.

"Yeah, I’m here," Vlad replied.

"I love you, Vlad," she whispered, tightly holding him. "Never leave me alone."

"I love you too, Chloe baby," Vlad answered, his tone gentle. "I will always protect you and drive away all your nightmares. You will never be alone."

"You promise?" Chloe asked, looking up at him with expectant eyes.

"Yes, I do," Vlad replied, kissing her forehead.

---

’So it wasn’t just a dream back then,’ Vlad murmured inwardly, his face carrying a warm smile.

That was the first time he had seen Chloe crying, but when he asked her about it in the morning, she straight up denied anything like that had happened the previous night. It made Vlad believe that he was just dreaming.

Although she didn’t show any tears in her eyes again after then until the incident at Barton City, they continued sleeping together, hugging like this, for almost three years.. Every day, Chloe used to declare her love to Elaria, Edren, and Vlad, giving them forehead kisses before going to sleep.

However, once she entered her puberty, she stopped sleeping with Vlad, giving him any kisses, or declaring her love to him, even though she still continued it with Elaria and Edren.

"Vlad," Chloe called him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

She lay beside him, her head resting on his arm, one hand placed on his chest. They were covered in the blanket up to their abdomens.

"Yeah, I’m here," Vlad answered, his eyes fixed at the ceiling above.

"I love you, Vlad," Chloe whispered, shifting closer to him. "You promised not to leave me alone. Please come back safely."

Vlad slowly turned toward her, his free hand moving in a gentle headpat.

"I love you too, Chloe baby," he replied in a gentle tone, kissing her forehead. "You need not worry. I never broke any of my promises with you. I will surely return to you safely."

His assuring words fell like music to Chloe’s ears. She didn’t care if Vlad didn’t look at her as a woman. All she wished was to keep this precious bond with him, to remain in his gentle embrace and be loved unconditionally by him.

Before she knew it, she drifted off into her most comfortable sleep in years.