When I Repeated My Parents’ Love Story Chapter 04

When I Repeated My Parents’ Love Story Chapter 04

My parents’ faces shifted through more shades than a paint swatch.

Mom reached out and wrapped her arms around me, her voice cracking.

“Chloe, why do you have to fall for someone who doesn’t love you back?”

I hadn’t caught on to the weight behind their reactions yet. I just counted off on my fingers with naive confidence.

“You’re the ones who taught me how. Dad, you hover behind Angela every single day, silently caring. Mom, you show up wherever Ethan is, day after day. You both pour yourselves into people who don’t see you. I can do the same thing!”

“Lucas doesn’t like me, but he’s the person at school who likes me the least. I think that’s seriously cool.”

The words landed like a bomb. My parents went completely rigid.

In their eyes I saw it all—shock, regret, and this horrible dawning recognition. Clear as glass.

My twisted idea of love, my entire blueprint for romance, I’d copied it straight from them.

Mom suddenly let go of me. Her eyes sharpened into something fierce.

“Chloe, who told you your father and I are in love with other people? We married each other because we loved each other.”

My eyes bulged. I stared at her, unable to process it.

“Seriously? Wasn’t it arranged? Everyone knows you two only care about Angela and Ethan!”

Seeing I didn’t believe a word, Mom leaned over and planted a quick kiss on Dad’s cheek.

Barely a peck, quick as a flash. But Dad’s face exploded into red, the flush burning all the way to his ears.

“What are you doing! The kid’s right here!”

I burst out laughing. So they could get shy too.

From that day on, the whole atmosphere in the house flipped.

Mom no longer camped out at Ethan Frost’s office building at dawn. Now she tied on an apron and worked the kitchen. Dad hovered beside her handing over spices, stealing sips of her soup when he thought she wasn’t looking, and getting his hand playfully smacked. The strawberry smoothie that used to be Angela’s exclusive delivery now showed up on my breakfast table every morning.

After school, my parents drove together to pick me up, always with a milk tea in hand.

My classmates watched and sighed with envy.

“Chloe, your parents are so in love! They act like they just started dating!”

It hit me like a truck.

What happened? Did the doormat genes go dormant?

Or did the hero and heroine’s plot armor finally wear off?

Though I had to admit, ever since my parents started dating each other, my obsession with Lucas didn’t feel quite as electric anymore.

Days rolled by like that.

Then the invitation arrived. Ethan and Angela’s fifth wedding anniversary party.

I stared at the card and my first thought was yes, finally, I’ll get to see Lucas again.

But right after that, a second thought crept in—this weird, queasy reluctance.

So I turned to my parents.

“Are you going?”

Dad frowned and set the invitation on the table.

“Honestly, I’d rather not. We don’t really have anything to do with them anymore. But we have to keep up appearances. Our companies still have some ties.”

Mom nodded, straightening Dad’s tie as she spoke.

“We’ll make an appearance, eat fast, and leave. We’re not sticking around for small talk.”

I felt a surge of relief, but the unease still squirmed in my stomach.

I kept worrying that once they saw Ethan and Angela again, everything would shatter and they’d crawl right back to being the pathetic versions of themselves.

But the resolve in their eyes steadied me. I nodded.

“Alright. I’ll go with you.”

Besides, I’d get to talk to my crush. How could I pass that up?

The next day we arrived at the venue. Ethan and Angela stood at the entrance greeting guests.

They both looked miserable, not speaking a word to each other, the air between them frozen solid.

I couldn’t have cared less about their relationship drama. I scanned the crowd, hunting for Lucas.

We walked closer. Ethan’s mouth curled into a mocking smirk. He turned to Angela.

“Well, look who’s here. Isn’t that your number-one fan, Richard Ashford? He’s always the most enthusiastic one at your anniversary every year.”

“Last year you said you wanted fireworks and he rented out the whole downtown launch site. I still remember that spectacle.”

“So what grand surprise did he prepare this year? Can’t be less impressive than last year’s, right?”

Angela didn’t miss a beat. She shot a sideways glare at my mom and fired back at Ethan.

“And your little childhood sweetheart Nancy Lin is here too. Remember your birthday last year? She hand-knitted you a scarf.”

“I’m sure she’s got something equally thoughtful today. You’d better accept it graciously.”

My parents’ faces shifted. Awkwardness. Conflict.

I sighed inwardly.

My parents’ clasped hands came apart.

There it was. The simp instinct was etched into their bones.

Didn’t matter how in love they pretended to be. The second the hero and heroine showed up, they’d revert to factory settings. They couldn’t stop themselves, could they?

Then I saw what my parents pulled out. My eyes flew open.