Chapter 231
After dinner, Chloe and Pax made their way to the rooftop bar together. It was a massive terrace on top of the hotel, beautifully adorned with an array of exotic flowers and plants, making it feel like a floating garden. In the middle of this lush setting stood a stage draped in climbing vines, giving the entire place a dreamy, Alice-in-Wonderland vibe.
By the time they got there, the terrace was already buzzing with people. Pax headed backstage while Chloe casually grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter's tray and leaned against the glass railing near the stage. The view was spectacular; she could see the entire stage and, with a slight turn of her head, take in the dazzling nightscape of Paris.
Soon enough, Pax appeared on stage with a guitar slung over his shoulder. Initially, no one paid much attention. Guests were soaking in the night view, engaging in lively conversations, or toasting with their wine glasses. But the moment Pax started playing, and Pax's voice pierced the night sky, the entire terrace fell silent for a brief, magical moment.
His voice was mesmerizing ethereal and soothing. It seemed to drift in from some far-off place, like a gentle breeze through a forest, transporting everyone into a fairy-tale world. Pax was singing a simple yet beautiful French country folk song. The melody, paired with his clear, angelic voice, felt like the first warm rays of sunlight breaking through the mountain mist-pure and comforting.
Chloe watched the young man on stage, thinking how much he resembled a sunflower basking in the sun-bright, cheerful, and full of life. It reminded her of Connor. When she first met Connor, he was like the scorching midday sun, his presence intense and overwhelming. But as she got to know him, she realized that his fiery persona was just a front. In reality, Connor was cool and aloof, his warmth only a tiny spark that flared up briefly in their moments of passion.
But Pax was different. He wasn't a blazing sun but a gentle sunrise, radiating a steady, natural warmth. One man was a tempestuous pool of fire and ice, the other a serene dawn breaking through the horizon.
Chloe shook her head, feeling a bit tipsy. It had been twenty days since she and Connor broke up, yet she couldn't stop thinking about him. Seeing him a few days ago had stirred up old feelings.
Pax finished his song to thunderous applause. "Encore, encore, encore!" the crowd chanted, not ready for the night to end.
Pax obliged, strumming his guitar
for another tune. His eyes never left Chloe, even though she seemed a bitContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
met, she'd flash him a sweet,
distracted. Whenever thell fine
Галя
enchanting smile that filled him with energy.
Halfway through the second song, Chloe slipped away. By the time Pax finished, she was gone. Pax felt a pang of disappointment but then noticed a message from her on his phone.
[Great performance! Heading back for some beauty sleep. Goodnight :)]
The disappointment melted away instantly. He quickly typed a reply but kept deleting and retyping unsure of what to say. After five minutes of indecision, he finally sent a simple response.
[Goodnight,.]