Pampered by the Ice-Cold Billionaire

By the time she woke up, dusk had already settled outside. She reached for her phone on the nightstand and checked the time-it was already 9:30 PM. Having barely eaten on the flight, a wave of hunger hit her.

She changed into a fresh set of clothes and prepared to head downstairs. Stepping out of the guest room, she leaned over the hallway railing and glanced down.

Kate Bishop was sitting on the living room sofa watching a variety show while a maid placed a fruit platter on the coffee table.

She had only taken two steps down the stairs when she saw Tony Stark walk through the front door. A servant rushed forward, placing a pair of slippers at his feet.

Her feet froze instantly. Her hand tightened its grip on the gilded handrail.

Compared to three years ago, he had become even more mature and striking. Dressed in a tailored dark suit and a crisp white shirt, he carried an air of refined, aloof calm.

Bending over at the entrance to change his shoes, he didn't notice Chloe standing on the staircase.

She stood frozen on the steps, torn over whether to go down. Knowing her appearance would only make things awkward for all three of them, she turned to head back to her room-only for Kate Bishop's voice to ring out from behind her: "Chloe."

Her body went stiff. She instinctively bit her lower lip, her fingernails digging into her palms until sharp pricks of pain resonated through her skin.

After a long pause, she turned back around. Her face was once again a mask of quiet indifference, betrayed by not a single trace of emotion.

Kate Bishop looked up at her from the sofa, and Tony Stark, standing by the entryway, was doing the same.

With a brief, neutral glance, Chloe seamlessly averted her gaze and finished descending the stairs. "Sister, I'm hungry."

Kate Bishop called out warmly for "Sia." Sia emerged from the kitchen, and upon seeing Chloe coming down the stairs, her face lit up with joy. "Miss Bishop!"

Before Tony Stark and Kate Bishop were married, Chloe had been a frequent guest at the Stark Manor, so the household staff all remembered her well.

Unlike many spoiled heiresses, Chloe possessed no arrogance. Back then, she would always greet the older servant with a sweet, lively "Sia," leaving a wonderful impression.

Tony Stark entered the living room. Kate Bishop stepped forward and naturally took his suit jacket before hanging it up in the coatroom. The seamless, intimate dynamic between them mirrored that of an old married couple.

The sight cut Chloe like a knife. It felt as if a sharp blade were slowly slicing through her heart, making it difficult to breathe.

Sia brought out the meal she had saved for her. Chloe walked over to the dining table, sat down, and asked casually, "Where is Wania?"

Wania was a senior servant of the Stark household who adored her. In the past, whenever she visited, Wania would always cook her favorite dishes and prepare her favorite fruits.

Detecting the faint scent of alcohol on Tony Stark, Kate Bishop instructed a maid to brew a pot of hangover tea. Hearing Chloe's question, she replied, "Wania's grandson fell ill, so she took the day off."

Tony Stark leaned back exhaustedly against the sofa, his peripheral vision drifting toward Chloe at the dining table. The youthful innocence on her face had entirely faded. Dressed in a white dress that accentuated her porcelain-fair skin, her features looked sharp and exquisite.

She had lost a significant amount of weight. The baby fat that used to round her face was completely gone, replaced by a slender, pointed chin. Because she was so thin, her eyes appeared even larger-just as dark, bright, and clear as they had always been.

Chloe had a small appetite to begin with. After taking just a few bites, she set her fork down.

Noticing the food was barely touched, Sia asked, "Miss Bishop, is the food not to your liking?"

That shouldn't be, she thought. Everything was cooked according to her old preferences.

Before Chloe could answer, Tony Stark suddenly chimed in, "Eating too much at night isn't good for digestion."

The moment the words left his mouth, Chloe lifted her head and looked straight at him. His chest tightened.

From the moment he had stepped through the door until now, she had treated him as if he were completely invisible.