CHAPTER 425: CHAPTER 425: I’M YOUR FAN

Holding Stephanie tightly in her arms, Chantelle looked at the man’s slender back ahead of her while the screams of fans echoed all around them.

They ran for so long that Chantelle’s lungs burned from the cold air. Exhausted, she pulled her hand free from the man’s grip and hugged Stephanie tightly while panting heavily. "Are you okay, Stephanie?" she asked.

Stephanie nodded as her long lashes were wet with tears. "Are you hurt, Mommy?"

"I’m okay," Chantelle said. Once she was sure Stephanie was safe, she turned to look at the idol who had helped them escape.

Seeing no one else around, the man pulled down his mask, revealing a handsome but pale face. His almond-shaped eyes carried an intense and suffocating look.

"Are you Stephanie? Hi, I’m your fan," the young idol said, extending his hand toward her.

Stephanie turned her head away, refusing to even look at him. It was clear she blamed him for what happened.

Chantelle gave her a disapproving look, and Stephanie reluctantly reached out to shake the young man’s hand.

"Thank you for helping us earlier," Chantelle said politely.

The man waved his hand. "I didn’t expect things to get so out of control. I’m just glad you’re both okay. Otherwise, I’d be in serious trouble."

He raised an eyebrow as he looked at Chantelle. "Are you really Stephanie’s mom? You look so young."

He had noticed her in the crowd earlier and had been stunned by her beauty.

Chantelle didn’t get the chance to answer the idol’s question because the fans were still chasing after them. They had no choice but to keep running.

"Turn right, Mommy," Stephanie said while sitting in Chantelle’s arms. She had already called Auntie Thea, who told her they were at the parking lot.

Following Stephanie’s directions, Chantelle managed to reach the parking lot and quickly got into the car.

As the car pulled out of the airport, the crowd of fans behind them slowly faded away. Chantelle breathed a sigh of relief and gently fixed Stephanie’s messy hair.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" she asked worriedly.

Stephanie shook her head and looked at the idol, whose eyes were shining brightly.

Chantelle followed her eyes. She had been so focused on escaping that she hadn’t noticed the culprit slipping into the car with them.

"Who is he, Mommy? Why did he get into our car?" Kane asked curiously, staring at the young idol. Railer glanced at the man cautiously.

The idol didn’t seem particularly good-looking or rich like Daddy, so there was nothing to worry about it for now.

"Hello, I’m Clinton Hector. I’m Stephanie’s fan. It’s nice to meet you," Clinton said with a dazzling smile.

Still, everyone in the car just stared at him. No one seemed impressed by his smile, which usually made girls swoon.

Embarrassed, Clinton froze with that smile still plastered on his face. It looked like his cheeks might cramp any second.

Chantelle felt a little sorry for him. If it weren’t for his help, she probably wouldn’t have made it out of the airport safely. So, she offered him a sincere thank you.

That gave Clinton a way out of the awkward moment. "It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m just glad I could help," he replied quickly.

"Ah! I know you!" Thea suddenly exclaimed, slapping her thigh as she leaned forward to get a better look at him. "Aren’t you that idol everyone’s been talking about online? Your meme is all over the internet."

She squinted at his face. "They said your nose is fake."

Clinton pinched his nose and twisted it from side to side.

"They said you had eyelid surgery," Thea continued.

Clinton pulled his eyelids to show they were real.

"They said you had your jawline altered," she added.

Clinton rubbed the skin along his chin, desperately trying to prove that it was real.

"They said you shaved your cheekbones," Thea raised her voice. She had seen the comparison photos and was convinced he’d had his cheekbones done.

Clinton looked at her helplessly, unsure how to prove he hadn’t done any cosmetic surgery to look good.

Thea’s eyes suddenly lit up and drifted from his face down to his abs. "They also said your six-pack is painted on. Hehe."

Clinton quickly pulled his T-shirt down and gave her a look that screamed pervert. "It’s not."

"Hehe. Show me. Show me, and I’ll believe you," Thea teased him while reaching out her hand as if to lift his shirt.

Just then, Chantelle’s phone rang. Kane grabbed it, answered the call, and shouted, "Daddy!"

Standing in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, Daniel looked down at the bright night lights of New Yale. The sound of his children’s voices softened the coldness in his eyes.

But the warmth didn’t last long.

Did Chantelle hand the phone to the kids because she didn’t want to talk to him now?

"Daddy, when are you coming back? I already miss you," Kane said playfully, trying to get Daniel’s attention.

Stephanie leaned closer and added, "Daddy, I miss you so much. Rai misses you too."

"I miss all of you. Once my work here is done, I will—"

A faint cry from the other end of the line cut Daniel off mid-sentence. Even though the sound was soft, he instantly recognized Chantelle’s voice.

"I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to." Clinton hurriedly unbuckled his seat belt, trying to get away from Thea’s grip. But when the car turned a corner, he lost his balance and stumbled right into Chantelle’s arms.

"Haha! Clint, you’re in trouble now. Admit it, you had a crush on Chantie!" Thea said, laughing loudly.

Chantelle glared at Thea before speaking gently to Clinton. "Put on your seat belt."

She could tell that the guy caught in the online mess was a shy introvert. Thea’s teasing had turned his face and neck bright red.

If Thea kept going, the poor boy might actually jump out of the car.

"Thank you," Clinton said with a shy smile.

Pressing her hands dramatically against her chest, Thea said, "Even though you’re eyeing Chantie, you still hurt me in the process, and you have to take responsibility for that. Got it?"

"I didn’t..." Clinton stammered, glancing at Chantelle for help.

Chantelle could never resist those pleading eyes. It was the same look Kane always used whenever he got into trouble and begged for forgiveness.

She turned to Thea and said, "Stop it. You’re going to scare him off."

"No way, Chantie. You’ve got a family! Are you trying to make him stay?" Thea blinked playfully at her, clearly tempted to say she wouldn’t mind having Clinton for herself.