Chapter 2 Part 2

Alden smiled as he saw Chloe and her mother waiting for him at the airport. The longing in his heart surged as he saw the two women who meant so much to him, ready to embrace and be hugged. However, Alden's wide smile suddenly vanished when he noticed how pale and thin Chloe looked now, far from how she was before he left the country.

When Alden asked, Chloe weakly shook her head, assuring him that everything was fine and going as planned, including their wedding preparations, which were already ninety percent complete. She mentioned waiting for Alden to come and do the final wedding dress fitting. Without suspecting anything, Alden accepted Chloe's explanation that her pallor was due to fatigue from handling the wedding preparations. Chloe sweetly convinced him that she was fine and just tired.

Alden believed her, and so he didn't bother to find out what was really happening with Chloe. Little did he know that over the past year, his beloved had been undergoing treatment to combat lymph node cancer, which was slowly eating away at her body.

Chloe intentionally kept the truth hidden from Alden and didn't call off the wedding. She had been informed by the doctors that she didn't have much time left, and she planned to marry Alden to ensure that her grandmother, who was already in her twilight years, and Alice, who was still pursuing her education, would be taken care of after she was gone. There would be no one else to look after them.

Chloe was convinced that Alden, being such a kind and caring person, would take care of her grandmother and Alice and be a great husband to her adopted sister. A year ago, when Chloe found out about her cancer, she tried to keep it a secret from everyone, except for Alice.

Alice was always there with her, accompanying her to the hospital for regular check-ups and treatment for the lymph node cancer. However, instead of getting better, Chloe's condition worsened day by day. Her body grew weaker, and her eyes became sunken with dark circles, as if she hadn't slept for days.

On the night before the wedding, Chloe felt her body giving in to the disease that was now consuming her frail form. With all her strength and hope, she knocked on Alice's door. The girl responded from inside the room, and soon the door opened, revealing Alice with a sweet smile for her, just like always whenever Chloe wanted to enter her room.

"What's wrong, Sis?" Alice asked, leading Chloe to sit at the edge of the bed.

Chloe smiled, gently caressing Alice's cheek. "You're such a good girl, and I'm lucky to have you, my dear."

Alice nodded. "I'm lucky to have you too, Sis. Without you, I wouldn't know what would have become of me now. You've also helped me manage everything so I wouldn't lose my rights to my parents' inheritance. Thank you, Sis. Alice loves you, Sister." She spread her arms and hugged Chloe.

"If only I could repay all your kindness, Sis. Of course, I would do it. And... oh, yes, I..." The text seems to be cut off at the end, and it's unclear what else was said.

"Please marry Alden tomorrow. Be his wife and make him happy for me," Chloe whispered, letting go of Alice's embrace and holding both her hands.

"I can't fight this illness anymore, Alice. I'm tired, and I give up. It's too painful, and my body can't take it anymore. And... if you really want to repay all my kindness, please do this for me."

Alice was taken aback. Her eyes welled up with tears, and her lips trembled. "N-No, Sis. I can't. I..."

"I beg you, Alice." Chloe got up from her seat and knelt in front of Alice, pleading with her.

Alice sobbed. Her tears flowed uncontrollably. It wasn't that she didn't want to help. But many hearts would be broken after this.

Before Chloe entered, Alice had been on a call with her boyfriend. They couldn't wait for Chloe and Alden to get married the next day. They had been looking forward to taking their relationship public. Alice and her boyfriend had plans to get married soon, as Gilbert Artayasa, Alice's boyfriend, intended to propose to her.

But now, everything would change. Alice had nodded her head, accepting Chloe's request to marry Alden.

What else could Alice do but accept Chloe's request? Chloe had been the one taking care of her, filling the role of her parents and loving her as a true sister. Chloe also helped Alice secure her parents' inheritance, which was at risk of being taken by unscrupulous individuals.

"Thank you," Chloe whispered, hugging Alice tightly, as if it might be their last loving embrace.

After conveying her request, Chloe returned to her room, leaving Alice alone. The girl started crying over her own decision. Why did it have to be her? Why did she have to marry Alden? What about Gilbert? What about their love? And how would she break this news to Gilbert?

When Alice nodded her head, everything changed. She altered who would become Alden's wife and hurt Gilbert because of Chloe's request. Now, whether she liked it or not, Alice had to fulfill her promise to Chloe and erase all memories of Gilbert today. On Chloe's wedding day, which she was now replacing.

Their grandmother was startled when Chloe said she couldn't marry Alden and revealed the results of her medical examinations. A life-threatening disease was currently ravaging her body.

"Why did both of you keep this from me? Don't you love me anymore?" the elderly woman sobbed. Chloe was her only grandchild and family left.

"Forgive me, Grandma. I swear it's not that Alice and I don't love you. It's just that I didn't want to make you worried and sad. At first, I thought the illness would heal with the treatment I underwent. But I was wrong. Over time, the condition only worsened. That's why I can't go through with this wedding, Grandma. However, Alice will take my place," explained Chloe.

"Chloe... why does this have to happen? Why do you have to bear such a heavy burden on your happy day? You've been looking forward to this day for so long. And for Alice, will Alden truly accept her as his wife? It would be better to cancel the wedding and continue it when you recover. Grandma is sure you'll get better, Chloe. I'm very certain of that!" said the grandmother, trying to convince Chloe to cancel her intention to marry Alice to Alden.

Alice, who was getting ready, turned around, hoping that Chloe would listen to their grandmother's advice. Because there was no guarantee that Alden would accept her as his wife, and there was also no guarantee that Chloe's illness would give way. However, Chloe shook her head, sticking to her decision to marry Alden to Alice.

Chloe also assured everyone that Alden is a good man, responsible and the only person who can take care of Alice and their grandmother. It was a heavy decision to accept, but there was nothing they could do other than comply with Chloe's wishes. Alden was already waiting downstairs to proceed with the wedding. After that, the celebration would continue with a lively wedding reception, considering that both of them were the only children in their respective families.

Alden was nervous. Not having seen Chloe for over a week made him even more anxious to meet his beloved. He couldn't stop smiling because he had been eagerly waiting for this day. However, when they arrived at the main event, Alden was asked to wait for a moment due to a change from Chloe.

Not knowing what it was, Alden patiently waited, excited to marry Chloe. But all his hopes and dreams shattered when Alice came down from the second floor in a wedding dress, with Chloe and their grandmother by her side as attendants.

Alden was furious, feeling like he was being played by Chloe and her family. "What is this?!" he exclaimed, glaring at his family and Chloe interchangeably.

Chloe approached and sat next to Alden, where she was supposed to be seated during the wedding.

She handed her medical examination results to Alden. "Alden, please marry Alice, I beg you! Continue my duty to take care of her and our grandmother," she pleaded softly. Her once-beautiful face now pale despite the thick makeup.

Alden shook his head. "I can't do that! And I don't care if you have only a day or an hour left. The one I want to marry is you, Chloe, not Alice!"

"I know, Alden. I know that. But I can't marry you if it's only going to be a burden for you. So I beg you, Alden. Marry Alice." She held Alden's hand.

Chloe, feeling her head heavy and in pain, hoped Alden would agree and marry Alice for her sake. "I can't!" Alden forcefully pulled his hand away from Alice. Then he stood up and left his seat.

Alden firmly refused Chloe's request to marry Alice because he loved Chloe and only wanted to be with her. He didn't need to become Alice's husband to take care of her and their grandmother.

But as Alden reached the door, a commotion was heard behind him. Chloe had fainted while trying to chase after him. Alden turned back and ran to Chloe, taking her to the hospital.

**

Suasana in the hospital room grew quiet as Chloe lay there, with Alice still dressed in her wedding attire, surrounded by Alden's grandmother and mother, along with the wedding officiant and a few witnesses for the wedding between Alice and Alden.

After speaking heart-to-heart with Alden, Chloe's request was finally granted. She would marry Alice, but only for herself. No more, no less. Before they all gathered in Chloe's hospital room, Alden spoke privately with Alice, telling her that their marriage wouldn't last long. If Chloe recovered, they would divorce, and Alden would marry Chloe. If Chloe passed away, they would divorce on the hundredth day after her departure.

Alden also didn't forbid Alice from pursuing a relationship with other men, as their marriage would have no physical contact whatsoever, making it easier for them both to handle the divorce. Alice agreed and accepted the arrangement, knowing that she and Gilbert could marry after her marriage to Alden was over, with nothing lost physically or emotionally.

The wedding was conducted in front of Chloe, making Alice and Alden officially husband and wife. As people congratulated Alice on her marriage to Alden, Chloe's eyes closed at the same time the door to her hospital room opened. Gilbert had arrived, his eyes reddening as he saw his beloved marrying someone else. As far as he knew, it was Chloe, his sister, who was supposed to get married today, not himself as he now faced.

"Gilbert," Alice whispered, her heart aching as she saw her beloved look shattered, just like her.

"Chloe...!" Alden exclaimed, holding Chloe, who had passed away forever. After seeing his beloved and adopted sister officially married, he felt at peace, knowing that Alice was in the hands of the right man.

Alice turned, her heart still in pain witnessing Gilbert's devastation, and now she was faced with Chloe's death. Her body weakened, her vision blurred, and she fainted. Fortunately, Gilbert immediately ran and caught Alice, preventing her from falling to the floor. Despite the pain in his heart, he couldn't bear to see Alice hurt.