His Collateral Bride

As Chloe cleared the cups from the counter, she mustered the courage to ask a question that had been weighing on her mind. "Can I ask you something?" Chloe said as she raised her head up to meet Code's eyes.

Code glanced at his wristwatch and then at his phone, a sense of urgency in his gaze. "Yes, go ahead, but make it quick. I have a meeting in less than an hour."

Taking a deep breath, Chloe ventured, "Do you actually have any feelings for me?" The room immediately fell silent as Code's earlier movements came to a pause and a lump gathered in his throat.

"I mean, sometimes you act like you care, but other times, it's like you're making my life a living hell. I'm so confused." Chloe continued to state her concerns.

Code cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his chair before meeting Chloe's eyes. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I want to have this conversation with you."

Chloe's disappointment was palpable. "I expected as much. You always dodge this question. Just tell me how much you hate me and can't stand having me under your roof. Why is it a big deal for you? Just say it already..."

Code's frustration flared, his voice rising. "Chloe, don't be naive, I don't have any feelings for you. Our marriage is nothing but a contract. You are just a collateral, how many times do I have to say this?" Code yelled before finally coming to a pause.

"And if it's about that night, I didn't plan to have sex with you, It was a mistake but you shouldn't use that to define our relationship." Code continued, his voice cooler than before.

The words stung, and Chloe retorted, her voice trembling with emotion. "Wow, of course, taking away my virginity was your 'mistake,' and loving you was my 'mistake,' I mean... what was I even thinking?How could a billonaire like you even fall in love with a low class citizen like me? I'm so sorry for ever being in your life."

Tears began to stream down uncontrollably from her eyes. "Just give me a month I promise to pay off the 20,000 USD my family owes you and get the hell out of your life." With that, she stormed out of the living room.

******

**one week earlier**

"Chloe Adams right?" Dr Covey, a man in his early thirties inquired before dropping a file with Chloe's name on the desk.

"Yes," Chloe picked up the file and began to flip through the pages.

"I don't even know what to say concerning your case," Dr Covey sighed, his frustration evident on his face.

"120 days to live?" Chloe exclaimed. "How?"

"The last time we saw each other, you had roughly 250 days to live and now in less than 2 months, it has reduced to 120 days. What is going on?" He lowered the file which was in front of Chloe's face so as to get an eye contact with her.

"I am also shocked Doc, I think God has seen how useless I am in this world and he has decided to take me home." Chloe replied nonchalantly.

"That's crazy of you to think, your drinking habit caused this. Like it or not." Dr Covey snapped back at her. "You should be living your last days in happiness, so you could die happy."

"Happy you say," Chloe retorted. "A person in so much debt as I am could never die a happy man. You struggle and live a sad and fucked up life until you breath your very last." Chloe said tears had already begun to stream down her eyes.

"Have you informed your father about this?" Dr Covey asked, still trying to get an eye contact with Chloe.

Chloe rolled her eyes indicating that she had not told anyone, not even her best friend Kira. "I can't, he has so much to deal with already and I don't want to add pressure. Once it's time for me to go, I will go. At least that way he would only think of me and cry but I wouldn't become a liability." She said, cleaning her tears.

"Don't say that, You need to undergo an operation before it becomes too late and then you can't survive it anymore." Dr Covey placed his hands on Chloe's hands which were on the table.

Chloe gently removed her hand from under his, running her hands through her face in frustration. "I don't have the money for an operation, let me just die. At least that way my family's debt would be behind me." Chloe sighed. "Or maybe I could sell a kidney?"

She smirked at the thought of it. "How much will I get if I decide to sell a kidney?"

"This session is over, I can't continue with your madness. It was nice having you, it's time for you to leave. I have other clients to attend to." Dr Covey dismissed the crazy young lady.

Chloe left the hospital, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't bring herself to share the devastating news with her family, especially her father, burdened as he already was with their financial struggles. She had resolved to face her fate alone and spare them the added pain.

As she walked out into the bustling city, Chloe decided to call her best friend, Kira. She needed to clear her mind from all the crazy stuff that had been happening to her. Her fingers dialled Kira's number, and she waited anxiously for her friend to pick up.

"Hello?" Kira's cheerful voice chimed through the phone.

Chloe swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "Hey, Kira, Can I come over? I just need somewhere to you know... hang out."

"Of course, Chloe. I gat you" Kira replied.

With that, Chloe disconnected the call and then headed to a nearby grocery store to pick up a few things for Kira.

As she walked through the store's aisles, a familiar voice called out her name. "Chloe?"

Turning, Chloe was surprised to find Nathan, her husband's friend, standing there. Nathan had always been friendly and sweet towards her, unlike her bossy and arrogant husband. He was also rich, but not as much as Code Anderson.

"Hey, Nathan," Chloe greeted him, her voice tinged with sadness. "What brings you here?"

Nathan noticed the melancholy in Chloe's eyes. "I was just picking up a few things. How about you? Everything okay?"

Chloe forced a weak smile. "Just getting some groceries. You know how it is."

Nathan studied her for a moment, sensing that something was amiss. "You seem... different. Is something bothering you?"

Chloe hesitated, torn between confiding in him and maintaining her privacy. Yet, she found herself opening up a little. "It's just been a tough day, Nathan. Life can be so unpredictable sometimes."

Nathan nodded in understanding, his expression sympathetic. "If you ever need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to reach out. We all have our rough days."

Chloe appreciated his kindness but didn't reveal the full extent of her troubles. Averting his attention, Chloe asked, "Is Code ever going to return home?"

**Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Ontario, Canada**

6:00 PM

A voice on the other end of the line inquired, "Hello, am I speaking to Code Anderson?"

"Yes, this is Code Anderson. May I know who's calling?" he responded.

"This is Dr. Covey from Unity General Hospital in the USA," the voice replied.

Code expressed mild surprise, "Dr. Covey, you could have called my personal number directly. Why use the landline?"

Apologizing, Dr. Covey explained, "I couldn't access your personal number. I'm calling regarding your mother's health; she urgently requires a kidney transplant within the next two weeks."

Code's concern deepened, "Oh my goodness, have you found a suitable donor?"

Dr. Covey's voice held a note of concern, "Not yet, and that's why I suggest you contact your father. As of now, he's the only matching donor we know of."

Code's father had abandoned him and his sick mother when Code was just 17, marrying a wealthy woman who had supported his business, leading to his success. From that time till now, his father had not reached out to them and even if they tried to contact him, he would either ignore them or come up with an excuse to get away from them. His rich wife was the one controlling him now, and he had no say since he owes everything he had to her.

After becoming one of the richest people in town, Code Anderson never believed he would ever need his father's help again, most especially now that he was more than three times richer than his father and his new wife.

Tears began to well up in Code's eyes as he contemplated his options. "I don't think he would agree, but I'll do my best to convince him."

Dr. Covey's voice faded as he concluded, "You should. Goodbye for now," and the call ended.

Martina, sensing the change in Code's demeanour, couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?" She noticed his reddened eyes and the effort he made to hide his emotions.

Code took a deep breath before responding, "It's nothing much, but I need to get back to the United States as soon as possible."

Concern etched on her face, Martina persisted, "Please, Code, can you share what's bothering you?"

With a sigh, Code relented, "Martina, it's a personal matter. Just book me the next available flight to the U.S."

"Of course, I'll do that right away. But can I come with you? As your fiancee, I want to support you in any way I can. Plus, it might help me take my mind off my parents' recent divorce drama."

Code considered her request for a moment, then conceded, "Do as you wish. Just secure me a flight ticket."

Martina swiftly turned to her keyboard, her fingers clicking away as she searched for available flights. "There is midnight 1:00 am and afternoon 1:00 pm tomorrow," she informed him.

"1:00 am would do"

****

**Kira's House**

"Oh no... Kira, stop. I need to attend that party, you can't do this to me." Chloe begged desperately.

"I thought you came over to talk, What is wrong with you?" Kira retorted.

"Talk...pheww. I just want to go partying." Chloe replied in her usual carefree tone.

"Hell No! girl, I ain't making the same mistake I made last time. Look how drunk you became last time, talkless of all the stupid things you kept on saying." Kira picked up a pair of jewellery from her table and put them back into the drawer.

"I promise I would be better, I wouldn't get drunk... Please just let me come along with you." Chloe continued to plead.

"Chloe, I can't, That was what you said the last time and look what it turned out to be, a total disaster. Girl... don't you see that your drinking habit these last six months has been so out of control." Kira crossed her hand over her chest, her tone a little more serious.

Chloe rolled her eyes in defense, "You can't blame me for that, I am presently going through hell."

"Regardless, I won't make the mistake of tagging you along. Try to understand me, this is for your own good, you need to minimise your drinking. It has made you become the worst version of yourself." Kira closed the gap between them and bent over to meet Chloe's gaze.

"You don't get it, Whether I go partying or not, I would still get drunk... You know I live in this big mansion where I have everything at my disposal. I just don't enjoy drinking all alone, it makes me sad, and then I begin to think of him."

"Him as in... Felix or the fucking billionaire?"

"I got over Felix a long time ago, of course when he chose to be with Lily over me, but Code..." Chloe paused, trying her best not to expose herself. "You know what let's just forget it." Chloe said, dampening her teary eyes with Kira's blanket.

"Girl... show some respect for my stuff" Kira yelled as she grabbed the shit away from Chloe's hands. " You know, we can't just keep pushing this topic away, for the past few months you have been something else and it's all because of that son of a bitch."

"Come on girl don't ruin my mood, I just want to go to a party." Chloe snapped.

Kira's once loud tone soon became a gentle whisper, "You love him don't you?"

"What the butts are you talking about? Please don't bring this terror upon me." Chloe pleaded.

"I have been a bad friend but now I want to change that, I only led you to parties whenever you had a problem and I made you drink away your problems but now drinking is your problem. I guess sometimes you just have to you know... stand up to your problems," Kira placed a comforting hand on Chloe's shoulder as a form of support.

"I can't believe we are talking about Code Anderson right now. Thanks for ruining my mood, I'd be on my way." Chloe blurted out as she stood to her feet, in an attempt to leave.

"Chloe..." Kira yelled. "What is going on in your head? You are hurt, stop trying to hide it. We've been friends for years, I literally know when something is wrong."

"I...I don't know Kira" Chloe stammered as tears began to flow uncontrollably from her eyes. "Having to live without your husband for fucking six months after just two months of marriage, no calls, no texts, no explanation of what happened, I don't even know if he is dead or alive, I just have to live all alone in his annoyingly big mansion, all because I am a part of some stupid contract." Chloe's tears continued to stream down her pale face as she fell to the floor in pain.

"I'm sorry girl... I'm so sorry." Kira sat beside her, slowly rubbing her shoulder and sobbing along.

Chloe stands up and cleans her tears, then she comes right in front of Kira, ready to explain every detail of her unfortunate life. "You know when my mother was sick, my dad had to borrow from his boss and they agreed on a date but even after the surgery and everything, Mom still died. Now we are left with a pile of debt to pay and the dew time was so near, and that is where I came in. He said I would serve as collateral, such an idiot. And just when I started developing feelings for him, he disappeared into the thin air."

Chloe chuckled in pain, "The funny thing is that his friend, Nathan, keeps coming to check up on me, offering me support in weird ways. I don't even know if this is part of their plan or something. To make me cheat while he is away... I don't just get any of this."

"Chloe it's fine, it's worth getting angry over, but I guess it's better you just moved on with your own stuff. Focus on what you want your life to become after this crazy contract marriage your father got you into."

Wipes off her tears with the back of her palm, "You are right... It feels really good to hear you make sense, Even if this is going to be the last time, I would never forget this moment."

"Don't get used to it, now get over here" Kira squeezed her into a choking hug while Chloe struggled to break free from her embrace.

"It's enough, no more hugs, stay away from me." Chloe checks her phone for the time, "I guess I'll be on my way out now, I think I feel better after this session. Thank you so much, Kira."

"It's fine, I got you, buddy" Kira smiled.

"Bye" Chloe said before making her way to the door. Kira blows kisses in the air and Chloe waves them off aggressively before running off.

****

3:40 am

Chloe woke up to grab herself a cup of water cause her throat was so dry that she actually felt it in her dream. She stumbled out of bed, rubbing against her sleepy eyes as she made her way to the kitchen.

The floorboards creaked beneath her feet and she winced, hoping that she wouldn't wake anyone else in the house.

Chloe took the first sip, and she felt the cold liquid soothe her parched throat which made her let out a satisfied sigh. She closed her eyes for a moment, relishing in the quiet of the night, before turning to head back to bed.

On her way back to the room, she was startled by a noise from behind her and she froze in her tracks, her heart racing as she turned to see where the noise had come from. It was just her cat, or would I rather say Code's cat, sitting on the kitchen counter and staring at her with its bright green eyes.

"Good morning, Lizzy," she said with a soft chuckle, relieved that it was him. She took no chances to scratch him behind the ears before continuing back to bed.

In a bit, Chloe was in her room, and just then, she got a text alert and quickly reached for her phone which was on the side table. It was 3:47 AM and she had just received a text from an unknown number.

Clicking on the message to see what it contained, she dropped her phone unconsciously, "He is back?" She blurted out in fear.

**8:00 am**

As the morning sun persistently invaded Chloe's peaceful slumber, she clung to the blanket, determined to ward off its unwelcome intrusion. However, fate had other plans. A shrill ringtone pierced the air, jolting her awake.

"Arghh..." Chloe's groan echoed through the room as she flung a pillow across the space. Angrily, she snatched her phone to find Kira's name flashing on the screen.

"Hello," Chloe muttered, her voice barely audible, betraying her reluctance to be awake.

Kira's voice emanated from the other end, teasingly observant, "Look who's still in bed..."

"No... how could you think that? I was just on my way to the gym." Chloe whined.

Kira couldn't help but chuckle, "Really? On your way to the gym in your pyjamas?"

Chloe sighed, conceding, "Okay, fine, you got me. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to check up on you," Kira replied with genuine concern. "What you're going through is hell, and no one deserves such a life."

Chloe's voice softened, touched by Kira's empathy, "Babe... It's fine. After crying and saying it all, I felt a lot better. Thanks once again."

"It's the least I could do," Kira reassured her.

A heavy silence hung in the air before Chloe abruptly blurted out her deepest fear, "Kira, I'm scared."

"Why? Why are you scared?" Kira inquired, her concern deepening.

"I got a text early this morning at 3:47, saying he's back. I wonder if it's true," Chloe confessed, her voice trembling with anxiety.

Kira's mind raced as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. She knew Chloe had been through unimaginable pain and heartache. After a moment of contemplation, "Chloe, I won't ask you not to be scared, because anyone would be. But when he returns, confront him. You deserve answers and closure. Don't let fear dictate your life any longer."

Chloe nodded, despite the fact that Kira wasn't seeing her. "I would try my best to."

After another moment of awkward silence, "Kira, are you free to join me at the gym today?"

Kira paused, her voice apologetic, "I wish I could, Chloe, but I'm quite busy today. How about we plan for tomorrow instead?"

Determined to shake off her lingering fear, Chloe made a resolute decision. She swung her legs out of bed, "No problem, Kira. I'll get ready and head to the gym alone."

"I'm sorry, I got to go" Kira whispered before finally disconnecting the line.

Chloe stood up from the bed and hurried to the washroom, Her time there was brief and she quickly made her way out. Putting on some yoga pants and a big hoodie, she heads to the kitchen.

"Good morning ma'am" A girl who looked Chloe's age greeted with a warm smile as she noticed Chloe was approaching.

"Good morning, Freda. Please can you pass me a bottle of water?" Chloe returned the smile, as she nicely made her request.

With another small smile, Freda headed to the fridge and grabbed one of the bottles. " Here you go ma'am"

"It's Chloe, Enough of this ma'am stuff. Anyways thank you very much." Chloe retorted and with that, she rushed out of the house.

****

"Hello, Hello," a voice crackled through her headset, momentarily breaking her concentration.

As she fiddled with the controls to adjust the volume, Chloe's heart leapt into her throat. There, beside her, stood a figure she thought she'd left behind-a face she couldn't forget. It was Felix, her ex-boyfriend, the one who had abandoned her for someone else when she needed him the most.

Felix's eyes met Chloe's, and an awkward silence hung between them. "Chloe?" Felix finally called out tentatively, as if confirming that she was indeed the woman before him.

Chloe's heart raced, and her palms began to sweat. She couldn't believe this moment was happening in the very place she had come to escape. Nevertheless, she mustered her strength and replied, "Felix."

The tension in the air was palpable as they faced each other, " How have you been? Felix asked, trying to make things less awkward between them.

"Better than when you left me," Chloe's words were tinged with a hint of bitterness.

"Fair enough," Felix replied, taking in the changes in her appearance. His gaze shifted and he couldn't help but notice the extra weight Chloe had gained during their time apart.

Felix hesitated for a moment, then cleared his throat, "Chloe, I... I need to apologize. I know I hurt you deeply when I left."

"I forgave you a long time ago, Felix," Chloe's voice held a note of finality. "But I'm not interested in rehashing the past or having this conversation. I l have to get going."

She turned away from him, determined to escape the uncomfortable encounter.

Chloe jogged back home, her mind still reeling from the unexpected encounter with Felix at the gym. As she approached her husband's mansion she noticed an unfamiliar car parked in the parking lot.

Chloe frowned, muttering to herself as she approached the entrance. "I've told them countless times not to let anyone in when I'm not around. Who could it be this time? I hope it's not another one of Code's annoying business partners." Her thoughts raced, fueling her curiosity as she ascended the small stairs leading to the doorway.

Upon entering her apartment, Chloe was taken aback by what she saw. There, in her living room, sat a strange woman. She was casually flipping through a magazine as if she owned the place. Chloe's heart raced, and she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my apartment?" Chloe demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.

The woman looked up, seemingly unfazed by Chloe's presence. She wore an air of confidence that sent shivers down Chloe's spine. "Oh, you must be Chloe. I've heard so much about you."

Chloe's confusion deepened. "What? Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

The woman finally stood up, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "I'm Martina Josh, Code Anderson's fiancee." She said pointing at their engagement ring.

"Fiancee, are you crazy? I am his wife" Chloe's anger was beginning to rise as she closed the distance between them.

Laughing profusely, "Do you really think Code would settle for a person as cheap as you?" Martina mocked.

In a fit of rage, Chloe raised her hand, ready to strike Martina, but before her hand could make contact, it was stopped. Chloe's eyes widened as she looked up to see the unexpected person who had intervened.

"Code?" She blurted out in shock