**CHLOE**“This came in for you,” she said with a sly smile, and then extended an envelope to me.“For me?” I asked, surprised. She rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”I picked up the envelope hesitantly and opened it. Pulling a piece of paper out, my eyes scanned through it quickly. I took a quick breath and lifted my head toward her. “A sack letter? Why?” I asked, confused. “What's why?” She snapped. “They're just relieving you of your duty since you're pregnant,” she explained, trying to sound funny. I was too stunned to speak, so I just stared at her with my lips apart.“You'll use your pregnancy as an excuse to be incompetent. We don't need a liability,” she continued, a satisfied smirk playing on her face. Is this even legal? “So you're firing me because I'm pregnant?” I muttered, still shocked.She leaned back in her chair with a smirk. “Hurry up and get going.”I stood up, my fist clenching. “Who are you to even give me a sack letter?” I blurted out. “The company isn't even yo
**CHLOE**Getting home, I soaked myself in a bathtub.I walked out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, when I heard my phone ring. Picking it up, it was Audrey. We hadn't really spoken for about a week; she'd been so busy.“Hey, Chloe,” she started gently. “I'm sorry, I've been so busy. I just started pursuing my master's degree, and it's been crazy.”“Wow, really?” She had always been unsure about going for her Master's degree, and I'm really happy that she's made up her mind now. “Yeahhh…” she replied tiredly. “Though I wish I just stuck to traveling,” she complained, and we laughed. "Well, enough about me. How are you?”I inhaled deeply and then blew air from my mouth. I should just say everything at once; it'll make it easier. “I'm pregnant; Robert visited me at the hospital; I got fired today too,” I blurted out at once. “Slow down,” Audrey said, utterly confused. “Aww, why am I not so surprised that you're with child,” she teased.“Audrey, please,” I let out defensively. Th
**CHLOE**I tried to pull my hand free, but his grip tightened. “Did you forget that you're at my workplace?” I spluttered furiously. “I could scream and say that you're harassing me.” His grip on my wrist softened, but he didn't let go. “Please just sit down. I need three minutes of your time; just listen to what I have to say,” he begged.His tone was unusually soft and gentle. I scoffed. What does he want to say this time?“Just sit,” he murmured, pleading with his eyes. I already hate myself for what I was about to say. Robert had caused me a lot of pain, but I should at least hear him out. “I only have two minutes,” I said, then pulled out the chair opposite him. "Okay, so there's a big duplex I own. You can stay there till you give birth, or maybe we could go abroad if you want. Start over again…”I scoffed in utter disbelief. “You're not being serious, are you? Did you ask me to sit down just to listen to all this crap?” I let out, my fists clenched. “You used to love me
**CHLOE**“Hey Rachel,” I started. I couldn't possibly act like I didn't see her. “It's been a while,” I continued awkwardly.Her eyes darted from my head to my toe, surprise visibly evident on her face. She looked like she had something to say, but stopped herself.And then she walked away hurriedly, ignoring me. I sighed. Now I wish I'd acted like I didn't see her. Human beings don't change easily.Pushing the door open, I walked into the office, and then I was led to a comfortable examination table.“You're not having cold feet, are you?” The doctor asked with a warm smile. “I'm not,” I replied, a small smile stretching across my face. I was a bit nervous, though.“Okay, great. We should move on then.”He went ahead to explain the procedure to me, and when I gave my go-ahead, I was asked to lie on my back and expose my belly, which I did. After applying a thin layer of a transparent and chilly gel-like substance, he began sliding around my abdomen with a transducer.My watery ey
**CHLOE**“Fuck, Chloe. I've missed you so much,” he whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I know it's been so hard. I'm so sorry; it must have been very difficult for you…”What was going on here?Tears started running down my cheeks too. I didn't even know what to say.I don't even understand what was going on, but I didn't want this moment to end.And then he disengaged from me and led me to the chair. “Are you okay?”“I'm not dreaming, right?” I asked, looking up at Jeff. “You won't be gone when I wake up, right?”He covered my mouth with his again and stroked my hair so lovingly. “I'm never leaving you again,” he whispered, and that made me cry even harder. And then he placed his hands on my belly. “Our boy,” I murmured, beaming.“Boy?” “Yes,” I chuckled as more tears streamed down my cheeks. It was like a dream come true. Squeezing my hands, he lowered his head and placed it gently on my stomach. “He kicks a lot,” I mentioned.“Really?” He asked, wiping away his tears
**CHLOE**This time, I leaned forward to kiss him, but he cupped my cheeks and planted a kiss on my forehead. “I love you so much, Chloe,” he whispered.I sighed frustratedly. Just then, my door flung open. “Hey, sis,” Lily said as she strolled in. She looked like her eyes were going to bulge out of her head as she stared at us in stunned horror. “Oh, sorry for barging in. I didn't know you had a visitor,” she muttered embarrassingly as she shut the door. Jeff sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Your sister must really hate me,” he murmured. “She's just shocked," I soothed. "Give her some time.”We spent the rest of the day inside, mostly him telling me that he's sorry and he'd never leave my side again. Soon, it was evening.“It's already 8pm,” I reminded. “You should get going before it's too late.”He frowned. I could tell he didn't want to leave. I didn't want him to leave too. “Jeff,” I called out when I noticed he didn't move a muscle. Standing up, he reluctantly
**CHLOE**My steps faltered as I entered the dimly lit, spacious living room, Lily by my side. I felt pitying eyes follow me, their hushed whispers drifting through the silence like wisps of smoke. “So they just got married last week?”“Yes, I hear she's a low-life country girl and her mother had run away when she was very young,”“Poor thing,”Seeking refuge, I sank into a corner of the room, but even there, the murmurs followed.“Is she Chloe?” I heard a red-haired girl ask an older woman, whom I assumed was her mother. The girl had tattoos drawn across her arms and piercings on both sides of her nose and chin.“Yes, she’s the one.” The woman responded weakly, her eyes red and heavy. I could bet she had been crying since she got the news.“Ah, I'm disappointed. I thought Jeffrey had great taste in women,” she scoffed, her eyes resting on my boots, before looking up at my loose-fitted black dress and heavy eyes.“Where's Robert?” The woman asked no one in particular. The girl gave
**CHLOE**“Jeffrey...” I said softly, feeling goosebumps rupture all over my skin.“Is this real?” Tears streamed down my cheeks. I held myself at arms length, fearing my mind was playing games on me.“It's me,” he said, closing the distance between us.“What happened? Tell me everything.” I looked into his eyes, my hands around his neck.“You left so suddenly after the wedding..." I didn't even try to stop my tears. "And why does everyone think you're dead?” He freed himself from my embrace and took a deep breath. “Say something, Jeff! You're driving me crazy,” I said, raising my voice.“You know I love you, right?” he said, holding my hands, and I nodded in affirmation."And I've always wanted a good life for us," he said, taking a breath. "I'm not Jeffrey. My brother is," he said hurriedly, as if to stop his voice from breaking.“And now… you're the widow of a billionaire..” His eyes lit, and there was a tint of excitement and jealousy in his tone. “Think of the possibilities! I