**CHLOE**Robert glared at me before storming out, while Helen stood in a corner with her hands on her chest, probably still trying to process what had happened.“What Jeffrey said, is it really true?” Audrey asked me. Helen turned to look at me, her posture tense in anticipation of my response.I shut my eyes briefly; words have never been this hard to voice. “It is,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.Helen lost her balance and slumped. The shock must have been too much for her.“Helen!” Richard called, running over to her. Audrey and I followed suit.Richard kneeled beside her, trying to rouse her, but his efforts were futile. Richard carefully carried Helen to his car, Audrey and I helping to settle her comfortably into the passenger seat. Once she was secure, we all jumped in, and Richard rushed to the driver's seat.He sped, heading to the hospital, and he called Jeffrey to inform him as he drove.When we arrived, Helen was rushed to the emergency unit. Audrey and I sat besi

**CHLOE**I settled into the bed slowly, unable to sit properly. My once-comfortable bed suddenly felt inadequate.She sat down too. “How's your health, ma'am?” I asked.“Good,” she replied curtly. “That's not why I came here, though.”Oh… “What's your relationship with Robert?” She asked. “And what happened before Jeffrey's accident?” I straightened a bit on the bed. "I met Robert for the first time at...”“Make sure you don't leave out any detail,” she interrupted. “Yes ma'am.”I nibbled on my fingers nervously as I explained everything to her.“So you had never even met Jeffrey before the accident?” She inquired. “Yes, ma'am. I had not."She stared at me intently. "So, from your story, my son Robert is the bad guy?” She asked.I swallowed the lump in my throat. That must be a rhetorical question.“And how do I know that you didn't plan this whole thing with Robert?”“I would never... What do I stand to gain?” I blurted out.“What do you stand to gain?" She repeated, her tone dr

**JEFFREY**“First of all, it's not Chloe,” Richard said rapidly as he gestured with his hands. “Because I know that's probably what you're thinking.” “I won't lie, the thought did cross my mind,” I admitted. “She's the natural assumption.” “So who is she?” I repeated.Richard slumped back in his chair with a defeated look. “I don't know,” he mumbled. ??!“What do you mean?” I demanded. “If you don't know who it is, then how do you know that it's not Chloe?”“Because the truck driver told me so,” he replied. I was starting to lose my sh*t.“Richard!” I snapped. “Do you want to tell me what happened or not? Are you waiting for me to pry all the information out of you? What's with the single reply?!”"Sorry, man,” he apologized. I kept my gaze fixed on him, waiting for him to continue.“Well, I found the truck driver…” “You already said that,” I snapped. “Stop beating around the bush.”“He's gone, man,” Richard said with despair in his eyes.“Gone where?” I asked instinctively. “

**CHLOE**My heart skipped a beat or two. It was as if we were trapped for what felt like hours, but neither of us made a move to try and get out of it. “What do you mean?” I asked, breaking the silence.I realized my hands were no longer hiding my body, but I don't know when they fell to my sides either. He wasn't exiting my room or looking away, and I wasn't dressing up or trying to leave.“We were never married in the first place,” he blurted after a while.Tears streamed down my cheeks. I don't know why I was being so emotional; he was right after all.“But I... I was...” I stuttered, but words failed me. His gaze flickered through my body. “Why do you seem surprised? You've been asking for a divorce all along. Aren't you happy that I granted your wish?” “Please just leave,” I said in a choked voice."Sure," he muttered, standing up. He lifted his jacket off my bed. I was hoping he'd take the documents along too, but he didn't. He shut the door behind him, and the documents wer

**CHLOE**I wasn't dreaming, right?Sitting up, I hugged the sheets and then sniffed them; they smelled like him.My eyes caught a shiny gem on my finger, and I brought it closer to examine it. Jeffrey had slipped on the wedding ring, which I refused.I smiled, replaying the events of last night. I was still sore down there, but it was totally worth it. I hugged the sheets again and smiled, I was already missing him. My legs ached as soon as I stood up. Just then, I spotted a breakfast tray on the table. Oh Jeffrey…I walked to the table slowly. Reaching for some grapes, I put them in my mouth and then lifted a note that rested by the side of the tray.It read: Sorry, I had to leave so early; I had work to attend to. You're so sweet, my love. I can't wait to come back home today. PS: I ran a bath for you already. Come back home, and... I bit my lower lips.Grinning, I wrapped my arms around myself and headed to the bathroom. Roses lined the path to the bathtub, where even more aw