/0/47898/coverbig.jpg?v=20250114194254)
Being a Collateral Bride to a young billionaire wasn't a big deal for the 21-year-old Chloe Adams, despite her illness that left her with less than a year to live. She slowly begins to fall in love with the young billionaire But then her hopes are cut short when Code Anderson, her husband disappears without a trace. After six months, Chloe is surprised by the sudden appearance of Code Anderson, and his fiancee, Martina. How would Chloe cope with watching the man she loved with another woman coupled with the fact that her days are numbered?
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?"
"You're my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours." Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them. Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."