Chapter 3
827 Words
Enough to pay rent for years.
Enough to go back to school.
Enough to start again.
Khloe closed the folder and placed it back on the table, pressing her fingers against her forehead.
“This is crazy,” she whispered to herself.
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly in the distance.
She stood up and walked toward the window.
Rain streamed down the glass in long thin lines, blurring the streetlights outside.
For a moment, she imagined what Adrian’s world must look like right now.
A mansion.
Warm lighting.
Quiet luxury.
People who worked for him.
A life where money was never a problem.
And somehow he wanted to bring her into that world.
Even if it was only pretend.
Khloe let out a small laugh under her breath.
If someone had told her yesterday that a billionaire would ask her to marry him fake or not she would have assumed they were joking.
Yet here she was.
Standing in her tiny apartment.
Holding a contract that could change everything.
But it could also ruin everything.
What if people found out?
What if things became complicated?
What if Adrian White was more dangerous than he appeared?
She remembered the way he had looked at her earlier
A man used to getting exactly what he wanted.
Khloe returned to the couch and sat down again.
The rain continued to fall outside, steady and endless.
Hours passed slowly.
She tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, the same thoughts returned.
Six months.
Six months pretending to love someone.
Six months living in a world that wasn’t hers.
But after that…
Freedom.
A new beginning.
Her landlord knocked on the door again that evening.
Three sharp knocks.
Khloe froze before opening it.
He stood there with his usual serious expression.
“Miss Roswell,” he said.
“I know,” she replied quietly.
“Tomorrow morning.”
“I understand.”
He nodded once and walked away.
Khloe closed the door and leaned her back against it.
Tomorrow morning.
Her eyes drifted back to the contract on the table.
The apartment suddenly felt smaller than ever.
The walls.
The old couch.
The dim lighting.
Everything reminded her of how stuck she had become.
Slowly, she pushed herself away from the door and walked back to the table.
She picked up the contract again.
Six months.
It wasn’t forever.
She just had to survive six months.
Khloe sat there until late into the night, the rain gradually fading into silence.
By the time the sky outside began to lighten with early morning gray, exhaustion had replaced most of her doubt.
She had spent hours weighing the risks.
And every time, the same truth returned.
She had no better option.
Khloe stood up slowly and walked to her bedroom.
The small mirror above her dresser reflected a tired face staring back at her.
“You can do this,” she murmured softly.
Even if she wasn’t entirely sure.
She took a quick shower, dressed in the neatest clothes she owned, and tied her hair back.
Then she picked up the folder one last time.
The contract felt cold beneath her fingers.
Khloe slipped it into her bag, grabbed her coat, and stepped outside.
The rain had stopped.
The morning air smelled fresh and cool.
Cars moved steadily along the street as the city slowly woke up.
She walked to the bus stop with the strange feeling that she was leaving one version of her life behind.
Twenty minutes later, she stood once again in front of Adrian White’s towering building.
The glass exterior reflected the rising sun, turning the entire structure into something bright and almost intimidating.
Khloe hesitated for just a second before walking inside.
The lobby was just as impressive as she remembered.
Marble floors, Tall ceilings.
Quiet professionalism.
The receptionist recognized her immediately.
“Miss Roswell. Mr. White is expecting you.”
Of course he was. She whispered to herself and nodded
Khloe took the elevator to the top floor.
Her heart beat a little faster with every passing floor.
When the doors finally opened, she stepped out and walked down the familiar hallway toward Adrian’s office.
The assistant greeted her politely before opening the door.
Adrian White stood near the large window, looking out at the city below.
He turned when she entered.
His eyes immediately settled on the folder in her hands.
“You made a decision,” he said.
It wasn’t a question. It was a statement expecting a yes
Khloe walked toward the table, her steps steady even though her heart was racing. and of course she replied
“Yes.” As if he knew she had made up her mind even though she wasn’t sure of the decision yet
She placed the contract carefully in front of him.
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
Then she met his gaze.
“What if I don’t” she asked suddenly staring at him
- Writer
