Make Me Yours

Chapter1

“Doctor, is she going to be alright?” Bella asked, shock flowed through her as she recalled how quickly Betty had slumped while playing with her. At first she thought it was all games and pranks till she almost didn't feel her pulse, she had called Steve and Brian to help rush her to the hospital.

“Bella, it's quite serious I'm afraid, it's getting bad, I know I gave an estimate of a year, but she won't make it past 4 months without immediate medical attention,” Doctor Maurice said, his expression grave.

Frozen in disbelief, Bella struggled to comprehend how everything had spiraled so fast.

“Give me my phone,” Betty said, tiptoeing, trying to reach for it. Bella had playfully snatched it from her.

“Not until you tell me who he is,” she teased “I saw you smile into your phone earlier.”

“No” she blushed, laughter bubbling between them

“Alright then catch me if you can” She took off and Betty chased after her.

“Omggg B, come on! you're an adult it's high time you acted like one”

“Never!” Bella responded, laughing uncontrollably while still clutching her phone “Oh he's calling, Betty, your Liam’s calling” she teased again, but when she turned around she found an unconscious Betty lying on the floor.

“Bet, that's cheating, I know what you're doing,” she giggled but her laughter faded as concern took over.

“Okay fineee come get your phone, you’re no fun” She rushed closer and saw her sister's stillness.

“Betty, Bet…?” she called. Panic surged through her “Helppp, somebody helpppp,” she screamed at the top of her voice.

Betty broke down on the hospital floor crying uncontrollably.

“It’s my fault, Doctor, I triggered everything, I…I.. should have stopped running around with her phone when she asked me to but I didn’t,” she continued sobbing.

“There was no way you could have known, the doctor reassured her gently, It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

“Betty needs a transplant or she dies”

Those words echoed in her head an unhealthy number of times

“Now if you’ll excuse me…” the doctor left as Bella grasped the gravity of the situation. Desperation took the better part of her. She knew exactly what she had to do

With trembling hands, She dialed a number, ‘Luca.’

“Hi Bella, now is really not the right time to….” he began

“Let’s do this, I’m in,” she interrupted, sniffing, tears streaming down her face

She felt her chest cramp, her breathing improper but she knew she didn’t have a choice, she had to do it for her sister to live, and for their survival. She had to marry Luca Smith.

The marriage process was swift and uncomplicated. Within a few days, Bella had moved into her new home.

“I hope you're settling just fine?” Luca’s voice came from behind her breaking through her thoughts as she stared at her new home in sadness.

“Yeah, I'm fine,” she replied, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

The mansion was unusually big for just one person, with flowers at every corner, beautiful paintings scattered all over the wall, and the lighting serenading the environment. It was heaven on earth but Bella couldn't bring herself to fit into all of these.

Luca on the other hand was strikingly handsome, it was the kind that turned heads and stopped hearts, a literal tall glass of hot chocolate, his face was sculpted with precision, with high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and lips that curved into a smile or a smirk that could disarm even the most guarded hearts.

His chiseled body and toned arm sitting perfectly on his well-ironed white shirt,

His deep honey eyes held an intense warmth, as he spoke, his voice was rich and smooth, comforting yet exhilarating, Bella was listening to him speak but didn't hear a word.

“B? ” he called, jolting her from her reverie.

“Uh.., yeah? yeah, sorry what were you saying?” She stammered.

“You should pay more attention,” he replied coolly. "Just as we agreed, I've arranged for your sister's surgery, I spoke to the doctor earlier, he said Betty needs close monitoring before treatment so she won’t be discharged yet.”

“A maid will show you to your room now”

“My room?” confusion clouded her mind “Aren't we supposed to stay together?”

“No Bella,” he stated firmly “I don’t share rooms, I want to believe you went through the contract carefully before appending your signature.”

“I did go through the contract agreement but isn't this too extreme?

“I am supposed to be “your wife,” she protested, making a quotation sign in the air.

He stepped closer to Bella, their faces an inch apart from each other as he inhaled and exhaled deeply. “I wouldn't appreciate you talking to me in that tone and it should be the last time, I won’t tolerate disrespect,” he said, adjusting his tie.

“Moving forward, resist the urge to snoop around. When I need you, I will call or send for you, do not call me for whatever reason, I do not like being disturbed, are we clear?”

Bella felt a mix of confusion, sadness, anxiety, and fear wash over her.

“Why are you suddenly being cold towards me?”

“I’m having a hard time Luca,” she said almost tearily.

“We all are” he replied nonchalantly,

“It's just the terms of the contract and I expect you to respect these terms. if you think I'm being cold, I have nothing to say to that, now if I may...” He turned to leave.

“And oh, if you want to see Brian and Betty, you have to let me know first”

“If you must know, they are alright,”

“Did…did you ever like me? She asked curiosity lingering in her voice, making Luca stop abruptly in his tracks but not turning back.

“I'm under no obligation to answer that”

he said, before finally making his way out.

Luca felt like a whole new different person. Like he wasn't the same person at the Pizza shop or the clubhouse, he had become a total stranger now that they were married. The thought of living with this new version of him sent shivers down her spine.

‘They met twice and now they were married, it happened all so fast but at what cost?’ Bella thought.

She was shown her room, it was a massive room, big enough to contain twelve persons but then again she was there all alone, Brian somewhere acting big and tough and Betty lying helplessly on the hospital bed.

“I hope you know I love you guys so much” she soliloquized, kissing the Polaroid picture of them together before collapsing onto the bed in tears reminiscing on how things were before she got here, how life was before it changed.

“I miss you, mum,” she murmured.