The Contract Wife

Three: Silver Lining

Bella

“You are going to be my event planner!” She exclaimed, and I felt my heart fall into my stomach. She pointed her hands to my face, and I was more bombed by the news of being her event planner than the diamond ring on her finger.

She smiled gracefully as she stood to watch my reaction, but I was in awe.

“You… You got to be joking Valerie,” I stuttered, as tears of joy ran down my cheeks.

“Yes, you. You will be planning my multi-billionaire wedding!” She confirmed, and without thinking, I jumped on her in excitement.

Was that the light I was looking for at the end of the tunnel? I was losing all hope, and I had nothing left. My best friend making me her event planner for her upcoming wedding was something I never saw coming.

“This means a lot to me, Valerie. I don't know how to appreciate you right now,” I blinked rapidly, trying hard to stop the tears.

“I'll be so happy to have you do this, Bella,” she assured, and I hugged her again. It was a cold rush, on a body that has been boiling for a long time.

I was so elated that I dished my late father's document. I grabbed my gig book in preparation to plan her wedding.

“I'll tag your socials, I want to make a post,” she uttered with a wide grin.

“Ouu! That's a big win. Congratulations, once again!” I uttered proudly. This time around, it was from the depth of my heart.

“We'll talk, okay?” She replied, getting up from her seat. I was dazzled for a moment, watching outwardly to see what was going to happen.

“Are you leaving?” I asked, and I saw her move toward the door.

She smirked lightly, and slanted her head, “Yes, I have to be at the office today, remember?”

“I just wanted to tell you about the good news in person,” she added, and waved. I was very excited, and I didn't think of a reply before she left.

No, I just experienced a miracle. When she left, I was jumping on my toes and whimpering.

“Yes! Yes!!” I could say I was close to her experience of getting married and becoming a billionaire’s wife. The excitement was ethereal.

My enthusiasm was revived more when I went to my socials, and I was trending along. My followers grew and it never stopped. In a matter of hours, I had lucrative clients coming in to reserve a spot for my services.

Who would have thought that my business would bloom in such a way, and in a very short period of time?

“Purr!” I whispered to myself in excitement. I started putting together the spots, the event location, the cards, the wedding gown, and the cake. I assigned days and time to go survey them. Late that evening, my account was credited with millions as part pay.

I felt on top of the world, and I promised to put my best into it. This happiness reminded me of what took me to the club, and the aftermath. I decided to stay indoors while feeling so elated.

Three days later, I felt terribly sick. I was so confused because I'd never felt so horrible. I had to visit the hospital to run a test. So many things went through my mind as I walked into the same hospital where my beloved father died.

The checkup was done, and they took a blood sample.

“Please ma’am, would you prefer delivery or an online test result?” The nurse asked softly.

“Is there any need for that? I am still here for the results,” I replied in a stern voice.

“Yes, just in case,” she politely replied, and I got the form and filled in my details.

“Thank you ma,” she replied and walked away.

While waiting for my results, I was in between thinking it could be from me fainting some weeks ago, or from my depressive stress. Not long after, I got a call.

“Bella, you need to be here now!” Valeria wailed over the phone and my heart pounded hearing the tone of her voice. It was cold and filled with agony.

“Where?” I asked, fear swallowing me.

“My office,” she replied, crying suddenly. The call was aborted, and it felt like my joy had ended.

Did her husband-to-be die? Did she find something or get herself in trouble?

I had no idea how to answer the questions that roamed my head. Frantically, I knew I was cooked, or maybe not—not being sure made me feel worse. I hurriedly picked a taxi that got me to her office.

“I'm calling off my engagement with Alex!” She announced boldly. Her eyes were swollen while she whimpered.

“How? Why?” I asked, shaking with an adrenaline rush which gave a knot in my belly.

How could such happiness not last? I have already used some part of my half payment to settle the loans.

“He's not who he seems to be.” she panicked, and paced around her office.

After listening to her for over twenty minutes, I got her point. Her fiancé was notorious, and he went out with a couple of women.

“Did you both have a conversation?” I asked, trying so hard to hold her back from making a decision yet.

Her happiness was a primary line to my happiness. If everything would end, I would be back to nothing—absolutely nothing.

“Bella, it seems you don't understand. If there was a way, believe me, I would have sorted it out!” She replied icily, with a reddened face.

My heart pounded so hard in my chest as the pearls of sweat rolled down the side of my face. I totally forgot I was sick because the only thing on my mind was to find a way out.

I was at the verge of losing the light I found at the end of the tunnel.

“Who is he? What would he do to you?” I muttered silently, but the room was a bit quiet so Valerie heard me.

“The affluent egoistical Alex Blackwood, the CEO of the company I work at.” She angrily replied, and I was forced to stay silent for a while.

“He's cheating with no remorse. There's no smoke without fire,” her neck bent forward as she sneered.

“Cancel everything, right now,” she said as she immediately grabbed her bags to leave.

“Valerie?” I called, and she angrily left. I was left alone in my own misery of being extremely disappointed, and now, it's a situation of grace to grass.

I had to be reasonable, so I left her to her decision after I went online to see the trends. However, I never got to see his picture. I was already shattered by seeing my socials come to ruins, and the clients who canceled their appointments—everything became worse.

I returned home in fear. As I narrowed my eyes to my empty house, the feeling of depression raced around me again. I paced around thinking of a way out of everything, but I found none.

My phone suddenly beeped, and just at that moment, the doorbell rang.

“Who could that be?” I muttered, as I checked my phone to see an email from the hospital.

I let out a deep sigh after I saw it was my test result. I signed and got it.

“How fast could it be?” I ripped off the seal while moving indoors.

As I ran through the results, my breath hitched and jaw clenched. Floods of tears ran down my cheeks as curse breathed ghosted the air, “ I'm-I’m pregnant?”

“Bella, shhh,” I soothed, and fell to the ground in despair.