**8:00 am**

As the morning sun persistently invaded Chloe's peaceful slumber, she clung to the blanket, determined to ward off its unwelcome intrusion. However, fate had other plans. A shrill ringtone pierced the air, jolting her awake.

"Arghh..." Chloe's groan echoed through the room as she flung a pillow across the space. Angrily, she snatched her phone to find Kira's name flashing on the screen.

"Hello," Chloe muttered, her voice barely audible, betraying her reluctance to be awake.

Kira's voice emanated from the other end, teasingly observant, "Look who's still in bed..."

"No... how could you think that? I was just on my way to the gym." Chloe whined.

Kira couldn't help but chuckle, "Really? On your way to the gym in your pyjamas?"

Chloe sighed, conceding, "Okay, fine, you got me. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to check up on you," Kira replied with genuine concern. "What you're going through is hell, and no one deserves such a life."

Chloe's voice softened, touched by Kira's empathy, "Babe... It's fine. After crying and saying it all, I felt a lot better. Thanks once again."

"It's the least I could do," Kira reassured her.

A heavy silence hung in the air before Chloe abruptly blurted out her deepest fear, "Kira, I'm scared."

"Why? Why are you scared?" Kira inquired, her concern deepening.

"I got a text early this morning at 3:47, saying he's back. I wonder if it's true," Chloe confessed, her voice trembling with anxiety.

Kira's mind raced as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. She knew Chloe had been through unimaginable pain and heartache. After a moment of contemplation, "Chloe, I won't ask you not to be scared, because anyone would be. But when he returns, confront him. You deserve answers and closure. Don't let fear dictate your life any longer."

Chloe nodded, despite the fact that Kira wasn't seeing her. "I would try my best to."

After another moment of awkward silence, "Kira, are you free to join me at the gym today?"

Kira paused, her voice apologetic, "I wish I could, Chloe, but I'm quite busy today. How about we plan for tomorrow instead?"

Determined to shake off her lingering fear, Chloe made a resolute decision. She swung her legs out of bed, "No problem, Kira. I'll get ready and head to the gym alone."

"I'm sorry, I got to go" Kira whispered before finally disconnecting the line.

Chloe stood up from the bed and hurried to the washroom, Her time there was brief and she quickly made her way out. Putting on some yoga pants and a big hoodie, she heads to the kitchen.

"Good morning ma'am" A girl who looked Chloe's age greeted with a warm smile as she noticed Chloe was approaching.

"Good morning, Freda. Please can you pass me a bottle of water?" Chloe returned the smile, as she nicely made her request.

With another small smile, Freda headed to the fridge and grabbed one of the bottles. " Here you go ma'am"

"It's Chloe, Enough of this ma'am stuff. Anyways thank you very much." Chloe retorted and with that, she rushed out of the house.

****

"Hello, Hello," a voice crackled through her headset, momentarily breaking her concentration.

As she fiddled with the controls to adjust the volume, Chloe's heart leapt into her throat. There, beside her, stood a figure she thought she'd left behind—a face she couldn't forget. It was Felix, her ex-boyfriend, the one who had abandoned her for someone else when she needed him the most.

Felix's eyes met Chloe's, and an awkward silence hung between them. "Chloe?" Felix finally called out tentatively, as if confirming that she was indeed the woman before him.

Chloe's heart raced, and her palms began to sweat. She couldn't believe this moment was happening in the very place she had come to escape. Nevertheless, she mustered her strength and replied, "Felix."

The tension in the air was palpable as they faced each other, " How have you been? Felix asked, trying to make things less awkward between them.

"Better than when you left me," Chloe's words were tinged with a hint of bitterness.

"Fair enough," Felix replied, taking in the changes in her appearance. His gaze shifted and he couldn't help but notice the extra weight Chloe had gained during their time apart.

Felix hesitated for a moment, then cleared his throat, "Chloe, I... I need to apologize. I know I hurt you deeply when I left."

"I forgave you a long time ago, Felix," Chloe's voice held a note of finality. "But I'm not interested in rehashing the past or having this conversation. I l have to get going."

She turned away from him, determined to escape the uncomfortable encounter.

Chloe jogged back home, her mind still reeling from the unexpected encounter with Felix at the gym. As she approached her husband's mansion she noticed an unfamiliar car parked in the parking lot.

Chloe frowned, muttering to herself as she approached the entrance. "I've told them countless times not to let anyone in when I'm not around. Who could it be this time? I hope it's not another one of Code's annoying business partners." Her thoughts raced, fueling her curiosity as she ascended the small stairs leading to the doorway.

Upon entering her apartment, Chloe was taken aback by what she saw. There, in her living room, sat a strange woman. She was casually flipping through a magazine as if she owned the place. Chloe's heart raced, and she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my apartment?" Chloe demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.

The woman looked up, seemingly unfazed by Chloe's presence. She wore an air of confidence that sent shivers down Chloe's spine. "Oh, you must be Chloe. I've heard so much about you."

Chloe's confusion deepened. "What? Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

The woman finally stood up, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "I'm Martina Josh, Code Anderson's fiancee." She said pointing at their engagement ring.

"Fiancee, are you crazy? I am his wife" Chloe's anger was beginning to rise as she closed the distance between them.

Laughing profusely, "Do you really think Code would settle for a person as cheap as you?" Martina mocked.

In a fit of rage, Chloe raised her hand, ready to strike Martina, but before her hand could make contact, it was stopped. Chloe's eyes widened as she looked up to see the unexpected person who had intervened.

"Code?" She blurted out in shock