Gold Digger

8. Why it shouldn't be

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Chloe sat alone in her apartment, staring out the window at the bustling city below. She had been married to Liam for a few months now, and despite the fact that their marriage had started as a business arrangement, she found herself falling in love with him.

As she watched the people going about their day, she realized how much Liam had changed her life. With his support and encouragement, she had started to pursue her dreams and passions, something she had never thought possible before.

Chloe couldn't help but smile as she thought about Liam's goofy grin and the way he always made her laugh. She remembered the first time he had held her hand, and how safe and loved she had felt in that moment.

As she sat there, lost in her thoughts, Chloe knew one thing for sure: she was in love with Liam. She couldn't imagine her life without him now, and she knew that she would do anything to make their relationship work.

With a contented sigh, Chloe picked up her phone and texted Liam, telling him how much she loved him and how grateful she was for everything he had brought into her life. As she hit send, she felt a wave of happiness wash over her, knowing that she had found the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

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Liam and his friend Marcus were hanging out at a friend's party, catching up and having a few drinks. As they chatted and laughed, a woman approached Liam, a flirtatious smile on her lips.

"Hey there," she said, running a hand through her hair. "I'm Sophie. Mind if I join you?"

Liam flashed her a polite smile, but before he could say anything, Marcus spoke up.

"Actually, he's taken," he said, gesturing to Liam's ring finger. "Married, you know."

Sophie's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, I see," she said, her eyes flicking to Liam's face. "Well, I'm not looking for anything serious. Just a little fun, you know?"

Liam shook his head, a hint of regret in his eyes. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested."

Sophie shrugged and walked away, and Liam turned back to Marcus, feeling a little disappointed. He couldn't help but wonder if he was missing out on something, if he was too focused on his contract marriage with Chloe to enjoy the single life.

"What's wrong?" Marcus asked, sensing Liam's mood shift. "That was a pretty hot girl, man. You should have gone for it."

Liam shrugged. "I don't know. It just doesn't feel right, you know? I'm married, even if it's just for show. I can't just go around hooking up with random girls."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Is that really the problem, or are you just scared of commitment?"

Liam bristled at the suggestion. "I'm not scared of commitment. I just don't see the point in leading someone on if I'm not interested in them."

Marcus leaned forward, his voice low. "You know, I think you're in denial. I think you're so focused on this contract marriage that you're not seeing what's right in front of you."

Liam looked at him skeptically. "And what's that?"

"Chloe," Marcus said simply. "She's right in front of you, man. She's beautiful, smart, funny...what more could you want?"

Liam felt a pang of guilt at the mention of Chloe. He knew that Marcus was right, that he had been so focused on their business arrangement that he had overlooked his growing feelings for her.

"I don't know," he said finally. "I guess I just don't want to mess things up. We have this contract, and if I push things too far, it could ruin everything."

Marcus shook his head. "You're overthinking things, man. Just go for it. Tell her how you feel."

Liam hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."

The rest of the party passed in a blur as Liam's mind raced with thoughts of Chloe. When the night finally came to a close, he made his way back to his apartment, feeling more nervous than he had in years.

As he entered the living room, Chloe looked up from the book she was reading, a smile spreading across her face.

"Hey," she said, closing the book and setting it aside. "How was the party?"

Liam sat down next to her on the couch, his heart pounding in his chest. "Chloe, there's something I need to tell you," he said, taking a deep breath. "I...I think I'm in love with you."

Chloe's eyes widened, surprise and delight written on her face. "Really?" she said, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

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Chloe's heart skipped a beat as Liam confessed his love for her. She had been hoping that he felt the same way, but to actually hear him say it was a rush of emotions.

Before she could even respond, her phone rang, interrupting the moment. She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was her ex-boyfriend, Alex. She hesitated for a moment, then answered the call.

"Hey," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Chloe, hey," Alex said, his voice urgent. "Listen, I know it's been a while, but I really need your help."

Chloe felt a sense of dread settle in her stomach. She and Alex had broken up years ago, but he had a tendency to come back into her life when he needed something.

"What do you need?" she asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"It's kind of a long story," Alex said, hesitating for a moment. "But basically, I'm in trouble. I need some money, and I was hoping you could lend me some."

Chloe's mind raced as she tried to figure out what to do. She didn't want to get involved with Alex's problems, but at the same time, she couldn't just ignore him.

"Chloe, are you still there?" Alex asked, his voice becoming more insistent.

Chloe took a deep breath. "I'll see what I can do," she said finally. "But I can't promise anything."

"Thanks, Chloe," Alex said, relief evident in his voice. "I'll pay you back, I swear."

Chloe ended the call and turned to Liam, feeling guilty for interrupting their conversation. "I'm sorry," she said. "That was my ex. He needs some money."

Liam's expression darkened. "What does he want with money?"

Chloe hesitated, not wanting to get into the details. "Just some financial trouble," she said, hoping that was vague enough.

Liam didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue. "Okay," he said finally. "But be careful, Chloe. You don't want to get caught up in his mess."

Chloe nodded, grateful for Liam's concern. "I know. I'll be careful."

The rest of the night passed in a blur as Chloe's mind raced with thoughts of Alex and Liam. She couldn't shake the guilt she felt for interrupting Liam's confession, but at the same time, she couldn't ignore Alex's plea for help.

As the night turned to morning, Chloe lay in bed, her mind still whirring. She couldn't stop thinking about Liam's confession, the way he had looked at her with such intensity. But at the same time, she couldn't stop worrying about Alex and his problems.

The next few days passed in a blur as Chloe tried to balance her feelings for Liam and her obligations to Alex. She found herself constantly distracted, unable to focus on anything for more than a few minutes.

Finally, she decided that she needed to talk to Liam. She couldn't keep her feelings bottled up any longer, and she needed his support and understanding.

One evening, she called him over to her apartment, hoping to clear the air between them. As he arrived, she took a deep breath and opened the door, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hey," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Liam looked at her with concern. "Is everything okay, Chloe?"

Chloe hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I need to talk to you," she said. "About us."

Liam looked surprised but nodded, following her into the living room.

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Chloe took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She knew that what she was about to say would change everything between her and Liam.

"Liam, I have something to tell you," she began, her voice soft.

Liam looked at her expectantly, his eyes filled with concern.

"I know that we started this as a contract marriage, but... I've fallen in love with you," Chloe said, her heart racing.

Liam's face lit up with a smile, and he reached out to take her hand. "Chloe, I'm so happy to hear that. I've been in love with you for a while now."

Chloe's heart swelled with joy at Liam's words. She couldn't believe that he felt the same way she did.

But as she looked into his eyes, something inside her shifted. She was suddenly overwhelmed by a flood of memories from her past, memories of her parents abandoning her and the pain that had followed.

Chloe's parents had always put their careers and their own needs before hers. They had never made her feel loved or wanted, and Chloe had spent most of her life feeling unwanted and unloved.

The thought of committing to someone, of allowing herself to love and be loved in return, was terrifying. She couldn't bear the thought of being hurt again, of being abandoned by someone she loved.

Suddenly, Chloe knew what she had to do. She couldn't risk getting hurt, not after everything she had been through. She had to hide her feelings for Liam, to protect herself from the pain of rejection or abandonment.

"I...I can't do this, Liam," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Liam looked confused, his brow furrowing in concern. "What do you mean, Chloe?"

Chloe took a deep breath, trying to control the tears that were threatening to spill over. "I can't be in a real relationship, Liam. I'm not ready for commitment, not after everything that's happened to me."

Liam looked shocked, his eyes wide with surprise. "But Chloe, we love each other. We can make this work."

Chloe shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, Liam. I can't risk getting hurt again. I have to protect myself."

Liam's face fell, and he stood up, looking down at Chloe with a mixture of hurt and confusion. "I don't understand, Chloe. We love each other. Why can't we be together?"

Chloe stood up, wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry, Liam," she said, her voice trembling. "I just can't do this. Please, just leave me alone."

As Liam walked out of her apartment, Chloe sank down onto her couch, tears streaming down her face. She knew that she had hurt him, but she couldn't risk getting hurt herself.

In the days that followed, Chloe tried to distract herself from her feelings for Liam. She threw herself into her work, spending long hours at the office and avoiding social situations.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the memory of Liam's hurt expression, of the love and longing she had seen in his eyes.

Chloe knew that she had made a mistake in pushing Liam away, but she couldn't bring herself to risk getting hurt again. She would have to live with the regret of what could have been, knowing that she had let her past fears and insecurities get in the way of her happiness.

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Chloe sat at a small table in the corner of the restaurant, sipping on a glass of wine as she waited for Alex to arrive. She had known him since college, and they had remained friends even after all these years.

As she looked up, she saw Alex walking towards her, a smile on his face. "Chloe, it's great to see you!" he said, pulling her into a hug.

Chloe hugged him back, feeling a sense of comfort in his presence. They sat down and ordered their food, catching up on each other's lives.

As they talked, Chloe noticed Liam walking into the restaurant. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, and she tried to compose herself.

But Liam didn't seem to notice her at first. He walked straight towards their table, looking at Alex with suspicion. "Who are you?" Liam asked, his voice cold.

Alex looked up, surprised. "I'm Alex. And you are?"

"Liam," Liam said, his eyes narrowing.

Chloe spoke up, trying to diffuse the tension. "Liam, this is Alex. He's an old friend from college," she said, hoping to ease Liam's suspicions.

But Liam didn't seem to believe her. He looked at Alex with a scowl, his fists clenched. "What's going on, Chloe? Why are you meeting with this guy?"

Chloe felt a lump form in her throat. She had never seen Liam like this before, so angry and possessive. "We're just catching up, Liam. He's an old friend, that's all," she said, hoping to calm him down.

But Liam didn't seem to be listening. He turned to Alex, his voice rising. "What's your relationship with Chloe, exactly?"

Alex looked taken aback by Liam's sudden aggression. "We're just friends, man. What's the problem?"

But Liam wasn't satisfied with his answer. "Don't lie to me. I know about the contract marriage. Are you her boyfriend now?"

Chloe's heart sank at Liam's words. She had never wanted him to find out about the contract, and she certainly didn't want him to mistake her friendship with Alex for something more.

"Liam, please calm down," Chloe said, trying to reason with him. "Alex is just a friend. He knows about the contract, that's all."

But Liam didn't seem to hear her. He turned to Alex again, his voice rising. "Stay away from Chloe, you hear me? She's mine."

Chloe felt a surge of anger at Liam's possessiveness. She stood up, her voice shaking with emotion. "I'm not yours, Liam. We had a contract marriage, that's all. You don't own me."

Liam looked stunned by her words. "Chloe, I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want anyone else coming between us."

Chloe shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I can't do this anymore, Liam. I can't keep pretending that everything is okay. We need to talk about our relationship, about where we stand."

Liam looked at her, his expression softening. "I know, Chloe. I've been wanting to talk to you too. I just didn't know how to bring it up."

Chloe took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "Okay, then let's talk. But first, you need to understand that I'm not your property. I'm a person, with my own thoughts and feelings."

Liam nodded, his eyes filled with remorse. "I'm sorry, Chloe. I didn't mean to be possessive. I just love you so much, and you keep pushing me away like I mean nothing to you. It's hurting me, Chloe. More than I would ever care to admit."

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Liam and Chloe decided to take a walk on the beach, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore providing a calming backdrop to their conversation. They had a lot to talk about, and Chloe was relieved that Liam was finally willing to have an open and honest discussion about their relationship.

As they walked, Chloe couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She wasn't sure where this conversation would lead, but she knew that she had to be honest with Liam about her feelings.

"Liam, I need to talk to you about something," Chloe said, stopping in her tracks and turning to face him.

Liam looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "What is it, Chloe? Is something wrong?"

Chloe took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "I need to talk to you about our contract marriage. It's been a year since we got married, and I think it's time that we reassess our relationship."

Liam nodded, understanding in his eyes. "I know, Chloe. I've been thinking about it too. I want to be with you, but I don't want to force you into anything."

Chloe felt a surge of affection for Liam, knowing that he was willing to be honest with her. "I appreciate that, Liam. But I need to be honest with you. I don't think I can continue with the contract marriage. I know it was just for money, but I can't keep pretending that I don't have feelings for you."

Liam looked at her, a smile spreading across his face. "Chloe, I've been in love with you since the day we got married. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to scare you off, but I can't keep hiding my feelings either."

Chloe felt a warmth spread through her chest, knowing that Liam felt the same way she did. "I'm glad you feel that way, Liam. But what do we do about the contract?"

Liam thought for a moment before responding. "I think we should tear it up. We don't need it anymore. We can be together without it."

Chloe nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "I agree, Liam. But we need to take things slow. I don't want to rush into anything, especially since we have a lot of trust to rebuild."

Liam smiled, taking her hand in his. "I understand, Chloe. We'll take things at your pace. I just want to be with you, no matter what."

Chloe smiled back, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. They continued their walk along the beach, their conversation light and easy as they talked about their hopes and dreams for the future.

As the sun began to set, they found a quiet spot on the beach and sat down, watching as the sky turned orange and pink. Chloe leaned her head on Liam's shoulder, feeling his warmth surround her.

"I'm glad we talked, Liam," Chloe said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Liam kissed her forehead, his lips soft against her skin. "Me too, Chloe. I love you."

Chloe smiled, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her. She knew that their journey was far from over, but she was ready to take the next steps with Liam by her side.

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Chloe and Liam had decided to go public with their relationship. They knew that there would be some backlash, but they were ready to face it together.

As they walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, they were greeted by a group of reporters. Cameras flashed, and microphones were thrust in their faces.

"Chloe, is it true that your marriage to Liam was just a contract?" one reporter shouted.

Chloe felt a sense of panic wash over her, knowing that their secret was out. She looked at Liam, who squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"Yes, it's true," Liam spoke up, his voice calm and steady. "We got married for financial reasons, but we fell in love along the way."

The reporters began shouting questions, but Liam and Chloe remained calm, their faces serene as they answered.

"We understand that some people may not agree with our decision," Chloe said, her voice firm. "But we are happy, and that's what matters."

The reporters continued to ask questions, but Liam and Chloe had said all that they wanted to say. They turned and walked away, their heads held high.

As they walked to Liam's car, Chloe felt a sense of relief wash over her. They had faced the media, and they had done it together.

But as they got into the car and drove away, Chloe couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew that the news of their contract marriage would be all over the internet, and she couldn't help but worry about what people would say.

When they got home, Chloe sat down at the kitchen table, her laptop in front of her. She began to search the internet, and sure enough, there were dozens of articles about their marriage.

Chloe felt a lump form in her throat as she read some of the comments. People were calling her a gold digger, and Liam was being accused of using her for his own purposes.

Tears welled up in Chloe's eyes, and she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Liam walked in, sensing that something was wrong.

"What's going on, Chloe?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

Chloe looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "It's just... the news of our marriage is all over the internet, and people are saying awful things about me."

Liam sat down next to her, taking her hand in his. "I know, Chloe. But we can't let them get to us. We know the truth, and that's all that matters."

Chloe nodded, feeling a sense of comfort wash over her. Liam was right. They knew the truth, and that was all that mattered.

As the days went by, the news of their marriage began to die down. People moved on to the next big scandal, and Chloe and Liam were left alone to enjoy their love.

They continued to face challenges along the way, but they faced them together. They knew that their love was real, and nothing could ever change that.

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