Contracting Hearts

Chloe Blackwood woke up on a Tuesday morning and performed her daily routine before heading to the gym. While she was working out, all the able-bodied men stood behind her, staring at her perfect shape. Chloe would always look back at them each time she noticed that and smile at them before she continued working out.

Chloe was the type of lady whose smile never ceased her lips, and she was very jovial and fun to be with. Chloe has a curvy shape and a beautiful face to match her smiling cheeks. She always ensured her big curly hair was perfectly resting on her shoulder.

After staring and smiling at them, Chloe was about to focus on the treadmill she was working on when her phone started ringing. She picked up her phone where she had placed it so she could check who the call was, and was shocked to see her elder brother calling her by this time of the day.

Chloe stared at it as she reluctantly picked up the call.

"Hey, big bro," Chloe said happily, but her big brother wasn't just in the mood for jokes.

"Chloe, Dad is in trouble," Nathaniel said, his sad voice coming from the other end of the call.

"What is it, big bro? Any problem with Dad?" Chloe asked curiously as she slowed down her treadmill machine.

"Remember I passed the night here with you guys?" Nathaniel asked.

"Yes, I know Nathaniel. I wanted to knock on your door before coming to the gym, but I realized you were still asleep, so I left unnoticed," Chloe responded, looking confused as to why Nathaniel was asking those questions.

"I had prepared everything I came here with and was about to leave when some cops came to Dad's house saying someone close to us discovered that Dad was involved in illegal dealings. I tried reaching out to a few shareholders in dads' company if they could stand up for Dad and attest to the fact that he wasn't involved in any illegal dealings

Immediately I logged into the company's website to get their details, that was when I realized that they've all withdrawn their shares, leaving the company back to where it started from," Nathaniel explained.

"What?" Chloe exclaimed loudly but immediately covered her mouth.

Chloe knew her father too well that he wasn't the type to always involve himself in any illegal dealings, so it was somehow hard for her to believe everything she was hearing from Nathaniel.

"How did this happen?" Chloe tried asking, but it was then she realized that the call had been disconnected.

"Who should I call?" Chloe thought as she scrolled through her contact list, gritting her teeth.

When she noticed that people around were starting to get worried about her changed mood, she hurriedly moved to the changing room.

"It's best I call Dad," Chloe thought as she sat on the available long bench.

She wanted to call him and find out if it was true about what Nathaniel told her. Chloe dialed her father's number several times, but he wasn't picking up.

"Maybe he's too weak to talk to me; I guess it's true after all," Chloe thought as she gently placed her phone on her lap. She sniffed back the tears that were planning to fall and picked up her phone again to call Nathaniel since her father wasn't picking up. She called him several times, but it seemed he already silenced his phone.

Chloe felt weak and down. She had no idea what to do next or which step to take at that moment. All that was going through Chloe's mind was to meet up with the pathetic person who dug p dirt against her father and beat him up till he confessed and took responsibility.

Chloe didn't have any friends she could ask for help. She was about to call her best friend to pick her up because she was even scared of going home alone when her mind suddenly went straight to her boyfriend, Marcus.

Marcus is from a rich family, so solving Chloe's family financial issue shouldn't be a problem for him at all. Chloe isn't the type of person who asks for help from people, but as the case may be now, she has no choice but to call Marcus and ask for help. She dialed Marcus' number several times, but he wasn't picking up.

"Why isn't everyone picking up?" Chloe thought as she angrily pulled off her hand gloves.

"I need to go to his house then!" Chloe muttered as the last call ended without him picking up. She ordered an Uber online before picking up her things from the lady's room.

A few minutes after she finished picking up her things, she got a message from the Uber that he was waiting outside already. Chloe hurriedly got in and went to Marcus's house. Immediately she got to Marcus's house, she got out of the car and crossed to the other side of the road to knock on Marcus'' door, but then realized that it was left unlocked.

"Maybe he forgot!" Chloe thought as she made her way into his house. She looked around his living room and realized everything was scattered, but there was no sight of him.

Chloe walked close to check his bedroom maybe he was probably resting.

"Ha! Damn!" Chloe overheard someone exclaim loudly with a burst of laughter.

Her brain wasn't processing at that moment, so she couldn't guess who it was but tiptoed closer to the bedroom door to hear the voice. Chloe was so careful with her steps, so she wouldn't be noticed.

Chloe was about to open the door and check who it was when she suddenly heard a familiar voice. That voice was so different from Marcus's voice; she listened carefully and realized it was the voice of her best friend.

"She's so daft. How could she not notice that we were dating? I overheard that her family's business had gone bankrupt. So, tell me, Marcus, did you do it? You know that you don't keep anything away from me," Lila asked while playing with Marcus' short beard.

"You know I'm not up to that stage of digging up dirt against someone, but I know who did it. Should I tell you?" Marcus asked, smiling.

"Sure, I want to know who did that huge favor for us," Lila said, anxiously.

"It's my father's doing!" Marcus said.

"What?" Chloe exclaimed silently, covering her mouth.

Chloe had wanted to run upon hearing that, but she stayed back to hear the full details.