His Gold-Digger Test Ends with My Death, Now He Begs

Adrian’s POV Adrian ends the call and slips his phone into his pocket. One of the guys claps him on the shoulder. “Damn, man. Three years of playing broke, and Maya’s still standing by you? My girlfriend would bolt in three days.” “I’m so jealous,” another one says. Adrian looks at Chloe with a smug grin. “Told you she’d never betray me.” Chloe pouts. “Maybe she already did. Maybe she’s just too embarrassed to tell you.” Adrian just laughs, not bothering to argue. Instead, he gets up and heads for the door. “Where are you going?” Chloe snaps. “To pick out my wife’s wedding dress.” Adrian slides behind the wheel of his car. “When I started playing broke, the best I could give her was a ring made from a soda can tab,” he says. “The test is over now. I owe her a real wedding.” The guys pile out after him. “Now that’s love.” “Come on, let’s go see what kind of dress Adrian picks for his ride-or-die wife.” At the bridal boutique, Adrian flips through one gown after another. Nothing feels right. “Do you have anything smaller?” he asks. “My wife is… really thin.” The saleswoman hesitates. “These are already our smallest sizes. Any smaller, and honestly, she wouldn’t be healthy.” Adrian’s chest tightens. Maya has been through so much these past three years, all while he’s been playing broke. He told her he takes construction jobs whenever he can find them, so Maya always saves the best food for him. The last time he held her hand, her wrist was so thin he could almost circle it with two fingers. “Why don’t you bring your wife in?” the saleswoman suggests. “We can alter a dress to fit her.” “She can’t come right now.” The dress is supposed to be a surprise. “Then I’ll try it on,” Chloe says. She sweeps in front of Adrian and plants her hands on her hips. “I just lost weight, so Maya and I should be about the same size now. I want that one.” Adrian frowns. “Chloe—” “Oh, come on,” one of the guys says. “Chloe’s offering to model it for you. What’s your other option? Making one of us put it on?” “You need the dress tomorrow, man,” another adds. “Just let her help.” Chloe lifts her chin. “I’m doing this for free, Adrian. You could at least try saying thank you.” Adrian pauses, then nods. The designer takes Chloe’s measurements and holds scraps of lace, beading, and crystal up against the gown. Chloe plucks off a crystal flower. “Ugh, I hate this one.” Adrian takes it from her and puts it back. “Maya will love it.” Chloe’s face goes cold. An hour later, the measurements and details are finally settled. A photographer walks over with a camera. “Want to do a few test shots? If you like my work, I can shoot the wedding tomorrow.” “Wait. We’re not—” Adrian starts. “Sure,” Chloe cuts in. “Let’s do it.” “Chloe.” Adrian’s face darkens. “Relax. I’m just standing in for her,” Chloe says. “If anything looks off in the photos, we’ll catch it before Maya puts the dress on.” The guys jump in again. “She’s got a point.” “Everything’s already set up. Maya’ll be glad you did a test run.” Adrian pictures it: him and Maya, old and gray, flipping through their wedding photos together. He finally gives in. The photographer beams. “Great! Now scoot a little closer to him.” Chloe presses herself against Adrian. “Perfect. Now give me a big smile. Look how happy your bride is!” Adrian stiffens, but he does what the photographer says. “Let’s try another pose. Put your hand on her waist.” “Beautiful. Now sweep her up in your arms.” Adrian lifts Chloe off her feet. “You two look incredible together,” the photographer says. When the shoot is over, he shows them the pictures. Adrian stares at Chloe’s smiling face on the screen. Slowly, it becomes Maya’s. He can almost see himself holding Maya in that dress. She will smile at him with tears in her eyes, too happy to stay angry about the lie. She’ll look beautiful. A little too thin, maybe. But that won’t matter. Once he brings her home, he’ll give her everything she’s gone without. He’ll nurse her back to health himself. “Okay, Chloe. Take it off.” “I know, I know.” Chloe turns toward the dressing room, then suddenly cries out. Her heel catches the hem, and she goes down hard. The skirt gets trapped under her body. Fabric rips, and a few crystals scatter across the floor. The saleswoman claps a hand over her mouth. “Oh no. That was the last one we had!” “Chloe!” Adrian lunges forward, furious. “You’re never this clumsy! What the hell is Maya supposed to wear tomorrow?” Chloe stares at him. Then her eyes fill with tears, fast. Adrian has never raised his voice at her. Not once since they were kids. He even agrees to play broke for three years because she demands a gold-digger test. And now he’s shouting at her over a dress. “You’re blaming me?” she whispers. The guys hurry over. “It’s just a dress, Adrian. They can fix it tonight.” “Chloe spends all day trying on the gown and taking photos for you. It’s not like she ripped it on purpose.” The saleswoman nods quickly. “We can repair it. I promise it’ll look good as new by morning.” Adrian looks at the torn dress, then at Chloe’s tear-streaked face. He lets out a long breath. “I’m sorry. I overreacted.”

Adrian’s POV Chloe holds out a hand. Adrian moves to pull her up, but she slaps his hand away. The guys laugh. “Come on, Adrian. Pick her up.” “You yell at her while she’s on the floor, and that’s your apology? Try harder.” Adrian shakes his head with a helpless smile. Then he bends down and scoops Chloe into his arms. “There you go,” one of the guys says. “You two have known each other forever. Everything you do looks like flirting.” “Honestly, man, just marry Chloe and pay Maya off,” another jokes. Adrian’s smile vanishes. “Say that again.” His voice is low and cold. The guy snaps his mouth shut. Chloe watches Adrian, and something shifts in her eyes. Adrian sets her down and turns back to the saleswoman. “Please get the dress ready as soon as you can. I need it first thing tomorrow morning.” “Of course, Mr. Hale.” They take Chloe to the hospital. A while later, my phone starts to vibrate beside me. The name on the screen reads: My Love. It rings for more than a minute. No one answers. Adrian calls again. Then a third time. After the fourth call goes unanswered, he frowns in the hospital hallway. “Is she tied up with Jamie?” He opens their chat and starts typing. [My Love: I have a surprise for you and Jamie tomorrow. Love you. ] Then another message. [My Love: You said your stomach’s been bothering you, so I found you a specialist. He’s treated tons of serious cases, so this should be no problem for him.] And one last one. [My Love: And don’t worry about the money. I’ve got it covered.] I lie motionless on the bed. The room is deathly still, except for the buzzing of my phone. Adrian waits, but no reply comes. Disappointment crosses his face. Still, he holds down the record button and sends me a voice message. “I know things have been really hard for you. I love you. Just hang in there a little longer.” “Texting Mrs. Hale?” Chloe walks up with a bandage on her arm. She glances at his phone and smirks. “Four calls and a bunch of texts, and nothing back? Looks like she’s ignoring you.” “She’s probably busy.” “Busy with another man, maybe.” “Chloe.” Adrian’s face hardens. She folds her arms. “Stop defending her for one second and actually listen to me.” “What if Maya already found someone else?” Chloe asks. “What if she’s just waiting for the right moment to dump you?” Adrian’s grip tightens on his phone. Chloe smiles when she notices. “Look at that. You’re hesitating.” “Maya would never do that to me.” “Are you sure?” Chloe steps closer and rests one hand on his shoulder. “Then put your money where your mouth is. Make another bet with me.” Adrian stares at her. “If you go home tomorrow and find out Maya’s left you for another man, you marry me.” His body goes rigid. Chloe tilts her head. “What’s wrong? Scared?” “Fine.” He answers without a beat. “You have no idea how much Maya loves me.” “We’ll see.” Chloe turns and walks away. Adrian looks down at his unanswered messages. He sighs, but a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth anyway. After tomorrow, I’ll never be too busy to pick up his calls again. The next morning, Adrian changes into his tuxedo while the guys crowd around, hooting. “Look at you, Mr. Hale!” “Maya’s going to lose it when she sees you.” “The second you drop down on one knee, she’ll forget she was ever mad.” Adrian shakes his head. “Would you guys quit messing around? Maya’s waiting for me.” A loud crash comes from behind them. Chloe stumbles into a chair and presses a hand to her forehead. Everyone turns toward her. “What’s wrong?” one of the guys asks. “I’m dizzy,” she says weakly. “I think I’m running a fever.” One of them feels her forehead. “Whoa, she’s burning up. Adrian, you should take her to the hospital.” “One of you take her,” Adrian says. “I’m going home to Maya.” “Adrian…” Chloe’s eyes well up. “I spent all day yesterday in Maya’s dress, posing for Maya’s pictures. I ran myself into the ground helping you, and now I’m sick and you won’t even stay with me?” His friends immediately take her side. “She did go out of her way for you and Maya.” “Without Chloe, you wouldn’t even have a dress or a photographer.” “She’s just asking you to stay until the doctor sees her. That’s it.” Adrian frowns. “Maya’s waiting for me.” “She’s waited three years,” one of the guys says. “What difference does one more day make?” Adrian goes still. He looks down at the bouquet in his hand. For three years, no matter how hard things got, Maya always smiled at him. Nothing ever seems strong enough to break her. One more day shouldn’t matter. Maya will understand. She always does. Tomorrow, he’ll tell her everything.