It's My Birthday

Chloe's POV

They say you only live once.

Well, not me. I try to live every day.

"Chloe. Earth to Chloe." Naomi tapped my knee, her voice soft but clear over the music.

The bass vibrated right through the soles of my heels, thumping hard against my ribs. VIP lounges in downtown LA always smelled the same—expensive perfume mixed with spilled vodka and sweat.

I leaned against the velvet booth, watching the crowd blur under the flashy lights. It was midnight, and I was officially twenty-six.

Naomi looked like an angel in her cream silk slip dress, her blonde hair perfectly smooth despite the humidity. "Stop staring at your phone. He isn't calling."

I dropped the screen face-down on the table. No missed calls. No texts. Not even a generic Happy Birthday from my husband of three years. "He's in Tokyo for a business deal. Because apparently, buying another logistics firm is more important than my birthday. Again."

"He works hard, Chlo. For your family. For your mom's legacy," Naomi said gently. She reached into her Chanel clutch and pulled out a small, silver pill case. Then popped it open and slid a round white pill across the marble table. "Don't get mad at him. Just focus on the plan. You need an heir for the company, remember? Your mom's board is already getting restless."

I stared at the little white circle. My stomach did a weird flip. I was sharp with everyone else, but with Naomi, I usually let my guard down. Still, something felt annoying about it tonight. "I know the plan, Nay. But it's kind of hard to make a baby when my husband treats our marriage like a desk job."

"I know, sweetie. It's hard," she murmured, her eyes swimming with pure sympathy. She handed me a fresh glass of water. "But you have to stay on top of the fertility vitamins. Consistency is key. Drink up."

I sighed, catching my reflection in the mirror behind the bar. Pale skin, dark hair, tired eyes. I took the pill, put it on my tongue, and swallowed it with a heavy gulp of water. "Happy birthday to me," I muttered, setting the glass down with a sharp clink.

"That's my girl," Naomi smiled, her expression radiating warmth. She grabbed my wrists and pulled me up. "Now, no more moping. Let's dance."

The floor was packed. The heat hit me instantly. We moved into the thick of the crowd, Naomi laughing as she swayed to the heavy beat. I tried to get into it, trying to shake off the image of Nathan sitting in some quiet boardroom across the world. He was always so strict, so structured. Everything with him was a checklist. Marriage. Sex? Life.

Suddenly, a stranger's hand clamped onto my waist, pulling me backward. A guy with a strong smell of tequila breathed down my neck. "Hey, baby. You're the birthday girl, aren't you?"

"Get your hands off me," I snapped, twisting around and shoving his chest hard. What made him think I would dance with creepy strangers.

Before the guy could react, Naomi stepped right between us, fixed him with a calm, freezing stare. She didn't even need to yell. "She said no. Move along, pussy."

The guy blinked, looking at Naomi's strict face, and raised his hands in surrender, backing off into the crowd.

"Thanks," I breathed, my heart racing a little. Then I leaned closer and hugged her. "My superhero."

"Always," Naomi said, pulling me toward a quieter hallway near the restrooms. The noise drifted into the background, replaced by the hum of the air conditioning.

I leaned against the cool tile wall, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Three years, Naomi. Three years of dinners by myself. He didn't even send flowers this time."

"He cares about you, Chloe. He's just keeping your mom's empire whole," Naomi comforted me, smoothing a hand over my shoulder. Her touch was warm. "You know how Nathan is. He shows love through security."

"Security doesn't keep you warm at night," I said, but the sharpness in my voice was fading. In fact, everything was starting to feel a little slow.

My vision blurred at the edges. The hallway lights seemed to stretch out, turning into long, dizzying lines of white.

"Chlo? You okay?" Naomi's voice sounded like it was underwater.

"I feel... weird," I mumbled. My tongue felt heavy. Then, my knees buckled slightly.

"You probably just drank too fast," she said. Her voice was still sweet, but she wasn't reaching out to catch me.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a sudden wave of panic hitting me. The room spun around violently. The floor rushed up to meet me, and the last thing I saw before the blackness took over was Naomi, standing completely still, watching me fall.

I woke up because the floor was freezing.

My head was pounding. My tongue felt dry and heavy. I tried to move my arm, but my body felt like someone else's. I could only open my eyes a tiny bit. The room was dark, and I was lying on the hard wood right next to a big bed.

Then I heard the noises.

The bed was shaking. People were breathing hard, making loud sounds right above me.

"Nathan... oh my god, Nathan," a girl gasped.

Her voice was totally breathless.

"Faster,"

I blinked in total shock. Nathan? Nathan was cheating on me?

Tears burned my eyes, but I forced myself not to cry. I couldn't make a sound. Slowly, I wiggled my fingers. Great, I could move them. I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone. Then pressed the side button by memory and started recording the audio.

Then I heard her name, and my breath seized.