Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Cold StrangerAbby Thompson’s phone rang sharply, cutting through the quiet of the small apartment. She glanced at the screen and her stomach dropped. It was the hospital. With trembling fingers, she answered.“Hello? This is Abby Thompson.”“Miss Thompson, this is Dr. Patel’s office. We have your recent test results back. The doctor would like to see you today if possible. It’s quite urgent.”Abby’s heart clenched. “Today? Okay… I’ll be there as soon as I can.”She hung up, her chest tight with dread. The familiar ache in her joints had been worse lately, but she had hoped the tests would show some improvement. Apparently not.She quickly changed into a simple sweater and jeans, kissed her little sister Mia on the forehead, and told her mother she’d be back soon. The bus ride to the hospital felt endless. Every bump sent pain shooting through her body, reminding her how fragile she had become.At the hospital, she sat in the waiting room, nerves frayed. When Dr. Patel

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Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The AgreementAbby sat nervously in the waiting area of the government counseling office, her fingers twisting the strap of her worn handbag. The past few days had been a whirlwind after her first meeting with Luke at the café. Her autoimmune disorder had flared badly, leaving her joints swollen and painful, but the doctor’s warning kept ringing in her ears — the surgery could not wait much longer.The door opened and a middle-aged counselor named Mrs. Reynolds stepped out. “Abby Thompson and Luke Harrington? Please come in.”Abby stood, heart pounding. Luke was already there, leaning against the wall in his usual impeccable suit, expression cold and unreadable. He gave her a brief nod but said nothing as they followed the counselor into the room.Mrs. Reynolds explained the program clearly. “This session ensures you both understand the terms. You must live together in the provided apartment and maintain the appearance of a married couple during random home inspections. Any

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Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The First InspectionAbby rushed home from her afternoon café shift, her legs aching and her uniform still smelling of coffee and grease. She had barely slept the night before, worried about the upcoming government inspection. Luke had texted her earlier — short and direct: “Inspection scheduled for 6 PM today. Be home by 5:30. Make sure the couple’s room looks perfect.”She glanced at her watch. 5:15 PM. Just enough time to change and prepare.The apartment was quiet when she entered. Luke was already there, adjusting the photos in the sitting room one last time. He wore a casual but neat shirt and pants, looking composed as always. His gray eyes flicked toward her as she closed the door.“You’re cutting it close,” he said flatly.“Sorry. The shift ran late,” Abby replied, catching her breath. The pain in her joints was worse today, but she pushed it down. “I’ll change quickly.”She hurried to her real bedroom, swapped her uniform for a simple blouse and jeans, then went t

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chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Night BeforeAbby sat on the edge of her bed in the apartment, staring at the hospital bag she had packed the night before. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day of her surgery. One surgery. One chance to finally stop the pain that had been slowly destroying her body.But everything had changed in the last twenty-four hours.Her daily observation visit yesterday had taken a frightening turn. After a new set of scans and blood work, Dr. Patel had called her in with a serious expression. “Abby, the inflammation has spread more than we anticipated. We now need to perform two separate procedures — one on your joints and another to address the damage to your organs. We can’t risk doing only one. The second surgery will follow a few days after the first if your body stabilizes.”The news had hit Abby like a punch. Two surgeries. Longer recovery. More risk. More money.She had come home exhausted and terrified, barely able to speak to Luke about it. He had listened in silence, t

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Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Abby stared at the ceiling of her hospital room, counting the beeps of the monitor to distract herself from the constant throbbing pain. It had been four days since the first surgery, and while the doctors said she was recovering well, her body still felt like it had been through a war.The door opened quietly. Luke stepped inside carrying a small bag. He had been coming every day now — sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the evening. He claimed it was for appearances, but Abby was starting to doubt that excuse.“You’re awake,” he said, placing the bag on the side table. “I brought some soup from that place your mother mentioned. She said you like it.”Abby turned her head slowly, surprised. “You didn’t have to do that.”Luke shrugged, pulling the chair closer to the bed like he had done every visit. “You need to eat something decent. Hospital food is terrible.”He helped her sit up slightly, adjusting the pillows behind her back with careful hands, avoiding the areas th

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Semua Bab ONE YEAR CONTRACT : MARRIED TO A COLD STRANGER BILLIONAIRE : Bab 1 - Bab 5

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

chapter 4

Chapter 5