Chloé had been in New York for four months now and she was living the best life ever. She worked under her mother at Style Queen and did, as she herself claimed, the best job out of all the employers there. She lived in her mother's old apartment and went to parties almost every night. She knew everyone that was worth knowing and always wore the latest fashion. She was truly living the best life, or at least that was what she wanted to believe.
When she had told Ladybug that she was thinking about leaving Paris months before, Ladybug had given her an option. If she were to leave, she would have to give back her Miraculous and stop being Queen Bee. If she stayed, she could keep it and still be one of the many heroes of Paris.
The first time Chloé had heard Ladybugs options she had been furious and screamed at her. Yes, it was a childish behaviour to react like that, but being Queen Bee made her feel free and no one judged her like they usually did when she was just Chloé. Of course she didn't want to give up her Miraculous, but there was nothing left for her in Paris.
After her parent's divorce her mother had moved back to New York and married a rich guy named Adam. It didn't take long before her father had found a new love as well and her new stepmother, Louise, turned out to be the nicest person Chloé had ever meet, something she of course would never admit to anyone. She didn't want to be mean to Louise and decided to move out before she ruined the last happiness her father had.
Chloé's sister was still in Paris and lived in a shared apartment with some of her friends. Last time Chloé had talked to Zoé, she had been feeling a bit sick and tired, but Zoé had also been excited over getting a small part in a popular tv show in France. It had sounded as if Zoé's career as an actress were starting to move forward and Chloe had, to her big surprise, been happy for her sister.
Their last conversation had been over a month ago, and none of them had texted the other or even called since then. It was starting to make Chloé a bit anxious. Her sister was always calling or texting her once a week, sometimes even twice if Zoé knew Chloé wasn't busy that week. Chloé knew nothing had happened or else she'd known by now. Someone would have told her if something had happened to her sister, right?
"Chloé?"
Her mother's impatient voice brought Chloé back from her deep thoughts.
"Yes?" Chloé asked right away.
"I asked if you were done with the assignment?"
"The what?" Chloé said and regretted it a second later.
Of course she knew what assignment it was her mother were talking about. But she was still a bit lost in her thoughts. She really had to call her sister and make sure that everything was alright. Especially now when it was starting to affect her at work.
The stare her mother gave her was enough for her to reach after the paper she'd written earlier that day and give it to her. Hopefully, it was good enough to make her mother leave and bother someone else.
"Hmph." was the only sound her mother made as she got the papers.
Chloé dared one glance at her mother and saw the expression in her mother's face and that was enough to make Chloé relax a bit. It wasn't satisfaction or pride, but it wasn't the opposite either and that was just as good.
A few moments later her mother left without a word, with the paper still in her hand och went to bother someone else about their work.
A quick glance at the clock told Chloé that her lunchbreak were starting in a couple of minutes and because she didn't have any more work for the moment she decided to pack her stuff and leave for the restaurant she always ate lunch at.
The moment she reached the elevators she picked up her phone from her bag and called her sister. After the fifth signal her sister finally picked up. But she didn't say anything and neither did Chloé. Usually, Zoé would be overjoyed whenever Chloé called her. But now she was met with silence from the other end.
"Zoé?" Chloé said when the elevators doors closed.
A cough from the other end was the only thing Chloé heard and that was enough to make her worry even more over her sister's well being. If this kept going, Chloé would get greyhaired before she turned 30 and that was something she didn't want.
"Zoé? Are you alright?"
"Sorry Chloé. What did you want?"
Her sister's voice was faint and tired. It was the opposite from what she usually sounded like. Chloé wanted to belive that her sister probably had forgotten to drink her coffee, but then she remembered the time difference between them. It wasn't early morning or even late at night in Paris.
"You haven't called me in some weeks... How's life in Paris? How's your part in that tv show going?" Chloé asked.
On the other end Zoé took a deep breath before she gave Chloé a answer.
"I had to drop out."
"Why?"
She knew her sister was a good actress and that was even something Chloé had told her a couple of times as well. So she doubted that was the issue here. Had they fired her? Was Zoé upset about it and didn't want any pity from her little sister? But then again, Zoé wouldn't lie and say she dropped out instead of telling Chloé the truth.
Another cough came from the other side of the line and this time it sounded much worse than what it had earlier. It almost sounded as if someone coughed to regain their breathing and that was very disturbing to listen at.
"Are you alright?" Chloé asked as the coughing stoped.
"I'm fine." Zoé said, which were clearly a lie.
"Zoé!" Chloé said in her most demanding voice which she knew made her sound like their mother.
"I said I'm fine."
The elevator stoped and Chloé walked out from it and into the lobby. But instead of leaving the building and going to the restaurant she walked toward the sitting area and sat down on a very uncomfortable chair.
"Please, Zoé, talk to me."
She didn't like to plead, but she knew it would work on her sister.
"I've got cancer, Chloé."
Chloé dropped her phone on the marble floor and the screen cracked. But that wasn't that thing that made Chloé upset, it would have any other time, but not now. Tears started streaming down her face as she reached for her phone and picked it up.
"Chloé, are you still there?" her sister asked as Chloé placed the phone by her ear again.
"Yes. Sorry."
"I don't want you to worry about me, okay?" Zoé said and sounded less tired, but a cough that came after showed just how bad her health were at the moment.
"Does mom know?" Chloé asked.
"I don't know how to tell her."
Chloé nodded even if she knew they were talking over the phone and not eye to eye. She knew how difficult it was to talk to their mother, but she deserved to know.
"I can tell her if you want. It's no trouble."
"No. I will call her after we hang up. I'm sure she's got a minute to spare."
Yet again Chloé nodded, but this time she knew her sister understood the reason to her silence. They both knew that their mother were a busy lady and that meant she barely had time over for any of her daughters.
"What are the doctor's saying?"
"Nothing good yet. But they are hopeful that I will recover." Zoé explained.
Chloé dried her tears and took a deep breath.
"I have to go and eat before I return to work. But I will call you tomorrow. Get some rest, okay?" Chloé said as she stood up from her seat.
"Yeah I will. Bye sis."
"Bye Zoé."
They hung up, and Chloé left the building on shaky legs. She didn't know if she would be able to eat anything, but she had to get something otherwise she'd probably starve later that day. But that felt like the least of her worries now.
Her sister was sick, and she was on another continent, far away from her. Chloé wasn't able to take a plane to go and visit Zoé whenever she could. If she had been Queen Bee then it would have been easy, but her Miraculous were in Paris and would probably be given to someone else if it wasn't already.
Even if Ladybug had promised her that the Miraculous would be hers if she ever returned to Paris, Chloé doubted it. There would be a time in the near future were every hero of Paris, would be needed and Chloé knew she'd still be in New York by then. She knew she'd regret leaving Paris, but she thought it would take more than just four months for her to realise that.
