An unlikely arrangement.

"You...?!" she gasped, her voice filled with astonishment.

Cara could barely believe who she was staring at. 

"I never thought we would meet again, Miss Cara," Dom uttered in a husky tone, his intense blue eyes blazing at her. Cara could only stare, frozen in shock. 

"Why are you following me? What do you want?" She inquired defensively, but he merely chuckled. 

"There's something important I would like us to discuss." 

Cara stared at him for a moment and took a step backward. 

"I have nothing to discuss with you." With that, she turned to walk away. 

"Miss Cara." His voice resounded a bit louder this time, with a stern tone of authority and she immediately halted. 

"Your little stunt with my ex-fiancé resulted in you getting pregnant with my child. I am only concerned because I do not intend to displease my mother. I have come here to crack a deal with you that will be beneficial to the both of us, and I want you to cooperate with me for this to work out fine." 

"Ex-fiancé…?" Cara muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. 

'His mother would've told him about my pregnancy. I thought she would keep it a secret…' 

Swiftly, she turned back to face him, clutching her handbag tightly. "Wh…what do you mean?" 

Seeing that he had finally managed to get her attention, he smirked and crossed the distance between them. Cara's heart skipped a loud beat as his impressively tall, imposing figure approached her. 

Dom's impeccably sculpted features and aura of effortless confidence sent shivers down her spine. His sleekly styled dark hair accentuated his magnetic presence, while his piercing blue eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Let's get in the car and then we can talk." he suggested, making his way back to the vehicle. He held the door open, a gesture of courtesy, but Cara hesitated. She couldn't bring herself to trust him blindly, not after his earlier rudeness and insensitivity stemming from their unfortunate misunderstanding.

"What? Worried I'll whisk you away and cause you harm?" he retorted, dripping with sarcasm. A sly smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"I'm not afraid of you," Cara scoffed, eventually relenting and climbing into the car, despite her initial doubts.

Dom settled into the driver's seat, and they embarked on the journey in silence, leaving neither of them with much to say for the first few minutes.

"Um...where exactly are we headed?" Cara finally broke the silence as Dom made a turn.

"To a place," he replied curtly, leaving Cara with lingering suspicions. Nevertheless, she resolved to remain composed until they reached their destination.

Before long, the car pulled up in front of a grand, upscale restaurant. Two elegantly dressed men in black and white tuxedos warmly welcomed them.

"Welcome, Mr. Dom, Miss," one of the waitstaff greeted them with a gentle tone, accompanied by a slight bow, as Dom and Cara stepped inside. The restaurant exuded an atmosphere of refined exclusivity, with soft music playing in the background and the warm glow of candlelight casting an inviting ambiance throughout the room. However, Cara couldn't help but notice that they were the only patrons in the restaurant. 

"Where is everyone else?" Cara questioned, her voice trailing behind him as they were escorted to their respective tables.

"I made a private reservation, and not for the reasons you might think, Miss Cara. There's something important that we need to discuss, and I prefer that no one else is privy to it," he explained.

"What could be so important that it needs such privacy?" Caught off guard by his intensity, Cara questioned him with a mixture of curiosity and unease.

The pair settled into their seats, and Dom leaned in, whispering something to the waiter. With a single nod, the waitstaff departed, leaving them alone in the moment.

Dom let out a silent exhale, his gaze piercing and unwavering.

"You've had the pleasure of meeting my mother, Everly, and I'm sure she attempted to persuade you into marrying me. Well, she's equally insisted that I take you as my wife due to the fact that you're carrying my child. However, I am not willing or prepared to settle down at this point in my life. Trust me, if I ever had the desire to settle, you would not be my choice," he stated, pausing for a moment. Cara couldn't help but find his words offensive, although she didn't want to admit it. Realistically, Cara knew that she wasn't his type. Dom was too affluent and sophisticated for a poor, modest girl like herself, or so she reasoned.

Even if he were the last man on Earth, Cara would never consider marrying him. His immense ego and arrogance, despite his undeniable handsomeness, detracted from any appeal he might have held. She couldn't help but wonder why any sensible woman would be drawn to such a peacock.

"With that being said, I've planned a contractual marriage between us. No emotional attachments, no interference in each other's lives. I have specific conditions, and you have something I need."

Cara raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with defiance. "And what exactly do you think I have that you need, Dom?"

Dom's eyes narrowed, his tone unyielding. "I need you to bear our child. In return, I'll provide your mother with the best medical resources available. It's a straightforward arrangement, no strings attached."

Cara's jaw dropped, a mixture of shock and anger coursing through her veins. "You expect me to agree to this? A loveless marriage solely to have your child?"

Dom leaned back, his voice unwavering. "It's not about love, Cara. It's about practicality and fulfilling our respective needs. You'll benefit from the medical resources, and my mother will have the grandchild she always desired. It's a fair exchange."

Cara shook her head, her voice resolute. "I can't do that…no, I won't compromise my happiness for your desires."

Dom's face hardened, his dominant nature becoming more pronounced. "You don't understand, Cara. This is not up for negotiation. I've made my offer, and you will accept it. Consider the benefits it brings to both our families."

"I won't agree, Dom. I cannot be controlled or forced into a loveless arrangement. My happiness and emotional well-being matter to me. This is my life, not yours, or your mother's. You can tell her that I am not interested in marrying you, nor am I going to agree with this fake marriage setup." Cara's eyes flashed with defiance, her voice laced with determination.

"What will happen to your poor mother, then?" Dom's jaw clenched his tone firm and without remorse. "I heard from a little birdie that she hasn't much time left, and your job is barely enough to sustain you both, medical bills aside. It's unlikely that she will live till the end of the summer. The choice is yours." 

"How dare you say such a thing?!" Cara fired in rage, abruptly rising to her feet, but his countenance remained unfazed. 

"I am just being honest, here. There's no point in taming the fire." 

"And, Mr Dominic, my answer remains NO. I refuse to accept your proposal…" 

"What about the child you're carrying?" He interjected, his fierce eyes meeting hers. 

To tell the truth, she hadn't reached a conclusion yet. Without knowing what else to say or do, Cara grabbed her bag from the chair and quickly made her way to the exit, leaving Dom sitting alone at the table.

Shortly after, his assistant, who had helped arrange the reservation at the restaurant, emerged from one of the inner rooms and approached him at the table.

"So, how did it turn out?"

"She turned down my offer."

"Oh. Well, what do you plan to do about it?"

Dom pondered in silence for a while.

"Allen, I need you to locate the hospital where Miss Cara's mother is admitted. As soon as you find out, inform me immediately."