CHAPTER 1:DESPERATION

I trudged through the rain-soaked streets, my worn shoes letting in water with every step. Another long day at the diner, another meager paycheck. I couldn't afford to be late again.

As I rushed into the diner, my boss, Rachel, greeted me with a stern expression. "Emily, you're late. Again. And I need to talk to you about something."

My heart sank. Was I going to lose my job?

After a tense conversation with Rachel, I realized I was on thin ice. I couldn't afford to lose this job, not now, not when my mother's health was deteriorating.

The day blurred by in a haze of anxiety and fear. My mind kept wandering to my mother, Susan, who had been struggling with her health for months. The medical bills were piling up, and I had no idea how I was going to pay them.

As I finished my shift and changed out of my uniform, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number: "Meet me at the hospital at 5 PM. Come alone."

My heart raced. Who was this? And what did they want with me?

I arrived at the hospital, my nerves on edge. That's when I saw him - Damian Blackwood, standing in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my heart race.

But before I could approach him, a nurse called me into my mother's room. Her condition had taken a turn for the worse...

I rushed into my mother's hospital room, my heart racing with fear. She lay pale and weak, her eyes sunken with pain. I felt a lump form in my throat as I took her hand in mine.

"Mom, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere," I whispered, trying to hold back tears.

The doctor entered the room, his expression grim. "Emily, we need to talk about your mother's treatment options. The cancer has progressed, and we need to act fast."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Cancer? Progressed? How could this be happening?

The doctor continued, "We need to start chemotherapy immediately, but...it's expensive. And we need to consider other options, like clinical trials..."

I felt like I was drowning in a sea of medical jargon and financial worries. How could I possibly afford this?

That's when I saw him again - Damian Blackwood - standing in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my heart race.

"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep my composure.

He stepped forward, his eyes never leaving mine. "Someone who can help you, Emily. Someone who can save your mother's life."

I was skeptical, but desperate. What did I have to lose?

"What do you want in return?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "Oh, I think we can come to an arrangement. A mutually beneficial one."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. What was I getting myself into?

Damian's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, as if he could see the desperation writ large on my face. I felt like a trapped animal, cornered and helpless.

"What kind of arrangement?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He took a step closer, his presence suffocating. "A marriage, Emily. A fake marriage, of course. But one that will benefit both of us."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Marriage? To a stranger? It was absurd, ridiculous...

But Damian's eyes gleamed with determination. "I need a wife, Emily. And you need money. Lots of it. To pay for your mother's treatment."

He knew my weakness, my Achilles' heel. My mother's life was on the line, and I would do anything to save her.

"What makes you think I'd agree to this?" I asked, trying to sound braver than I felt.

Damian smiled again, his eyes glinting with triumph. "Because you have no other choice, Emily. No other way to save your mother. And I'm the only one offering you a lifeline."

I felt like I was drowning, suffocating under the weight of my desperation. But I knew I had to keep fighting, for my mother's sake.

"Okay," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I'll do it."

Damian's eyes flashed with victory, and he extended his hand. "Welcome to our little arrangement, Emily. Together, we'll make a perfect fake couple."

I took his hand, feeling like I was sealing my fate. Little did I know, this was just the beginning of a tangled web of lies, secrets, and deceit

As I shook Damian's hand, a sense of trepidation washed over me. What had I just agreed to? A fake marriage, to a man I didn't know, for a sum of money that would save my mother's life.

Damian's grip was firm, his eyes piercing as he gazed into mine. "Excellent choice, Emily. I'll have my lawyer draw up the papers. We'll make it official soon."

I felt like a pawn in his game, a mere tool to achieve his goals. But what choice did I have? My mother's life hung in the balance, and I would do anything to save her.

As Damian released my hand, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. But it was short-lived, as he began to outline the terms of our agreement.

"We'll need to pretend to be a loving couple, for the sake of appearances. Public displays of affection, social events, the works."

My mind reeled at the thought of pretending to be in love with this stranger. But I pushed aside my doubts, focusing on the end goal: saving my mother.

"And what about the money?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Damian smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Ah, the money. Well, that's the easy part. I'll transfer the funds into your account, as soon as we're officially married."

I felt a surge of hope, mixed with a healthy dose of skepticism. This all seemed too good to be true, too easy. But I pushed aside my doubts, focusing on the prize: my mother's life.

As Damian turned to leave, I called out to him. "Wait, what about the papers? The agreement?"

He turned back to me, a smirk on his face. "Oh, don't worry about that, Emily. My lawyer will take care of all the details. You just focus on being a good wife."

And with that, he was gone, leaving me to wonder what I had just gotten myself into...