Married to the Playboy Billionaire (A contract marriage)

As Edwina sat at her mother's bedside, she clutched the trembling hand of the woman who had always been her rock. The hotel suite they had reserved smelled strongly of antiseptics, but her mother had insisted on being there in her last days because she loved the ocean and wanted to be able to see it. Whispered by her frail and panting mother, "Darling," the silence was broken by her voice. "I don't have much time left." Edwina felt her throat constrict. She despised hearing those words. Each time her mother uttered them, it felt like another blow to her heart. "Don't say that," Edwina murmured, holding back the tears that threatened to escape. "You’ll overcome this." A weak smile spread across her mother’s pale lips, but her eyes were tired, already halfway to another world. "You’re a terrible liar, Edwina. You’ve always been." Silence fell over them again. The medical equipment in the vicinity beeped rhythmically, alerting Edwina to the fact that her mother's days were running out. If fortune favored them, the doctor had given her mother a month. Her mother said, almost too softly to be heard, "I need to ask you something." She inhaled deeply, then released the breath gradually. "I want you to marry before I die." The words struck Edwina as forcefully as a wrecking ball. Her mother's hand wrenched away from hers. "What?" "You heard me." Her mother's voice had become louder, as though she was losing all control over this one request. "I want to see you married, to know you’re not alone when I’m gone." Edwina got up suddenly and began to pace the tiny space. "No. Mom, I can't." Her mother’s eyes followed her, calm and pleading. "Why not?" Edwina’s heart pounded, anger bubbling beneath the surface. The memories of her father abandoning them when her mother was diagnosed with cancer crashed down on her. Fearful and unable to cope with the illness and the struggle, he had abandoned them. She had made a pledge to never again place herself in such a precarious situation and to never allow someone to have the ability to shatter her as her father did her mother. "I vowed I would never get married," Edwina uttered with gritted teeth. "You know why. Dad—" "Your father was a coward, yes." Her mother’s voice grew firm, cutting her off. "But you are not your father. And not every man is him." Edwina shook as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I want to be independent of others. I will not suffer the same pain that you did." Her mother's face became gentler. "Edwina, I'm not requesting that you fall in love. All I want to know is that you will have support when you face the world. Please." Edwina slumped back onto the chair, staring at her hands as her knees gave way. She had always been the resilient one, the one who refused to let her feelings get in the way. She could no longer carry the burden of her mother's final wish, though. "Mom, I don’t know if I can." Muttering softly, "You can," her mother extended her hand once again. "Please. For me." She took a deep, trembling breath, and the pressure in her chest increased. "Okay." A flimsy smile lighted up her mother's face, and for an instant, it seemed like she had a little more life left in her. "Thank you, darling." --- Edwina stared at the matchmaking app on her phone that evening when she was alone in the dark hotel suite. Her finger hovered over the download button. This was crazy—completely insane. But the doctors were clear: her mother had a month. A month to live, a month to... see her daughter married. She sighed deeply, knowing there was no time to waste. Marriage wasn’t something you could just rush into, but the situation was desperate. Her mother didn’t have years—she didn’t even have months. She had weeks. Reluctantly, she tapped the screen, downloaded the app, and set up a profile. It was a whirlwind, filling out the necessary details. Name, age, preferences. It felt cold and transactional, the opposite of everything she had once believed about marriage. Looking for a match available to marry within the week. The app would filter out anyone not willing to move fast. Her hands trembling, she closed her eyes for a second before clicking "submit." --- In the interim... Joe Thompson leaned back in his leather chair and gazed at his desk's untouched whiskey. Awards, his visage on magazine covers, and framed pictures of him shaking hands with leaders and celebrities adorned the walls of his office. The phone on his desk began to buzz. He glanced at the notification and smirked. His grandfather's will was to be read by the end of the week, and if the rumors were true, he needed to be married to inherit the Thompson Empire. The old man had been clear—family first. And marriage was non-negotiable. Joe didn’t have time to date, let alone find a wife. Not in the traditional sense, anyway. But thanks to technology, there were other options. A matchmaking app. The same one that had landed him countless flings—now his last resort for something more... permanent. He opened the app and scrolled through the profiles. "In a week, let's see who's desperate enough to marry a billionaire," he smirked at the ridiculousness of it all and whispered to himself. Then he came to a stop. He regarded a profile, his smirk fading. Edwina James, huh? He blinked, partly expecting to be fooled by his own thoughts. Years had passed since high school, but he would always remember the nerdy girl who had been the ideal person to bully. Always stooped over her books, she had a bashful expression and wore big glasses. His curiosity winning out, he clicked on her profile. Looking for a match to marry within the week. With his hand sweeping over his hair, Joe reclined in his chair. It had to have been her, of all people. His thumb lingered on the button for matching. --- Edwina's cell rang. There was a notification: You've been matched! Her throat congealed with breath. She froze as she tapped the message. Joe Thompson. Her heart raced as the name stared back at her. The ruthless playboy billionaire who had made her high school years a living hell. Her chest tightened her thumb shaking as she scrolled through his profile. Could she really go through with this? Marry Joe Thompson? Her mind spun. She had not anticipated this. It seemed as though unkind fate was mocking her. Edwina bit her lip and looked at the time. There wasn’t time to hesitate. But could she really face her high school bully... as her husband?