Chapter 3
1014 Words
Chapter 3
Rose’s POV
We got to the cashier and I watched him bring out a black card from his pocket. It was the kind of card I had only seen in movies and read in books. I must have physically gasped at the sight when he pulled it out because he turned and asked, “Never seen one of these before?”
“I… no,” I said.
“Payment complete,” the admin nurse who swiped the card said. She printed me a receipt and Doctor Ryan was paged.
“I have to go,” I said to the kind stranger. “Thank you.”
“You can't go. We have to work out the details of our marriage,” his tone meant business.
“Can it wait? I want to see my sister wheeled into surgery,” I said. Was this kind man not capable of compassion? Or perhaps he was not kind at all and was just some rich freak.
“I will follow you.”
“You don't have to. I will be back once…”
“You could run off and I will never see you again.”
“I assure you…”
“Assurances mean nothing to me.”
I said nothing but allowed him to trail my movements. He had cleared my sister's bills, and if the surgery was successful, he had potentially saved her life.
I watched as the doctors wheeled my sister into the OR. I shut my eyes and said a prayer, hoping for the best outcome. My sister was all the family I had left. I wanted no harm to come to her.
“I have told my lawyer to bring the contract here,” James's voice intruded into my private thoughts. “He should be here any moment.”
My eyes fluttered open and I looked at the stranger who called himself James.
“Can this wait? My sister is in surgery. I would really like to be left alone.”
He gave me a weird look like he was incapable of understanding the pain I was going through.
“She won't be in surgery if you had not accepted my offer,” he said, “and just in case you are trying to weasel your way out of our agreement, I have your consent to the marriage recorded on my phone.”
It was unnatural, but I pitied the stranger a little. He seemed to know nothing about human emotions or pain.
“Fine,” I said, realizing quickly that he was not a man one could argue against. “I will sign your contract.”
“Good,” he said, “and you must understand that I expect you to take care of Lily.”
My head was pulsating in a migraine. I wished to God that James would just shut up and let me be.
“Are you listening to me?” he pressed on.
“Yes.”
“Lily is my daughter,” he said. “She is your sole responsibility in this marriage.”
“I am a complete stranger,” I reminded him. “Why would you want me looking after your daughter?”
He looked at me like that was an absurd question to ask.
“Because you have compassion.”
“What?”
“You were willing to do anything to save your sister's life. I want that for Lily.”
I looked at his face and realized he truly believed he could just buy a mother for his child like he was buying a new car. I felt something settle on yhe pit of my stomach as I thought about the years ahead of me, and I wondered if I would ever regret the choice I was making for my sister. I wanted to scream or run away, but I just stood there and nodded because I had no other choice left. It was the moment my life stopped being mine and became his.
“Why the f**k have you been standing here for like thirty minutes?” a voice said, snapping me out of my reverie. I looked down to see Lily, James's daughter, looking at me with disgust.
Reflexively, I rubbed my stomach.
I had taken care of her in the best way possible, but she never liked me, so we became distant. She had spent the last two days at a sleepover in her friend's house and I was all too glad that she was out of my way.
I felt guilty about it, but honestly what was I going to do.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “I was lost in thought. And what have I told you about swearing? It’s bad.”
“I don’t care what you’ve told me.”
God, why me?
“Oh yeah, I got an email from your teacher on Friday,” I told her. “You haven’t been performing as well as before. I think we should go back to me helping you on your homework.”
“Are you trying to say I’m dumb?”
“No honey, I just—”
“Don't call me honey,” she huffed, storming away from me.
Sighing, I walked up the stairs to my bedroom, sinking on the bed and curling into a ball. I’d never felt more alone in my entire life. Entering this marriage had been a mistake from the start, especially after seeing how he acted at the hospital. I should have just asked the hospital to give a refund.
But was it really a mistake when my sister got the healthcare she needed?
“What the f**k is your problem?” an angry voice shouted. The door to my room was pushed open with so much force.
James stood there, his eyes blazing red.
“What?” I asked, sitting up. My brows furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“So I asked you to abort it and you take it out on my daughter? Are you f****d in the head or something?”
- Writer
