Marriage With The New CEO

“Mom, please, you need to take this,” Samantha said in a worried tone. Her mother coughed, winced, hacked, choked, and wheezed throughout the night in the tiny, cramped apartment they lived in. Mrs. Thompson tried to raise herself on her arms in bed. “I’m okay, honey,” she replied, “You better keep the medicine for use later. ” Samantha looked worried and her face tensed up as she frowned. “But you need it now, we will source for the rest. ” She carefully cupped the hand of her mother and put the pills into her mouth and then looked at the wall clock. Its ticking seemed to be laughing at her, provoking her to remember how time flies. “I have to go. That job interview is today.” “Thank you,” her mother replied with a small smile and a weak voice. “We are all counting on you.” Those words were not easy to take for Samantha as she stepped out of the apartment. The pressure of having to fend for her family was equivalent to carrying a boulder. She strolled along the street, New York – the biggest city in the United States, unaware of her challenges. One hour later Samantha was standing in front of the building that housed Quantum Tech company adjusting the only formal blouse she owned. It was a bit wrinkled, but she had no other dress that was better than that one. Then she took a deep breath trying to settle her nerves and stepped into the room. The interview was off to a poor start and did not go well at all. “Well, so you are Ms. Samantha, let me ask you some questions about your experience in the IT industry,” the interviewer asked her, squinting at her through the rims of his glasses. Samantha's mouth went dry. She folded her arms on her lap so that they would not tremble. “Well, I…. I don’t have any direct experience, but I’m a fast learner, I have good computer skills and-” She was not allowed to finish the statement as the interviewer interrupted her. "And your education?" “I have a high school diploma,” Samantha stated shyly, feeling the redness rise to her cheeks. The face of the interviewer dropped and Samantha knew that it was the end of the road for her. She attempted to recover the ground, discussing her commitment and readiness to work, but she noticed the interviewer was already set against her. Samantha was out after two hours, and she was struggling to open the door while tears rolled down her cheeks. She'd blown it. What would she do to face her family now? The pressure of their expectations weighed her down and she felt like the air was being choked from her. She searched her pocket for bus fare, but she found nothing in her pocket. Great. Now she was alone in a district she was hardly familiar with in the entire city. Samantha surveyed the area and thought about whether she could get home on her own, however, she realized it was too far. At this moment, a black shiny car stopped right beside her. The window rolled down and she saw a man with a good-looking face wearing a formal suit. He looked into her eyes with his bright blue ones, and for a second or two, Samantha could not even gasp for air. “I’m sorry, miss, are you okay?” he said in a low tone, his accent being somewhat aristocratic. Samantha looked up and was momentarily shocked to see him standing right in front of her. “Oh, I am ok just … waiting for a lift. ” The man looked at her steadily for a few seconds and his eyes were almost piercing. “You were here for an interview, right? Nice to meet you, I am Andrew, Andrew Junior. ” “Samantha,” she said shyly, twirling the hair that fell on her forehead and putting it behind her ear. “Well, yes, but it did not turn out well. ” Andrew nodded sympathetically. “Want a lift home? I think that would be the least I can do.” Samantha hesitated. It was unwise to be getting into a car with a stranger but she had no other options left. She glanced at Andrew and attempted to determine whether he was a man she could trust. He had friendly eyes and a warm smile and the combination of the two made her relax. “That would be amazing, thank you,” she said, getting into his car. On the way through New York’s traffic, Andrew started asking about her life. It is the aspect of real interest that made Samantha open up to him. She began talking to him about her family, how they suffered from her mother’s condition, and how she felt like it was all on her to take care of them. “That’s a tough one,” Andrew said in a gentle tone as if he could feel the pain and the pressure that she was going through. He paused for a moment and then he said, “What if I told you that I can help you with all of them?” Samantha burst out laughing, she thought he was pulling her leg. “I don’t know how you can, unless you are offering me a job.” “Not a job,” Andrew repeated, still looking forward. "A marriage. " Samantha's jaw dropped. She looked at him, she thought she heard it wrong. "Excuse me?" “A contract marriage,” Andrew said, looking at her. “For two years I need a wife to satisfy my parents and to strengthen my position as the company’s CEO” “You need money for your family and I need a wife. You could get the money And I could get the wife” Samantha's mind raced. This was crazy. Insane. But she could not prevent a small ray of hope from rising in her breast. “How much?” She asked herself, unable to believe the sound of her voice. Andrew nodded and said, “Twenty thousand dollars. ” “And of course, all expenses would be covered, You would be living in my house, and would have everything you required” Samantha's heart pounded. Such an amount of money would make a huge difference to her family. It could help pay for her mother’s treatments, help buy groceries, and maybe even help pay for her sibling's college fees. “Why me?” she asked, the words still lodging in her throat from disbelief of the offer. Andrew shrugged. “You are nice and I can tell you need this money, your family needs it, so it is a win-win situation for the both of us; my parents and board members will be happy and you get the help you need. ’ Samantha stared out the window, thoughts swirling. This was her chance to save her family. But at what cost? Could she marry a stranger, even if it was just for show? "I... I need to think about it," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. Andrew nodded, understanding in his eyes. "Of course. But I need an answer today or tomorrow. My parents are pressuring me, and I need to act quickly. They pulled up to her apartment building. Samantha got out, her legs shaky. She felt like she was in a dream, or maybe a nightmare. She hurried inside and found her mother asleep, and her siblings watching TV. They looked up as she entered, hope in their eyes. "Did you get the job?" her sister asked. Samantha shook her head, unable to speak. She retreated to the tiny bathroom, splashing water on her face. Could she do this? Marry a stranger? Lie to everyone she loves?