The Orphan Bride Of The Town's Richest Man

THE DAY HE FIRST SAW ME

EPISODE 5

Freya's pov

Flashback

The rain was pouring that afternoon.

Not the soft kind. The kind that drowns orphanages.

I was 19.

Sister Akinyi had lined us up in the courtyard. "The Blackwood Foundation is donating today. Be presentable."

Presentable.

With shoes that had holes and a uniform 2 sizes too big.

The black SUV pulled in.

Men in suits stepped out with umbrellas.

And then him.

Damion Carter Blackwood

22 years old. Cold eyes. 1 million check in his hand.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t speak.

He just signed the paper and turned to leave.

That’s when I saw it.

The broken tiles by the kitchen.

Sister Akinyi had told us to scrub them before guests came.

I didn’t finish.

Without thinking, I grabbed the brush and bucket.

"Sister, I’ll finish," I said. "Just let me earn my shoes."

Damion stopped.

He was supposed to get in the car.

Instead, he stood there. Watching me.

Rain soaking his suit.

Me on my knees, scrubbing, pretending I wasn’t shaking.

"Why are you doing that?" he asked. Voice quiet.

"Because if I don’t, no one will," I said. "And I need shoes. 300 shillings."

He didn’t give me money.

He didn’t give me shoes.

He just nodded once.

Then got in the car and left.

I thought that was it.

---

I was wrong.

That night, Sister Akinyi called me to her office.

"Freya," she said, crying. "The Blackwood Foundation donated 5 million. Not 1."

My mouth dropped. "Why?"

"They said... someone here reminded them what hard work looks like."

It was him.

---

After that, I started seeing him.

Not in person. In whispers.

"That man keeps asking about the girl who scrubs floors."

"Blackwood Corp is funding your school fees this term. Anonymous donor."

I didn’t know it was him.

But he knew everything about me.

When my mother got sick, his "foundation" paid the first hospital bill.

When my father died in the accident, the funeral costs were "covered by charity."

He even kept on funding the orphanage and providing Us with necessities

I thought God was answering prayers.

It was Damion

He sent men to follow me. Not to hurt me.

To make sure I ate.

To make sure I was safe.

To make sure no one else offered me a contract first.

---

Last month, his grandfather called him to the office.

"Damion. You’re 28. Find a wife. Or I give the CEO seat to your cousin."

Damion didn’t answer.

He just pulled out a photo from his wallet.

Me. Age 19. Scrubbing floors in the rain.

Hair wet. Shoes broken. But back straight.

"Her," he said.

"She’s humble. She’s hardworking. She doesn’t want my money."

"And I’ve been watching her for 9 years."

His grandfather laughed. "Then marry her."

"Pay her," he added. "She deserves to choose."

So he made the contract.

5 million.

For 1 year as his wife.

In return, he wipes the debt.

Not because he’s cruel.

Because it’s the only way he thought I’d say yes.

Because Damion Carter Blackwood doesn’t know how to ask for love.

He only knows how to make deals.

---

Back in the present, my hand was still hovering over the pen.

He finally looked at me.

Really looked at me.

For the first time in 9 years.

"Freya," he said, voice rough. "You don’t have to."

My heart stopped.

"What?"

"If you don’t want this... walk away."

But I couldn’t.

Because for 9 years, a man I didn’t know had been making sure I survived.

And now he was asking me to save him too.

I pressed the pen down.