Chapter five
1444 Words
Ariana.
The moment I stepped out of the car, I felt like I had entered another world.
The estate stretched endlessly before me, illuminated by rows of elegant lights that made the massive mansion glow against the night sky.
Everything looked expensive, polished, and untouchable, the kind of place people only saw in magazines or movies. For some moments, I wondered if I had somehow fallen asleep at the bar and was dreaming all of this.
Lucas guided me toward the entrance while I tried not to stare too obviously. The front doors alone were larger than the entrance to the apartment building where my mother and I lived.
My shoes clicked against the marble floor as we stepped inside, and the sound echoed through the enormous foyer. I suddenly became very aware of how ordinary I looked compared to everything around me.
The inside was even more overwhelming than the outside. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting warm light across expensive artwork and furniture that probably cost more than I earned in several years.
Every surface seemed perfect, untouched, and carefully maintained. It was beautiful, but it also felt intimidating.
I glanced toward Ethan, who was walking a few steps ahead of us. He moved through the estate like he belonged there, like this level of wealth was the most normal thing in the world. Meanwhile, I was trying not to look completely stunned. The difference between our lives couldn't have been more obvious.
Lucas eventually led us into a private sitting room on the second floor. The room was elegant without being flashy, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate grounds.
Ethan took a seat across from me while Lucas remained standing beside a large desk. For the first time since arriving, the atmosphere felt serious.
"Miss Keshley," Lucas began, placing a folder on the desk, "There are several details regarding Mr. Roderick's father's will that you need to understand." His tone was professional, almost rehearsed.
I nodded, though my attention wasn't fully on him. My mind kept drifting back to my mother.
Lucas opened the folder and removed several documents. "Richard Roderick amended his will before his death," he explained. "One of those amendments specifically named you. In order for Ethan to inherit the full Roderick estate, a legal marriage between the two of you must take place."
I frowned slightly as I listened. Even hearing it again sounded ridiculous. Nothing about this situation felt real, and I still struggled to understand why I had been dragged into it. Before I could ask another question, my phone suddenly started ringing.
The moment I saw the hospital's number on the screen, my heart nearly stopped. A terrible feeling settled in my stomach before I even answered. My fingers shook as I pressed the call button and lifted the phone to my ear. Every instinct told me this wasn't going to be good news.
"Miss Keshley?" a doctor's voice said immediately. "I'm afraid your mother's condition has deteriorated significantly within the last few minutes."
The surrounding room seemed to disappear as I listened. I could barely hear anything except the doctor's voice.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"We're experiencing multiple complications," he explained carefully. "Her condition is now critical. If we cannot begin emergency intervention immediately, there is very little more we can do."
My entire body went cold.
The doctor continued speaking, but each word felt heavier than the last. "Miss Keshley, if treatment cannot be approved within the next thirty minutes, I strongly recommend coming to the hospital. You may want to spend some time with your mother."
For a minute, I couldn't breathe. The room blurred….thirty minutes. My mother had just thirty minutes.
"No," I whispered. "No, no, no."
I lowered the phone slowly after the call ended. My hands were shaking so badly that I almost dropped it. Tears filled my eyes before I could stop them, and suddenly I didn't care who saw. All I could think about was my mother lying alone in a hospital bed.
"Arianna," Lucas said gently.
I looked up at him through blurred vision. Ethan was watching me from across the room, his expression unreadable. Neither man interrupted my silence. They simply waited.
"My mother has thirty minutes," I said finally. The words sounded unreal even as I spoke them. "They said if nothing happens in thirty minutes, I should go say goodbye."
The room fell completely silent. I pressed my hands against my face, trying to steady my breathing. My mother couldn't die. She couldn't leave me either. I had already buried one parent, and I wasn't ready to bury another.
"Will the treatment save her?" I asked suddenly, looking directly at Ethan. "If I agree to this, will she get the transplant?"
Ethan didn't hesitate. "Yes."
The answer came immediately and with complete certainty. "If you sign the contract," he continued, "your mother will be transferred to St. Augustine Medical Center tonight. The best specialists available will take over her case. Every expense
Will be covered."
I stared at him and, for the first time all night, I wasn't thinking about billionaires, inheritance, or mysterious wills. None of that mattered anymore. The only thing that mattered was my mother's life.
Lucas slid a contract across the desk toward me. "You should read the terms before signing," he said carefully. "It's important that you understand what you're agreeing to."
I looked down at the document, then I looked at my phone and back at the document. Thirty minutes, I didn't have time. My mother didn't have time.
"Where do I sign?" I asked.
Lucas blinked. "Miss Keshley…."
"Where do I sign?" My voice cracked halfway through the sentence. Fresh tears filled my eyes, but I ignored them. I wasn't interested in conditions, clauses, or legal language.
I wanted my mother alive.
Lucas slowly pointed to the signature line at the bottom of the final page. My hand trembled as I picked up the pen. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew this was reckless. I knew I should read what I was signing. But fear was stronger than caution and without another question, I signed.
The moment the ink touched the paper, a strange feeling settled in my chest. It felt like a door had closed behind me, one that would never open again. I had just made a decision that would change the rest of my life.
Lucas placed the contract before Ethan next.
Ethan signed without hesitation.
The second his signature was added, the room exploded into motion. Lucas immediately picked up his phone and began making calls. Two assistants entered the room carrying tablets and documents, speaking quickly as they coordinated plans.
"Contact St. Augustine immediately," Ethan instructed. "Authorize emergency transfer."
"Yes, sir."
"Notify the transplant team."
"Already in progress."
"Arrange transportation."
"Done."
I sat there in stunned silence as everything happened around me. It was like watching a machine come to life. Every order Ethan gave was executed instantly. Every obstacle that would have taken me months to overcome disappeared within seconds.
Five minutes later, Lucas returned from one of his calls.
"The transfer has been approved," he announced. "Your mother is already being prepared for transport."
I nearly broke down. "Really?" I whispered.
Lucas nodded. "The medical team is waiting for her arrival."
For the first time that night, I felt something close to relief. Then another assistant entered the room carrying a tablet.
"Sir," she said to Ethan. "The engagement announcement is ready."
I frowned. "The what!!??"
Nobody answered immediately. Instead, the assistant handed the tablet to Ethan. He reviewed the statement briefly before nodding once. Without another word, she left the room again.
A strange feeling settled in my stomach. "What engagement announcement?" I asked slowly.
Lucas looked at me, then he looked at Ethan and back at me.
"Miss Keshley," he said carefully, "the contract requires a public engagement announcement before the wedding."
My eyes widened. "What?"
Before anyone could respond, my phone suddenly vibrated. Then again and again and again. I looked down at the screen in confusion. Dozens of notifications. Missed calls. Messages. News alerts. Social media tags.
My heart began racing as I opened the first notification. The headline filled the screen instantly.
BILLIONAIRE HEIR ETHAN RODERICK ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO ARIANNA KESHLEY.
My breath caught. Another notification appeared. Then another and another. Within seconds, my phone was completely flooded.
I stared at the screen in disbelief. Just hours ago, I
had been serving drinks at a bar and worrying about hospital bills, now my name was all over the news and there was no taking it back
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