The day finally broke, and Angel dragged me to the mall for a much-needed shopping spree.
By the time I stepped out, clad in my new clothes with Angel at my side, I finally felt....relaxed. Like, really relaxed.
"Lily, you look amazing today!" Angle gushed, practically bouncing.
"Like a fashion model! Every guy we passed stared.
I told you—there's nothing shopping can't fix!"
I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips.
"Stop being dramatic....I'm just an ordinary girl."
Still she was right. It had been ages since I treated myself.
Angel cut me off, nudging me excitedly. "Come on! You could make people faint!"
I was about to retort when Thud.
I whipped around. An elderly woman —maybe in her forties or fifties, you know how it is —had collapsed nearby.
Angel gasped. Oh no....I was just joking! I—I am not cursing!"
I dropped to my knees beside the woman.
"Angel, call 911! I'll check on her."
"Right!" Angel fumbled for her phone. "Ambulance is on the way!
I'll find someone to help!"
I gently held the woman's shoulders. "Ma'am? Can you hear me? Stay with me. Help is coming."
Suddenly, a sleek black car screeched to a halt.
A tall, commanding figure practically leaped out, moving faster than I thought possible.
"Mother! I'm here now! Are you hurt?" he barked, his voice laced with panic.
He knelt beside her, mirroring my movements.
The woman blinked up at me, then turned her gaze to him, her eyes lighting up.
Then he perked up, a glint in his eye.
"Alex! This must be your 'too busy' girlfriend!
I honestly thought you made her up — but she's real. And gorgeous!"
I froze, staring at the guy.
Tall, dressed like he just walked out of a magazine, with eyes that could probably see right through me.
And that smile? My heart did a weird little flip.
He saw me looking and, for a second, looked totally embarrassed.
But there was something else in his eyes, too, like he was begging me for something.
He leaned in close, his voice a low murmur near my ear.
"She's got early-onset Alzheimer's.
All this… this whole dating thing is just making it worse."
I glanced at the woman on the ground, so frail, then back at his face, all worry and panic.
"Wait....was this some kind of "fake girlfriend " situation? I thought, my mind racing.
Whatever.
Might as well. I gave a tiny nod, trying to avoid the woman's sharp gaze.
Alex visibly relaxed, letting out a breath.
"Um, yes, Mom. This is… uh…"
"I'm Lily," I blurted out, forcing a smile.
He turned to me, relief washing over his face.
"She's just… you know, shy. Takes her a while to get used to people."
His mother's face softened, a genuine smile spreading across her features.
"Alex, you are so lucky. Lily, you are just adorable.
You literally saved my life!"
The ambulance arrived, the flashing lights cutting through the air.
Paramedics gently moved the woman onto a stretcher.
She reached out, grabbing both of our hands, her grip weak.
"I only have one wish… I want to see you two married in two days.
Otherwise… I don't know how much longer this body can hold on."
Alex and I just stood there, frozen.
"Wait… what? Married? In two days?!"
I stared at Alex, the weight of his words hitting me like a ton of bricks.
"Marry you? Just… for a year?"
He looked desperate, pleading.
"It's the only thing that'll calm her down, Lily.
A contract, you know? Just on paper.
I'll give you whatever you need – like, 500,000 billion, whatever you want.
No strings attached. You can do your own thing, I won't bother you."
My brain was a mess.
Debt collectors breathing down my neck....overdue bills pilling up...Rent...Ugh.
This could wipe the slate clean. finally, a chance to breathe, to actually try for things i wanted without drowning.
I thought about it. It's not a bad deal, actually.
I took a deep breath, and said it, my voice a little louder than I meant it to be, "I… I have this debt.
If that's okay with you…"
Alex's eyes softened a bit. "Consider it handled."
I hesitated. "Wait, aren't you supposed to ask how I got into this mess?
Isn't it your business now?"
He just shrugged, a little too cool, but there was a spark of amusement in his eyes. "Maybe it isn't. But I can fix it.
That's what matters, right?"
A wave of relief washed over me, mixed with a little… calculation.
This could actually work. My heart did a weird flip-flop, but for the first time in a while, I felt a tiny flicker of… hope.
"Okay,"
I said, finally. "One year. Contract marriage.
If it'll make your mom happy, then fine."
Alex gave me a small smile, a mix of relief and… something else.
"Good.
Then it's a deal. One year. Everything else… we'll figure it out."
I looked down at my hands, trying to calm the crazy mix of nerves and… hope?
A contract marriage. One Year. No love, but maybe, just maybe, a short a fresh start.
Alex rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit I'd noticed, and let out a small breath.
"About earlier... I'm sorry. That was... a lot.
A stranger suddenly asking you to marry him. You must've been shocked."
I blinked at him, still trying to catch my breath, trying to process it all.
"It's fine."
I wasn't sure if it was fine, or if I was just too stunned to even care at this point.
He hesitated, like he'd just remembered something crucial. "Oh - I didn't even ask.
Do you... have a boyfriend?"
My chest tightened for a split second. Of course, Ethan popped into my head.
The ring. The laughter. The rain. Ugh, the rain.
"No. I don't," I said quietly, the words feeling heavy.
He looked at me for a moment, like he was trying to see through something. But he didn't push.
Instead, he just nodded once. Straightforward. Calm.
"Then... we should exchange contacts," he said, pulling out his phone.
"I'll send you the address of the wedding dress shop."
Wedding dress. I blinked again. Right.
This is really happening.
"We'll meet there tomorrow," he continued, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"You can choose whatever you're comfortable with.
I'll handle the payment for the contract and the arrangements."
So casual.
Like he was talking about a business meeting.
Not marriage. Not Our marriage.
I hesitated, staring at his phone. My fingers felt heavy.
This is insane.
But I gave him my number anyway. And somehow... I didn't regret it.