SOPHIA'S POV
“I’ll marry you. Just… Please save my Hayden.” My words barely escaped my lips, and I couldn't bring myself to look Mr. Graham in the eyes. My hands trembled as they clutched at my clothes.
“I'll talk to you later, buddy” I heard him hang up his call. “Stand up, Miss Clark” he said, his voice deep but surprisingly soft, as though he pitied me.
My legs wobbled as I struggled to get back to my feet. “Thanks sir. I…I'm ready to marry you. Please, I urgently need the money you offered.”
Not even the full amount.
“I heard you the first time, Miss Clark. I knew you would come running back to me for help after you ran out yesterday.” He smirked.
His words disgusted me.
I thought he pitied me some minutes ago? Was it just an act?
“By the way, who is this Hayden?”
I was about to reply when he quickly cut me off.
“Your boyfriend? Ohh! He's so unlucky you're sacrificing your love to save his life” He laughed.
“He's not my boyfriend. Hayden is the name of my…” He cut me off again.
“Okay...okay, enough of our chit chat. It's time to go into business” He opened one of the drawers in his desk, pulling out a sheet of paper.
“Here.” His finger tapped on the contract. “This is it. Our marriage contract. I prepared it even before you gave your consent for the marriage.”
I couldn’t speak. My throat felt raw from all the tears I had shed. He slid a pen across the desk towards me.
“You can read it if you want, but I doubt you have the time.”
He was right. There was no time. Hayden didn’t have time. My son…my sweet, innocent Hayden, lying in that hospital bed, his heart barely hanging on.
I took the pen with shaking fingers and scribbled my name at the bottom of the page.
Tears blurred my vision as I signed away my freedom, but what was freedom compared to my son’s life?
Mr. Graham watched me carefully, then, without a word, he signed his name beside mine, sealing the deal.
“Two days from now,” he said, breaking the silence. “We’ll have the wedding at the registry. 2PM”
“What?” I blinked, shocked at the same time. “Two days?”
“I don’t see the point in waiting. Get prepared, Miss Clark!”
I couldn’t believe how fast this was happening. Panic clawed at my insides, but I swallowed it down. There was no turning back now.
“These are the rules.” He reached for another paper, one with a list of terms and conditions. His voice was crisp as he began to read them out, as if this was just another business transaction.
✓ You will attend every family function with me, as my happily wedded wife.
✓ Aside from my P.A and bodyguards, absolutely no one from the company must come to know of our contract marriage.
✓ No personal relationships, except in the presence of my family. This is purely for show.
✓ No physical intimacy.
✓ No discussing the terms of our deal with anyone.
✓ You wish to break off the deal before the stipulated time, you refund me.
‘Wait, what?’
✓ I wish to break off the deal due to your insolence, you still refund me.
‘You're stuck with him for a year, Sophy!’
My head swam as he droned on. I partly cared about the details. But all I could fully think about was Hayden who would live.
Finally, he called one of his bodyguards into the room. “Take her wherever she needs to go.” Mr. Graham reached into his wallet and handed the guard a sleek black card. “Use this.”
I didn’t wait for more instructions. I bowed my head, mumbling a rushed, “Thank you, sir” before spinning on my heels and rushing out of the office. I couldn’t breathe in there anymore.
As I rushed down, Mr. Graham's voice echoed in my mind ‘two days.’ I could barely process this fake wedding, and my life tied to his, for a contract.
The bodyguard jogged to catch up with me, calling out. “Miss Clark, wait! We’ll take the car.”
I ignored him, my feet moving on their own. My chest felt tight, and my face was hot and swollen from all the crying. But nothing mattered except getting to the hospital. Nothing mattered except Hayden.
It wasn’t until the guard finally caught up and blocked my path that I realized I couldn’t outrun this. “Please,” he said, gesturing to the car waiting by the curb. “The driver will take us.”
Reluctantly, I nodded, sliding into the backseat. “St. Charles Hospital,” I told him. “Now, please.”
The drive was a blur. My fingers wouldn’t stop trembling. I clutched my phone, stared at the time, praying I wasn’t too late.
When we pulled up to the hospital, I leapt out before the car had fully stopped, rushing inside to the receptionist. The bodyguard followed behind.
“Payment for Hayden Clark's surgery,” I said breathlessly, while the bodyguard shoved the black card across the counter.
The receptionist’s eyes widened slightly, but she processed it quickly. “That’ll be eight million.” she said, her voice neutral. She handed me the receipt, and I nearly crumpled it in my hand.
I thanked the bodyguard for his help and asked him to leave before I ran to the doctor’s office.
When I bursted through the door, Dr. Matthews looked at me, startled. “Sophia! Where…how did you…?”
“Just… just start the surgery,” I gasped, thrusting the receipt toward him. “The money’s paid. Do it now. Save my son.”
His face softened, though I could see the confusion in his eyes. He wanted to ask more, but I didn’t give him the chance. There was no time for explanations.
“We’ll begin preparations immediately,” he said, nodding. “Hayden will be in good hands.”
As soon as he left, I let out a sob of relief, collapsing against the wall. He was going to be okay. Hayden was going to be okay.
A soft voice broke through my haze. “Sophia.”
I looked up to see Mother Rose, holding Kayden by the hand. Her face was etched with worry. “Where have you been? You disappeared without informing anyone of your whereabouts”
“I’m sorry, Mom” I whispered, rushing forward to hug Kayden, holding him tight as fresh tears streamed down my face. “I’m so sorry, but I…I had to do something.”
Her eyes narrowed, and her concern shifted to suspicion. “What did you do, Sophia?”
“I’m getting married.” The words felt strange in my mouth. “In two days.”
“What?” Her voice was a mix of disbelief and shock. “Married?”
“It’s a contract marriage,” I said, swallowing back more tears. “I had to. For Hayden. I did it to save him.”
She looked at me, her mouth opening and closing like she couldn’t find the words. But Kayden, sweet Kayden, hugged me tighter, his tiny arms offering me a comfort I didn’t deserve.
And at that moment, I knew I would do anything for my children. Even if it meant losing myself.
SOPHIA'S POVI stepped out of the cab, feeling the morning breeze against my skin. It was my wedding day. I chose to wear a simple, cream-colored dress I could afford for my fake marriage. As I made my way to the entrance of the marriage registry, I saw Mr. Graham standing by his car. He was dressed in a black suit. He looked every bit the powerful and handsome businessman he was. As usual, he wore a stern expression, “You’re late, Miss Clark” he said as he pocketed his phone.‘Aren’t I just five minutes late?’ I hissed inwardly.Without a word, he turned to one of his bodyguards who gave him a curt nod. The guard stepped forward, opening the trunk of the car. He pulled out a large white bag and gave it to Mr. Graham.“What’s that?” I asked, confused.“A dress. Put it on.” He handed it to me.“What?” I blinked.“You can’t wear that,” he said, motioning to my simple dress. “It’s not fitting for the occasion.”“This is a fake wedding, Sir. It doesn’t matter what I wear.”“It does,” he
DAMON'S POVI clenched my fists as I watched Miss Clark run off after her conversation with whoever it was on the phone. My family was confused by her sudden exit, which left them in shock. My mother’s voice cut through the awkward silence.“Who was on the phone? Why would she leave like that without saying anything?”I could feel their eyes on me, expecting answers. But I had none.“I don’t know,” I muttered through clenched teeth, frustrated. “Damon, you have to call her!” Linda, one of my cousin sisters, insisted. “Something might be wrong with her.”“She’ll be fine,” I replied, my voice was colder than I intended. How was I supposed to do that when I didn't even have her number. “You all should get going, it's getting late. I’ll let you know when she’s back.” I needed them out of my house. I couldn’t deal with their worries and questions.“Are you sure, Damon? This is your wife we're talking about here. Shouldn't you be concerned?” My mom asked, worrisome written all over her
SOPHIA'S POVI woke up on a plush bed beneath me. I had never slept on such a large and comfortable bed before. It was different from the bed I used to share with my kids at the orphanage. I felt like I was floating on this new bed of mine.My first morning in this mansion was as if I woke up in someone else’s life. Mr. Graham’s life, I suppose. The happenings of the day before rushed through my mind, but before I could think too much, a gentle knock interrupted my thoughts.“Come in,” I called out, then sat up.The door opened and three maids entered. They bowed as they greeted me. One of them carried a tray of food. “Good morning, Mrs. Graham. We’ve brought your breakfast,” one of the maids said softly, placing the tray on the table beside the bed.‘Mrs. Graham?’ I almost scoffed aloud.I raised my head and looked at the clock. It was barely 7 AM. ‘Isn’t it too early for breakfast?’ I thought. But I quickly waved the idea away, forcing a small smile.“Thank you” I murmured, feeling
SOPHIA'S POV“Come on, Sophia,” Samantha gently touched my arm. “Drink up. It’s your birthday, babe. You need to celebrate.”“I don’t want to, Sam. I’ve never drunk before, and you know that, no?” I frowned at her.Sitting at the bar, I stared at the glass in front of me. It’s my birthday, but it doesn’t feel like it. My heart felt too heavy to care.“Exactly! There’s a first time for everything.” She grinned and slid the glass closer. “Just one sip. It’ll help you forget about that jerk, Fred.”Fred. His name hit me like a punch to the gut. I bit my lips and tried to hold back the tears that had been threatening to fall all night. I don’t want to think about him. About how I caught him making out with another woman.“Sam, I don’t know if this is a good idea, but I don’t think drinking is going to help.” I slightly pushed the glass away.“Trust me, it will,” she insisted. “Just let loose for once, Sophy. You deserve it after everything that happened.”I glanced at my other friends, Ke
SOPHIA'S POV The buzzing of my phone woke me up. My head ached so much that I felt like it was splitting in two. I blinked, trying to make sense of my surroundings. My eyes suddenly dilated when I realized that I wasn't in my bedroom.‘Oh my God!’“Where am I? This isn’t my bed!” I began to panic as I reached for my phone which was lying on the floor. It stopped ringing as I made to pick the call.“15 missed calls?”“Holy Molly!”I looked at my side, only to see the sleeping figure of a man, half-covered by the sheets, his back to me. He had a beautiful tattoo on the upper part of his left arm. I couldn't see his face. I tried to recollect what transpired between us, and the memories of last night came rushing back. The club, my friends, the drinks, the bar, the kiss, the hotel. Then the….“Oh, shit!” I freaked out as I realized what I had done. I slept with a stranger, thinking it was Fred? ‘Oh jeez! Sophia, what have you done?’I felt a sharp pain in between my thighs as I dresse
THE GRAHAM GROUP PLC.DAMON'S POVOne of the best black shiny limousines I own, stopped in front of my company's headquarters. The chauffeur came out and opened the back seat door for me. My foot, on a pair of black shiny shoes, first stepped out of the car before the whole me came out.I was impeccably dressed in a tailored navy-blue suit, with my black hair neatly combed to the back. Immediately my guards and my Personal Assistant, Mr. Leo, set their eyes on me, they all bowed their heads.“Morning Sir” They chorused.I nodded to their greetings and entered into the company, with them following suit.The lobby was bustling with activities. Some employees scurry by with papers, while the lazy ones busied themselves with gossip. They all stopped their activities and bowed when they noticed my presence.“Good morning, sir”“Good morning, boss”With my eyes focused ahead, I ignored their greetings as though they didn't exist. My expression remained stern and unbothered, all business.
GOD'S WILL ORPHANAGEDEBRA'S POV“Ma'am Debra's here! Ma'am Debra's here!” The cute little angels excitedly rushed forward immediately I stepped out of my car. They formed a small, energetic crowd around me.I knelt down, smiling warmly at them. “Hello, my darlings! I’ve brought something for each of you.”“Yeeehhhhh” They jumped up happily, and I found my lips smiling at their innocence.My driver and two bodyguards brought out the large bags filled with food and toys I brought. My guards took the bags of raw food to the storeroom while I began handing out the toys to the kids.“Look! I got a football!”“I got a new doll!”“Mine is a drawing board!”“I love puzzles!”They all gasped enthusiastically and their faces lit up in pure joy.“Thank you, Ma'am Debra! We love you!” They bowed gratefully.‘Awwwn! Such cutie pies!’“Every time you come, you bring more smiles than I can count.” Mrs. Rose Beckley, the head matron, approached from behind as she watched the scene with fondness.“It
DAMON'S POV“Marry me, Miss Sophia Clark.”“W-what?” She stammered.“You heard me. Marry me.”“Mr. Graham… you can’t be serious.” She tried to find her voice, though it came out barely a whisper. “Why... why me?” Her voice trembled.“I need you to marry me.” I cleared my throat. “A marriage in name only, of course. A contract. It wouldn’t be real.”She shook her head, still stunned. “Mr. Graham, I… I don’t understand. Why…why would you ask me to do something like that?”“I’ll pay you £10 million if you agree to marry me, for a year. All you have to do is sign the contract, and pretend to be my wife, only in the presence of my family.”Her eyes widened, but she didn’t speak.“£10 million will change your life. I know it will. And for me… well, let’s just say I need to show my family that I’ve settled down. That I’m capable of ‘commitment’. I practically spat the word. “But it’s all for show. You won’t be involved in anything beyond the paperwork.”I studied her closely, noticing the w