Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Izzy’s Dilemma

Izzy sat alone at the worn wooden table in her studio apartment, the silence pressing down on her like a weight. Her hands cradled a cup of tea, long gone cold, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. The events of the past few hours replayed in her mind with dizzying speed, like a carousel she couldn’t get off.

I need a wife.

Liam Stone’s words echoed in her head, louder than the rush of traffic outside her window or the faint hum of the city’s noise below. It didn’t make sense. None of it did. How could one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in Chicago—a man who could have anything, or anyone, he wanted—come to her, of all people, with such a proposal?

Two years of marriage in exchange for your brother’s life.

It sounded like something out of a soap opera, not real life. She shook her head, trying to make sense of it. Liam had been so calm, so matter-of-fact, as if it were a completely rational arrangement. But the weight of it—marrying a stranger, someone as cold and calculating as Liam, for money—was too overwhelming to comprehend.

Izzy’s heart ached at the thought of Ethan. The image of her brother, pale and frail in his hospital bed, flashed in her mind, tightening her chest with a mixture of love and fear. She’d been fighting for him for three years now, ever since his diagnosis had turned their lives upside down.

The doctors had been optimistic at first. They’d said the treatments would help, that he had a good chance of pulling through. But as the months dragged on, as Ethan’s health continued to deteriorate and the treatments grew more experimental—and more expensive—Izzy had watched that optimism fade.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The truth was, she was running out of time. The doctors had been honest with her about that much. Ethan’s current treatment wasn’t working, and he needed something more aggressive, something new. But the costs were astronomical, far beyond what her insurance would cover. She had already maxed out her credit cards, taken out loans, and sold off anything of value she had left.

It wasn’t enough.

But Liam’s offer…

She squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers gripping the cup tighter. Marrying a man for money went against everything she believed in. It was wrong, transactional, a business deal wrapped up in something that should be sacred. She had watched her parents love each other through thick and thin, had seen what a real marriage was supposed to look like—built on trust, affection, and years of shared memories. What Liam was offering was the opposite of that. It was cold, calculated, like an agreement you’d make in a boardroom.

And yet…

Izzy couldn’t shake the gnawing truth in the back of her mind. This wasn’t just about her anymore. This was about Ethan. His life was on the line, and there were no more options left. She had exhausted every possibility, every resource. If she didn’t find a way to pay for his next round of treatment, he wouldn’t survive.

The thought of losing him—of watching her little brother, the boy she had practically raised, slip away—was too much to bear. She couldn’t let it happen. She wouldn’t.

She set the cup down and stood, pacing across the small apartment, her thoughts spinning in frantic circles. The logical part of her knew that Liam’s offer was the only solution. It would give her everything she needed—financial security, the ability to focus on Ethan without worrying about money, and a way out of the crushing debt that had been suffocating her for years.

But the emotional part of her, the part that clung to her ideals, screamed that this was wrong. Marriage wasn’t supposed to be a transaction. It wasn’t supposed to be something you traded for money.

She walked to the window and stared out at the skyline, the towering buildings of downtown Chicago glinting in the late afternoon sun. Somewhere out there, Liam Stone was probably sitting in his sleek, high-rise office, going about his day as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell on her life.

How could he be so calm, so detached? Did he even care about what he was asking her to do? Or was this just another business decision to him, another move in the game he seemed to be playing with his family?

Izzy’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door. She froze, her heart racing for a split second before she remembered.

Ethan.

She rushed to the door and opened it to find her brother standing there, his lanky frame leaning heavily on his cane. His face was pale, his eyes sunken, but he managed a weak smile when he saw her.

“Hey, Iz,” he said, his voice hoarse. “You okay?”

She forced a smile, swallowing the lump in her throat as she stepped aside to let him in. “Yeah, just thinking.”

He shuffled into the apartment, his movements slow and deliberate. She could see the pain etched into every step he took, the way his body seemed to fight against him with every breath. It broke her heart.

“About the meeting?” he asked, sinking onto the couch with a sigh.

Izzy’s stomach clenched. She hadn’t told Ethan about Liam’s proposal. How could she? How could she explain something so impossible, so out of the realm of what he would understand? All he knew was that she had gone to a business event, hoping to network and find new clients.

“Something like that,” she muttered, walking over to sit beside him. She didn’t have the energy to lie, but the truth was too complicated.

Ethan leaned back against the cushions, closing his eyes for a moment as he caught his breath. “You look tired,” he said, his voice soft. “You’re working too hard.”

Izzy swallowed hard, her heart aching at the concern in his voice. He was the one who was sick, who needed care, and yet he was still worrying about her. It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair.

“I’m fine,” she said quietly, the words hollow. “I’m managing.”

“You always say that,” Ethan replied, his eyes still closed. “But you’re not. I can see it. You’re… stressed.”

Izzy stared at him, feeling the weight of his words sink into her. He was right. She was stressed. She was drowning, and there was no way out. The guilt of it, of not being able to fix everything, of not being able to save him, was crushing her from the inside out.

She reached over and squeezed his hand gently. “I’m doing my best.”

“I know you are,” Ethan said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But you shouldn’t have to do it alone.”

Alone. The word echoed in her mind, sharp and painful. She was alone. There was no one else to help, no one else to shoulder the burden. Except… Liam. His face flashed in her mind, his calm, calculating gaze, the way he had presented his offer so casually, as if it were a simple exchange of goods.

Her heart twisted.

What if I’m not alone anymore?

The thought hit her like a lightning strike, shocking her with its intensity. What if she didn’t have to do this alone anymore? What if Liam’s offer—horrible and transactional as it was—could actually save them both? She could take the deal, marry him for two years, and then walk away with everything she needed to give Ethan the life he deserved.

But at what cost?

She stood abruptly, her hands trembling as she moved to the kitchen, desperate to do something—anything—to distract herself from the storm raging inside her. She opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, but her mind was still spinning, the weight of the decision pressing down on her chest like a vice.

Ethan’s voice broke the silence again. “Iz, you’ve been weird since last night. What happened at that event?”

Izzy froze, the water bottle halfway to her lips. She couldn’t tell him the truth. Not yet. He was too weak, too fragile. The stress of it might make his condition worse, and she couldn’t risk that.

“Nothing,” she lied, her voice tight. “Just… met some interesting people.”

Ethan opened his eyes and looked at her, his gaze searching. “You’re not a good liar, you know.”

Izzy forced a laugh, but it came out brittle and sharp. “I’m just tired, that’s all. Don’t worry about me.”

He frowned, but didn’t press the issue. Instead, he shifted on the couch, wincing slightly as he adjusted his position. The sight of him in pain—her strong, vibrant little brother, reduced to this—sent another wave of guilt crashing over her.

“I wish I could help more,” Ethan said quietly. “I know this is all on you. I hate that.”

Izzy’s chest tightened, the lump in her throat threatening to choke her. She crossed the room and knelt in front of him, taking his hands in hers.

“Hey,” she said softly, forcing herself to meet his eyes. “You don’t need to worry about me, okay? You’re the one who matters right now. I’m fine.”

Ethan looked at her for a long moment, his eyes filled with the kind of pain that had nothing to do with his illness. He knew. He knew how hard it was for her, how much she was struggling, but he didn’t say anything.

Instead, he squeezed her hands and smiled faintly. “I love you, Iz.”

“I love you too,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

They sat like that for a moment, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words. Izzy’s mind raced, torn between the love she felt for her brother and the impossible decision she was being forced to make.

What am I going to do?

---

Later that night, after Ethan had fallen asleep, Izzy sat at her desk, staring blankly at the stack of bills in front of her. She had opened them hours ago, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at the numbers again. They were too staggering, too overwhelming.

The message from Dr. Callahan was still unread on her phone. She knew what it would say—more bad news, more treatments, more money. She couldn’t afford to hear it right now. She couldn’t face the reality of how little time Ethan had left.

Her hands shook as she picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts, her thumb hovering over the number Liam Stone had given her before he left the café.

What if I call him?

The thought was terrifying. Once she made the call, there would be no going back. She would be agreeing to something she never thought she’d do—marrying for money, for survival. It went against everything she believed in, everything she’d ever dreamed of for herself.

But dreams didn’t pay hospital bills. Dreams didn’t save lives.

She closed her eyes, trying to drown out the panic that was rising inside her. Ethan needed her. He needed this. She couldn’t let him down. Not when the only other option was losing him forever.

With a shaky breath, Izzy pressed the number and held the phone to her ear, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear the dial tone.

It rang once. Twice. Then—

“Miss Lakewood,” came Liam’s smooth, controlled voice on the other end of the line. “I was expecting your call.”

Izzy’s breath hitched. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words stuck in her throat. Her mind screamed at her to hang up, to stop this before it was too late.

But then she thought of Ethan.

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to speak.

“I’ll do it.”

The words came out in a rush, her voice barely more than a whisper. But they were enough.

There was a brief pause on the other end, and then Liam’s voice, cool and precise, replied.

“I’ll have the contract ready by morning.”

And just like that, Izzy’s fate was sealed.