Unlucky day and a proposal that has nothing to do with it.

Today was definitely not my day, because after a horrible standoff I had finally been fired, but in my defense that idiot had deserved the glass of beer in my face, only I guess my, in this case, ex-boss didn't think so, but of course apparently being fired wasn't enough, I had to have forgotten my wallet at home, which is why I was now walking the eleven blocks that exist between the cafeteria where I used to work and my apartment, where the situation is not much better, after all I owe nothing more and nothing less than two months rent, only that definitely, for the universe this does not seem to be enough, it had - of course - started to rain, because after all there is nothing bad that cannot get worse.

But I had no idea how much worse it was going to get.

I was already so soaked that I wasn't making any effort not to get wet, I honestly didn't care anymore, but I was so focused on thinking about how bad my life was that I didn't notice the car coming towards me when I went to cross the street, what woke me up was the driver's loud horn, but it was too late, he braked hard and stopped a few millimeters away from me, I was so scared that I jumped back and fell sitting in a puddle of water, as I said, there's nothing bad that can't get worse.

- Oh my God! - the driver exclaimed coming out of the car, he was wearing a suit and had some white hair, he looked about fifty years old. - Are you all right? - he asked helping me up. I accepted his help and stood up.

- I'm fine," I assured him and he looked me up and down.

- She's fine Marco, didn't she just say so? We have to go, I'm late for my meeting. - a voice that until then had not been part of the conversation spoke up, its owner turned out to be a tall guy with intense dark eyes wearing a black suit and completely out of character with his dark hair in a messy ponytail. He was under an umbrella unlike Marco and me.

- Education was a long way off, huh? - I asked wryly and he looked at me with a frown.

- You just said you were fine, and it's really your fault for getting in the way of the car.

- Why, you... You know what? I think I'm a little dizzy, maybe I broke something important when you ran me over.

- I didn't run you over! - he countered, moving closer to me. - It was you who got in the way of my car!

- You ran me over! And if you want I can sue you for that! 

- Sir, miss, please, let's keep calm," asked Marco, the driver.

- All right," I muttered. - Whatever, my day already sucks, one more or one less hit by a car won't make any difference. See you never again," I said, staring at the handsome man in the suit, and turned to leave.

- Hey, wait up! - he called, but I didn't turn around, I just wanted to get home, take a shower and pretend this day didn't even exist.

I was about to turn a corner when a car stopped in front of me, definitely being kidnapped was all that was missing to make my day worse, but in the end the car hadn't stopped to kidnap me, I recognized the dark car windows of the handsome man in the suit. He lowered the back seat window and stared at me.

- You're going to catch a cold like that," he commented, and I could feel the note of amusement in his voice.

- You followed me here just to say that? - I asked ironically. - I guess I could figure that out on my own, given the fact that I'm soaking wet.

I thought he was going to make a joke, but to my surprise he turned serious.

- No, I didn't come here just for that, I wanted to apologize for earlier," he said, and I was surprised by his statement. - I was an idiot, so I was wondering if you would like to have coffee with me so I can apologize.

- Now? - was all I could say, it was too much information to absorb.

- Why not?

- Because you're the crazy stranger who tried to run me over and I'm soaking wet.

He smiled and got out of the car with the umbrella over him.

- Marco I'm going to a snack bar with you, OK? Wait for me across the street.

- Yes sir," Marco answered from the driver's seat.

- Shall we go? - the handsome man called out to me and I looked at him in disbelief.

- Are you really asking me to eat at this point of the championship?

- Exactly," he confirmed, approaching me so that his umbrella could cover me as well. - Can we go?

I pondered the idea, there were still seven blocks to go to my apartment, the rain was getting worse and worse, and I was hungry, no matter how soaked I was, it was still better to wait for the rain to pass in a warm (and food) cafeteria than to risk catching pneumonia on the way home, which given my luck of the day was quite possible.

- That's fine," I said finally.

We turned the way I had come and went back a few meters to enter a snack bar, my experience with the last one I had been to was not the best, but I still did not hesitate. Only just as I imagined would happen everyone looked at me, I must have looked horrible, but I didn't care, I made mention of going to the next table but the handsome man didn't let me, he stopped me with his arm and held out his jacket.

- Put this on - he said and I stared at it, it was super nice and all, but it was almost charity and I wasn't going to accept it, my pride would make me die of pneumonia, but I didn't care.

- No, thank you - I thanked him and tried to walk again, he wouldn't let me.

- If I were you I would take it," he shrugged. - I can see your bra.

- What? - I exclaimed looking down and yes my white blouse had become transparent and you could see my pink bra, this time shame overcame pride and blushing I accepted the jacket, as soon as I put it on we went towards a table.

- So what do you want? - the waitress asked (the handsome one, it seemed I wasn't even there) as soon as we sat down.

- Two coffees - he answered and the waitress leaned closer to him, the handsome man ignored her completely and stared at me - Would you like anything else? - I hesitated and he smiled.

- If so I'll have a slice of chocolate cake.

- All right then," he said, staring at the waitress. - Two coffees and a cake.

- Okay," she answered grudgingly after being ignored, turning to leave.

- First of all, I'm Anthony Whitmore," he said, and held out his hand.

- Elisa Banks, and it would be a pleasure to meet you if you hadn't run me over," I said and shook his hand. He smiled.

- I already said it wasn't my fault, but I'll apologize again if you want me to.

It was my turn to laugh.

- No need, the coffee is already good," I said and just to spite myself my stomach rumbled. Anthony looked at me with an arched eyebrow. - It's been a while since I ate," I admitted sighing, "it was almost dinner time and I hadn't even had lunch.

- I didn't bring you here just to buy you coffee," he admitted after a few minutes of silence.

- You didn't?

- No, I wanted to know if you were interested in working for me.

- Work for you? What do you mean? - I asked without understanding.

- First I want to know if you are interested, yes or no?

- I just got fired, so yes, as unusual as this "job interview" might be, I am interested.

- Great," he said with a half smile.

- So what kind of job is it? - I asked when he said nothing more.

He hesitated and then sighed and this made me nervous, what did he want me to do? I wasn't that desperate. But after thinking about what his clothes and car looked like, I decided that it was easier for him to be a super rich businessman than someone who traffics in people.

- Since there's no easy way to say this, I'll get right to the point," he finally said, looking at me seriously. - I want you to have my child.

I choked on my own saliva when he finished speaking.

- What do you mean a child of your own? - I asked, blinking in disbelief.

- Don't get me wrong, I'm not crazy, Miss Banks, it's just that I want a child, but I don't have a wife and don't intend to have one, so I need someone to have this child for nine months.

- Call me Elisa," I mumbled. - And why me? - was all I could ask, there he was again with too much information.

- Because I made this decision this morning and you were the first woman I bumped into," he said and I couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

- I'm serious! 

- Me too," he assured me, "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a pretty rich guy.

- Of course I realize that your car probably costs more than my entire building, but what does that have to do with it?

- It has to do with the fact that if I were to announce that I needed someone to do this, the interested women around me would fall flat on their faces. So I need someone normal to do this, I was wondering how I would find women like this when you literally threw yourself in front of my car.

I stared at him for a couple of minutes processing what he had said, and then said something, opened my mouth to answer, but the offered waitress came back with our orders and I had no chance. She put mine in front of me and Anthony's in front of him.

- If you need anything else, just call me," she said, smiling at him and giving him a wink before leaving.

I attacked my cake and only stopped to breathe again after eating half of it. Anthony was drinking his coffee and watching me, because of this, even though I was hungry, I decided to keep it classy or at least minimal.

- What's up? - he asked, staring at me - You still haven't told me what you thought of everything I told you.

- That's pretty crazy," I said simply, "that's what everything you told me is. And why me? - I asked again - That waitress who was here would be very happy to have a child of yours, even two if she asked, so why me?

- You are not a spoiled socialite or anyone who wants to have sex with me, because as much as the baby will inherit half of its genes from you and stay in your belly for nine months, in the end it is not yours at all, this is a business transaction, nothing more, I am, for lack of a better word, renting your body for nine months and to do this I need someone I can trust, someone who definitely does not want to have sex with me and who does not want the baby at the end of that time.

- I think I understand," I mumbled, "and I definitely don't want a baby, but why don't you simplify everything and adopt a child?

- Because this child will be the heir to a huge fortune, and if he's not my biological son, someone might try to steal him away.

- Rich people's lives are complicated," I murmured, and Anthony smiled.

- You have no idea, but so what? Do you accept my proposal?

- This is very crazy and sudden and well... You haven't said how much it is.

- How much will you get if you accept?

- É.

He said the amount and I choked again, only this time with the coffee.

- What did he say?

- I said that if you accept the job this is what you will get, and of course expenses for doctors, hospitals and medicine will be on me, as well as clothes and other things you will need during the pregnancy. The money will be yours to spend as you wish.

- Wow! That's a lot of money. - I said in amazement and he gave a half smile.

- So what do you say?

I opened my mouth to answer, but the truth is that I had no answer, how do you say yes or no to a proposal like that out of the blue?

- Do you mind if I think about it for a moment? - I asked and he sighed.

- I imagined that you would ask something like this, but I don't have much time, I have to go on a business trip for a few weeks, you'll have to give me an answer by tomorrow, okay?

It was my turn to sigh.

- If there's no way, then tomorrow. But where?

- Can it be here, at five o'clock? 

- Okay, it's a deal," I said smiling and he stood up, took a note from his wallet and put it on the table.

- Take your time and finish your meal, see you tomorrow," he said and left, when I remembered that I still had his jacket on, it was too late, he was already gone.

I stared at the door of the cafeteria through which he had left without having the slightest idea what to think about his unusual proposal.