Chapter 1

"Sorry for the wait, I had no idea it would take this long," I said as I took a seat at Mr. Ackerman's table. 

"No problem," he replied as he placed his near-empty glass on the table.

"What did you want to chat about? It's the weekend, and there are a lot of customers so can we make this quick?"

"I'm not one to beat around the bush too. Let's get married."

"Wait, what?"

"You need money to get out of debt, correct? If you marry me, I'll help you do just that."

"I don't get it. Wh-Why are you asking me to marry you?"

"My company is in bankruptcy and I need the family property to get back on top, but my grandfather set up this stupid will that won't allow me access unless I'm married. Everyone that I interviewed was more interested in my company and property than the money I offered them."

"Okay but what made you choose me?"

"For the past week, I've been watching you. Even when your customers were wasted and offering money, you stayed honest. That's what made me think that you'll be more suitable than the people I interviewed. If we get married, I'll get my family property to use for my company. More importantly, I'll help you pay off your debt. So we both can benefit from it. Moreover, this is only for three years. After that time period, you can go on your way and live your life free of debt." He paused for a moment before asking "So what do you think?"

"I'm really glad that you came forward to help me but company bankruptcy, family property, marriage… It all sounds shady for me. I know I have a debt to pay but I can't marry you for that. I'm sorry, Mr Ackerman."

One of my co-workers said to me, "Hey Lucy, if you're done chatting with Mr Ackerman, I suggest you move over to the next table and serve drinks to them." And left. 

I stood up from Mr Ackerman's table while saying, "I have to get back to my work. Call me if you need anything, Mr Ackerman." And I got back to serve the other customers in the club. 

Tyler Ackerman has been a regular customer to our night club for the past week. Whenever I serve him drinks, he always whines about his company and its issues and gets wasted while leaving the club. I thought he's going to whine about his company again when he asked me to chat with him but I didn't expect a marriage proposal from him. I didn't know he had such a thought in his mind. Why did he ask me out of all the girls he knows? Honesty, he said. Should I consider this as my lucky day or my doomsday? Moreover, he's offering me a contract marriage. I wonder what marriage really means to him. Do people take everything light just like that? To get his family property, Mr Ackerman is willing to marry any girl? He said he interviewed many people for this. Does he really think someone will come forward to marry him for money? Really?? Duh! That's the dumbest weirdest thing I've ever heard!

As I left the club, I saw Mr Ackerman's car still waiting outside and he stepped out of it as I tried to walk away but he stood in front of me blocking my way and said, "You said you quit your school because of the debt. I can send you to school again if you agree to marry me." 

I let out a sigh and said, "Mr Ackerman, you're drunk. Go home."

"Yeah, I'm drunk," he said, stepping closer to me. 

"I think it's better you leave." I noticed the driver seat to be empty and asked him, "But where's your driver? Didn't he come today with you? How are you going to drive like this? Do you want me to call someone to accompany you…" 

Before I could finish my sentence, he cut me off by pressing his finger on my lips and replying, "Let's talk when you're ready for marriage." With that intense look, he then left. 'He sure is a stubborn one!'

An hour later, I arrived home and found some familiar faces outside the house. They're the underlings of Shadow, one of the scariest loan sharks in Colorado. Thanks to my dead father, I got to know almost every loan shark in the city.

I walked up to them and asked, "What are you doing here?" 

One of them said, "We're here to collect the interest for this month."

"I already informed Shadow that I'll pay him next month and he agreed to it. Didn't he say that to you guys?"

"I don't know what he said to you but he asked us to get the money from you."

I made calls to shadow but he didn't answer. 'What is he upto this time?'

I put back my phone into my coat and said, "No matter how many times you ask me, I don't have any money with me."

I walked past them and tried to open the door to get inside the house but they stopped me and said, "Without getting the money we're not leaving either." 

I let out a sigh and said, "Well, I don't care. Stay here all you want." 

One of them even tried searching inside my bag for money - as if billions were hidden in there! 

I tried to get it back while saying, "There's nothing inside. Give it back to me."

"If nothing is inside then why do you want it?"

Outraged, I snatched it back and yelled at him,

"Because it's mine, idiot! Do I look like I'm lying? I said I don't have any money with me. Leave!"

When I opened the door to go in, one of them pushed me away and said, "Then let's have a look inside the house." 

I stepped in front of the door and said, "There's nothing in the house. You won't get anything  you're looking for." 

"Then why are you blocking me? Move!" 

"It's against the law to break into someone's house. Don't you know that?" 

He pushed me back to the ground and entered my house and the boys with him entered just like that. 

Minutes later, they came out of the house angrily and shouted at me, "Where is the money? Where did you keep it?" 

"Are you stupid or do you forget everything as soon as you hear it? I said I have no money." 

He grabbed my hand and said, "Then come with us. We'll take you to Shadow and you can deal with him personally." 

I took my hand from his grasp and said, "I'm not going anywhere. You're the only ones who have to leave now." 

"I'm not asking you to. You are coming with us.” He turned to the other guys and said, "Get her in the car."

Two of them held me on either side and started dragging me into their car as I struggled to escape their grip.

Suddenly a car came with flashing lights, as if it wanted to hit us, but stopped a few steps away. Mr Ackerman got out of the car and asked the guys who were holding me, "Where are you taking her?"

"Mr Ackerman." 

Mr Ackerman walked to me and asked, "Who are these people?" 

Before I answered him, one of them said to Mr Ackerman, "Don't butt in things you shouldn't!" and continued to drag me but got stopped by Mr Ackerman. 

In a minute, Mr Ackerman knocked most of the men out. I stopped him and asked, "What are you doing here?" 

"Let's talk later." And continued to beat them.

Mr Ackerman asked one of the guys, "Who are you? Where are you trying to take her earlier?" 

"She owes money to our boss. We're here to collect it." 

Mr Ackerman grabbed his collar and asked, "How much?" 

"One grand." 

He took out his wallet and tried to give him money so I stopped him and said, "Mr Ackerman, you don't have to do this. I can deal with it."

"And how are you going to do that?"

I had no answer for him when he asked me. How do I do this? I have no money. At the end of the day, I'm just a waitress working in a nightclub trying to pay off my dead father's debts.

Mr Ackerman gave the money to that guy and said, "You got your money. Now don't come looking for her anymore."

"This is just interest money for this month. If she doesn't pay next month, we'll come for her again."

"Then how much did she owe?" 

"Fifteen million dollars." 

Having said that, the guys started to leave, one of them whispered in my ear, "Let's see if prince charming will come to rescue next time. Goodluck." And left with the others after smiling at me. 

After they left, I said to Mr Ackerman, "Do you know who these guys work for? It's Shadow! The scariest loan shark I've ever known. If he knows what you've done, he won't let you go even if you're rich. He doesn't care who you are. Everyone's the same to him. You made a mistake by saving me from them. Anyways, a grand is still a high amount for me. Give me some time to pay it back. I'll pay you back soon since you helped me."

"Why don't you just marry me?"

"Huh?"

"You think you can pay them back twenty million dollars just by serving drinks at the club? Furthermore, it is not your responsibility to pay them back. It's your father who borrowed money from those guys."

"Where did you hear it from?" 

"Your friends gossip a lot about you behind your back. Don't you know that?" 

"They are not my friends. They are just people I work with."

He let out a sigh and asked, "Why are you hesitating to marry me? I'm not even asking you to live with me forever. It's only for three years. What's wrong with marrying someone  for three years while you get good money out of it?"

"I-I…"

Before I finished, he came closer to me and said, "You're late with your payments and your interest rate is going up. Do you think you can pay them back by working in a nightclub as a waitress? Lucinda, You have no choice. Marry me and pay your debts if you don't want to be dragged away by strangers again. The reason I'm insisting on you is because I don't have much time either. Give it a thought and answer me tomorrow. I'm leaving."

As he tried to leave, I shouted, "Okay!"

He turned and asked, "What?"

"I-I'll marry you. I'll marry you, Mr Ackerman."