Chapter 4 — A Business

"This girl could be the solution!" thought Edan, in a moment of epiphany.

He didn't know this young woman, but his parents had never seen her before and that was already a point in his favor.

Besides, he was supposed to have gone out to find his made-up girlfriend a long time ago and was still there, in the hospital, thinking about what to do, and that young woman was already there, that was another point in his favor.

Edan stared at her with more interest and noticed how she immediately blushed.

That meant that she liked him, or at least, that she found him attractive. Although he was not surprised, because he was aware of the effect it had on women, he would write it down as another point in his favor.

The young lady was pretty, in fact, if you detailed her well, you could say that she had quite a lot of potential, with the right clothes and a good salon treatment, she could easily pass like any other beautiful young woman in high society, however, there was no time for that.

Edan detailed her face, you could tell she was a humble young woman, that perhaps, would not give her points with her mother, but what did it matter? I would only act for a few days and that was the only thing I didn't have going for me.

In addition, his father would not mind, since he also came from a humble family and was a man who got ahead with a lot of effort, so, most likely, he will even end up feeling proud of his son for not seeing social classes.

However, there was her mother and unlike her father, if she mumbled about it, but she could lie to her by telling her that she is middle class and also a promising young woman, who is about to leave an important university, which would make her feel calmer.

It didn't matter, after everything happened with his father, he would still have to tell his mother the truth, would he be angry? Of course, but if I gave him the reasons for his deception, he would surely miss it.

Now that his whole plan seemed to fall into place, the matter was:

Could Edan ask this unknown young woman to pretend to be his girlfriend for a few days in the hospital and pretend to marry him?

Why not?

He would do anything to please his father on his deathbed, and it would be nothing more than a negotiation, like any other he had participated in countless times.

Edan just had to know, What did that young lady need? And so, he would have the advantage on his side.

"Alma, isn't it?" Edan intervened for the first time in Alma's talk. She nodded. "Tell me, what are you doing here?" Why are you in the hospital?

"Well, then..." She felt a lump in her throat. "My mom was hospitalized.

"Oh, what a pity. He feigned interest. "And what does it have?"

"The doctor told me that he has acute liver failure, apparently caused by taking a lot of pain pills. She swallowed thickly, just thinking about her mother, she felt her eyes fill with tears. "She's being treated now, but she'll need surgery.

Alma lowered her eyes in sorrow, she didn't want Edan to see her pain, because maybe he was going through something similar or worse.

"Surgery for liver damage?" pondered Edan, that sounded pretty expensive and not to be demeaning, but it was obvious that this young lady wouldn't have the resources to afford something like that.

That was their price! That could be offered by him, for the favor he was about to ask of her.

“And you? Why are you here? Alma asked once she pulled herself together, interrupting Edan's thoughts.

"Because of my father, he suffers from heart problems and had a seizure near here. He replied to leaning back in his seat, the best thing was to talk to the girl all over the canyon, tell her the truth, so that she could understand what he was about to ask of her.

"Oh, fence, I hope it's not serious.

"The truth is, if he is, the doctors don't give him much time to live, he's dying.

Alma's jaw dropped, watching Edan say all that, just like that, as if it wasn't a big deal or maybe he was holding back? Yes, it had to be that that was his way of handling pain.

"I'm so sorry. Alma answered, hesitantly. He pressed his lips together in a line and shifted in his seat to take the wallet out of his pocket, took out a small business card and placed it on the table in front of Alma.

"Listen, my name is Edan O'Connor. He began to recount, while Alma took the card and read it. — I'm the CEO of the company INCAPITAL, which is mainly in charge of investments...

He began to explain to Alma about the company, what he did, his social position, and she listened to him as she wondered, "Why was he telling her all that?"

When he finished explaining everything, Edan lunged forward in his seat and concluded.

"Listen to me, Alma, I know you don't know me, and I don't know you, but I'd like to ask you a favor, or rather, I'd like us to do business."

"A business?" She asked, perplexed.

"Yes, as I told you, my father is dying and, on his deathbed, he asked me to introduce him to my girlfriend and well, well... I don't have a girlfriend. I declare to him, omitting Vivian, his girlfriend.

Why was he going to name it? Anyway, that girl disappeared from her life in a few days and Vivian would never have to find out what happened.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" Alma asked, confused.

She still didn't understand where that man wanted to go with this conversation and the truth is, she was already feeling uncomfortable with all this, she wanted to go back to the seat in the aisle soon, to wait for news from her mother.

"He's dying, Alma. The doctor asked us to be as careful as possible with him, so as not to upset him, so I told him that I would bring my girlfriend to meet him.

“Oh.

"Could you help me with that?" Could you pretend to be my girlfriend?

Immediately, Alma furrowed her brows. Was that man asking her to lie to her dying father? This time it was Alma who threw herself back in her seat and reached for her purse, preparing to get up and leave.

Edan saw her intention, so he stepped forward and stretched out his hand over hers.

"Listen to me, please. We can make a deal, you'd just pretend for a few days in the hospital, in front of my parents, nothing more... I could help you too, with whatever you need..." Alma stopped.

She stopped, for she saw in him an expression of despair that gave her some pity. Whereas he thought, she was paralyzed when she heard his offer to help her.

"Then what do you say?" Edan insisted, seeing no answer from her.

“No... I don't know... Should we touch each other, kiss, and stuff? She murmured, imagining the scene, blushing.

"I'll try to do it only if I have to, and it'll only be to hold your hand or a little pickaxe, I promise." He put a hand on his heart. She sighed, he looked sincerely tormented.

"Okay, if so, I can help you..." And you don't have to give me anything in return.

Edan pulled back again, surprised, he didn't know anyone who didn't do something for a gain or to get something in return.

Well, he had already taken a step, but there was still more, much more, so he cleared his throat to continue.

"There's something else... My father wants to see me get married before he dies.

“Hey? Alma opened her eyes wide.

"It will only be a performance, I will bring someone to pretend to be a notary, we will pretend to get married in front of him and that will be it.

Alma slammed up from the table, which was too much, to deceive that poor gentleman like that, seemed immoral to her. It was one thing to pretend to be a bride for a while, but to pretend to get married. No, she couldn't do something like that.

She put the backpack back over her shoulder and just as she was about to turn around, Edan grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her.

"I'll pay you." He murmured, overwhelmed. "You need money for your mother's surgery, don't you?" She stared at him; her eyes narrowed. Was he blackmailing her?