Emily? Isn't that Emily? Mr. Reed said, his eyes fixed on the woman standing at the door."Good evening, Mr. Reed," she replied, a bright smile spreading across her face. "It's such a pleasure seeing you here."Mr. Reed welcomed her warmly, his face lighting up with a smile. "Ah, Emily, you're welcome. You came at the right time. We're just about to have dinner. Please, join us."Her face lit up with delight as she accepted the invitation. "Thank you, Mr. Reed. I'd love to join you."As she sat down at the table, Mr. Reed made an introduction, “This is beautiful Bella, James's wife, I'm sure you both might have met at my birthday party and also at the wedding.”“Welcome Emily,” giving a polite smile. James, who had been quiet until now, spoke up, his voice friendly. "So Emily. What brings you here tonight?"Emily's smile faltered for a moment before she recovered. "Oh, I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing. I haven't seen you for a couple of days. I was around the neigh
Isabella slumped onto her bed, surrounded by stacks of unpaid bills. Her best friend, Mia, sat beside her, going through a glossy magazine, concern etched on her face."Isabella, you’ve been quiet for too long and you kinda look restless. What’s going on?” she asked gently, setting the magazine aside.“It’s just... everything is piling up, you know? I lost my job last month, and now the bills are starting to come in. Miranda's surgery is next week, and I still can't afford it. I don't know what to do, Mia," Isabella confessed, tears welling up in her eyes. Mia’s brow furrowed. “But you were doing so well at your place of work! What happened?”"It was a budget cut, They let go of half the staff. I thought I was safe, but...” She replies with tears full.It's okay, we'll figure something out. You're not alone in this, you know you just can't give up! There has to be something we can do." Mia assures her.Isabella sighed, frustration and despair mingling in her chest. "I've applied ever
"Mia, you won't believe what just happened!" Isabella said happily, as she tried to settle in.Mia looked up from her book, curiosity sparkling. "Try me! What's going on? You didn't get the job.?Isabella dropped onto the couch, exhaling deeply. "Far from it girl, I got more than the job. James Reed offered me an insane proposal." "What kind of proposal?" Mia's eyes widened Isabella hesitated before blurting out the truth. "He wants me to pretend to be his girlfriend, then marry him, and if possible, bore him an heir, and in return, he pays me the sum of $500,000."Mia's jaw dropped. "What? That's insane! And amazing! At the same time"Isabella nodded. "I know, right? I'm still trying to process all of it, it seems like a dream to me.""Tell me everything! What did he say exactly?" as she jumped up in excitement.Isabella took a deep breath, recounting the meeting. "He said he needs someone to pretend to be his girlfriend, then marry him to satisfy his parents, and in return, he's g
James greeted Isabella coldly, his eyes scanning her from head to toe."Welcome, Isabella. You're finally here," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.Isabella smiled nervously, "Thank you, James. This is...wow."James snorted, pouring himself a drink. "Save the small talk, Isabella. You're not here for the view."Isabella's smile faltered. "James, I—"He cut her off, his voice icy. "Let's get down to business. You're here for the money, and I'm here for...well, let's just say you're a means to an end."Isabella's eyes widened, hurt by his blunt words.James sneered. "Don't play coy, Isabella. You were desperate for that money."Isabella's face burned. "James, that's not—"He interrupted, his tone condescending. "Don't deny it, Isabella. I'm sure you've used part of the money I gave you to pay for your sister's surgery, and you were drowning in debt."Isabella's eyes stung with tears.James's gaze turned glacial. "And don't think for a second you can back out now. You're in this to
Isabella walked into her apartment, dropping her shopping bags on the floor. "Time for a shower," she sighed, heading to the bathroom. As she kept thinking of what happened today at the boutique."Hey, I'm back! Isabella, are you home?" James called out, entering the apartment.Isabella wrapped herself in a towel. But as she turned the corner, she collided with James."Ah! Oh no!" she screamed as her towel fell."I didn't see anything, Isabella. I swear," James assured her, quickly turning around."Get out! Just get out!" Isabella exclaimed, hastily picking up her towel."Isabella, I—""Please, James! Just leave!" she pleaded.James nodded and backed away. "I'm sorry, I'll go to my room."Isabella slammed the door shut. She dressed hastily and took a few deep breaths to calm down."What's wrong with me?" she muttered.As she headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner, after cooking she set the table and James emerged from his room."I didn't ask you to cook for me," he said gruffly."Wha
As they arrived at the party, James whispered to Isabella, "Smile."Isabella forced a bright smile onto her face. They made their way through the crowd, greeting guests and well-wishers. They were immediately greeted by the warm glow of candlelight and the hum of conversation."Happy birthday, Father," James said, approaching Mr. Reed.Mr. Reed's eyes lit up. "James! Isabella! Wonderful to see you both.”Isabella handed him a beautifully decorated cake. "We got this for you, sir."Mr. Reed's eyes lit up. "It's been a long time since I got a cake as a birthday present after James's mother passed away. Thank you, dear. You're such a darling.""Make a wish, Father," James said.Mr. Reed chuckled. "I think I've already gotten my wish, having you both here."Isabella's eyes misted. "We're happy to be here, sir."Mr. Reed's expression turned serious. "I'm glad to see James has found someone as lovely as you, Isabella. You're good for him." "I think so too, Father." he smiled coldly.James
"Yes," she whispered.James's face lit up, as he slid the ring onto her finger, and they shared a tender kiss.Mr. Reed beamed with joy as he walked up to James, Isabella by his side, the diamond ring gleaming on her finger."Congratulations, James!" Mr. Reed exclaimed.James smiled. "Thanks, Father. I'm happy."Mr. Reed's eyes misted. "I'm so proud of you, son. You've made an excellent choice."Isabella smiled politely, but her eyes seemed uncertain.Mr. Reed turned to her. "Welcome to the family, Isabella. You've made James incredibly happy."Isabella's smile faltered for a moment before she recovered. "Thank you, Mr. Reed."Mr. Reed's expression turned serious. "Isabella, can you excuse us, please? I've got something important to discuss with him.""Okay sir." as she walked away."Son, I'm glad to see you're happy," Mr. Reed said, his eyes warm.James smiled. "Thanks, Father. I am."Mr. Reed's expression turned serious. "Is everything okay between you and Isabella? You two seem...d
James adjusted his tie, preparing for a crucial meeting with his business partners and Employees. "I won't be staying long at work today, just brief meetings with my employees concerning the investors coming in to sign the contract. Try to rest."Isabella faked a smile, waving goodbye. "Be careful, James."James stepped into the conference room, greeting his colleagues. Steve, his business partner, nodded in acknowledgment."Gentlemen, let's get started," James began. "I got a call this morning that the investors are arriving soon. We need to finalize our pitch; we don't have much time on our hands."Steve leaned forward. "James, we've discussed this already. Your marital status is a concern."James's expression turned stern. "My personal life is none of their business.""James, it is. They want stability, and a married man represents that," Rachel added.James sighed. "I'm working on it."Steve pressed on. "The Reed family name carries weight. We can't afford scandals or instability
Emily? Isn't that Emily? Mr. Reed said, his eyes fixed on the woman standing at the door."Good evening, Mr. Reed," she replied, a bright smile spreading across her face. "It's such a pleasure seeing you here."Mr. Reed welcomed her warmly, his face lighting up with a smile. "Ah, Emily, you're welcome. You came at the right time. We're just about to have dinner. Please, join us."Her face lit up with delight as she accepted the invitation. "Thank you, Mr. Reed. I'd love to join you."As she sat down at the table, Mr. Reed made an introduction, “This is beautiful Bella, James's wife, I'm sure you both might have met at my birthday party and also at the wedding.”“Welcome Emily,” giving a polite smile. James, who had been quiet until now, spoke up, his voice friendly. "So Emily. What brings you here tonight?"Emily's smile faltered for a moment before she recovered. "Oh, I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing. I haven't seen you for a couple of days. I was around the neigh
James finally got discharged from the hospital, accompanied by his wife and Steve. As they pulled into the driveway, James smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.“Home sweet home," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.Bella smiled, helping James out of the car. "Welcome home, I know how much you've missed it," she said, her voice soft. "Let's get you settled in."Steve nodded, grabbing James's bag from the trunk. "Bella, why don't you take the bag upstairs, while I assist him inside.”James nodded, smiling weakly. "Thanks, Steve. I appreciate it."As they all tried to settle in, Bella excused herself, “I'm gonna take the bag upstairs, then come prepare something for us to eat," she said, her voice distracted.James thanked her, mentioning that he was really starving. "Thank Goodness cuz I'm famished already. What's for dinner?"Bella smiled, winking at him. "You'll just have to wait and see, baby. But trust me, it'll be worth it."James grinned, feeling a sense of antic
"Hey babes, that reminds me, have you heard anything from the police concerning James's accident?" Mia asked Isabella as they both prepared to step out.She shook her head, her expression somber. "Not really," she replied, her voice soft. "They've carried out all necessary investigation but I hope they find out who did it and apprehend the culprit. It's just so frustrating not knowing what happened."Mia nodded sympathetically, her eyes filled with concern. "I know, Bella. It's terrible. But I'm sure the police are doing everything they can to investigate. They'll find out who did it, don't worry, you need to take a break from all of this and allow them to do their job."Isabella smiled weakly, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thanks, Mia. Just talking to you makes me feel a little better. But I'm still so worried about my husband, he's been through so much already, and now this...it's just too much."Mia hugged Isabella tightly, trying to offer what little comfort she could. "I know
"What are you doing here, Alex?" Bella asked, not smiling and looking around if anyone was watching,"C’mon, you don't have to be hostile towards me. I was worried about you, Bella. After James came to my place to look for you, I thought he must have hurt you or done something to you."Mia, standing next to Bella, didn't give him a second glance, her expression cold and unyielding. "You need to leave now, Alex," she said, her voice firm. "Or I'll call the cops on you.”Bella's eyes narrowed, her expression suspicious. "Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice firm.Alex looked confused, his expression innocent. "Do what?" he asked, his voice soft. "I don't know what you're talking about, Bella."Bella's eyes flashed with anger, her expression furious. "Don't play dumb with me, Alex," she said, her voice firm. "I know you're involved in James' accident. And I want you to tell me why."Alex's expression changed, his eyes narrowing, his face twisting in anger. "How dare you lay such accu
"Emily? What are you doing here?" Steve asked, his voice gruff.Emily's smile never wavered. "Really? C’mon, have you forgotten I'm also a close friend and also a business associate with James? Anyways, I heard about his accident and I just had to come and see how he's doing," she said, her voice dripping with insincerity.Mia raised an eyebrow. "That's very kind of you, Emily. But I'm sure James would rather not have you here right now."Emily's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "Oh, I'm sure James would want me to be here for him. We're old friends, after all, and we have a lot of things in common."Isabella's eyes flashed with anger. "You're not his friend, Emily. You're just someone who's been trying to sabotage our marriage from the beginning, someone who has been forcing herself on a man who doesn't want her and will never want her "Emily's smile turned icy. "That's not true, Isabella. I'm just someone who cares about James and wants to see him happ
Steve burst through the hospital doors, his face etched with concern. He had just heard the news about James' accident and had rushed to the hospital to see his best friend. As he entered the waiting room, he spotted Isabella and Mia sitting, her eyes red-rimmed from crying.Steve rushed to them, his voice urgent. "Bella, what happened? I just heard about James' accident. Is he okay?"Isabella looked up at Steve, her eyes confused. "I...I don't know. I was just as shocked as you. I don't know what happened; immediately I got the news, I rushed down here."Steve's eyes narrowed, his expression skeptical. "You don't know? But he left the office saying he was going to look for you at Mia's place just a few hours ago. Did you not see him?"Isabella stuttered, her eyes darting around the room. "N-no...I didn't see him. I swear, Steve. I have no idea what happened."Steve's expression turned dark, his voice low and menacing. "You know you're the cause of all of these, if you hadn't left the
Isabella burst through the hospital doors, her eyes scanning the hospital frantically. She rushed to the reception desk, her voice shaking with urgency. "I need to see my husband, James Reed. He's a patient here."The nurse behind the desk looked up, her expression calm. "Ma'am, please, you need to calm down. Can you please tell me what's wrong?"Isabella's eyes flashed, her voice rising. "What's wrong? Seriously? I just received a call saying my husband was rushed down here and you stand here asking me what's wrong? My husband is here, and I need to see him right now."The nurse's expression turned sympathetic. "Ma'am, I understand. But you need to calm down, let's wait for the doctor attending to your husband to come."Isabella's face twisted in frustration. "No, I won't calm down. I need to see him. Now." Her voice echoed through the hospital lobby.A doctor approached, his expression firm. "Ma'am, I need to ask you to comfort yourself. You're in a hospital for God's sake, and not
Mia flung open the door, her expression fierce, expecting to see Alex's smirking face. But instead, she was met with James' pale and sad visage. His eyes, once bright and confident, now seemed sunken and desperate.Mia's aggressive stance faltered, her expression softening. "James...what are you doing here?" She stuttered, taken aback by his unexpected visit.James' voice cracked as he spoke. "Sorry to disturb you, Is ... .Isabella here?" His eyes scanned the hallway behind Mia as if hoping to catch a glimpse of his estranged wife.Mia's face contorted in a mixture of pity and guilt. "Uhm, not at all, I….I haven't seen her. I've been trying to reach her, but she's not responding to my calls." She hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.James' face fell, his eyes welling up with tears. "Oh...okay." His voice was barely above a whisper.Mia's expression turned sympathetic. "Hey, are you okay? I was actually about to come to check on her soon. I've been worried sick."James' eyes locked on
Isabella's eyes sparkled as she sipped her coffee, her smile radiant. Mia's apartment was cozy, filled with warm light and comforting aromas.Mia settled beside her, curiosity etched on her face. "So, Isabella, what are your plans?"Isabella's expression turned skeptical. "Plans? I'm still figuring things out. Not gonna lie, I don't want to be idle."Mia nodded encouragingly. "You deserve a break, but I know you're itching to do something."Isabella's thoughts drifted to her finances. "The partial payment from that crazy contract helped with my sister's medical bills, but he still owes me. Besides, my job isn't complete yet, and I haven't given him a child."Mia's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't rely on him, you know. You need stability."Isabella sighed. "I know. I’m desperately in need of a job. Something meaningful."Mia grinned mischievously. "What if I found you a job and coincidentally, it came with a marriage contract attached? Would you accept?"Isabella's laughter filled the ro