Chapter 4

CARMEN'S POV

"What?! What did you say happened to you?" Chloe asked me as I sipped on the juice she had poured me. 

"I said that I was offered a proposal. This man wants to get married to me!" I said. 

I still can't believe the luck that I had today. But seriously, is this even luck? 

I don't know who this man is at all and I don't know what problems he has that he will have to ask someone to be his wife for a year. 

I mean, he's actually very good looking so I'm sure that it won't be hard for him to date and get married right? 

Why does he need someone to do this for him for a fee?

"Wow I can't....I can't believe this. What's going on in your life Carmen? This is like a scene out of a movie! How can you meet someone who just offered to marry you? It doesn't make sense at all" Chloe said. 

I nodded my head, knowing that she's right. It doesn't make sense at all. 

"I don't know....I don't understand what happened either. Today, I left the house, hoping to display my art in a gallery and making some sales. It'd be fine if I only sold one, at least I won't have to live on the streets. My mom has given me almost all of her money and I feel really bad. I don't want to give up on art Chloe. You know that it's my dream. Anyway, I arrived there today and instead of getting a chance to display my art, he told me that he wants to get married to me. He's going to pay me one million dollars as long as I can put on this charade of being married to him for a year!" I said to Chloe. 

Chloe spat out the water in her mouth immediately I said this. 

"One million....one million dollars?! Carmen, who is this man that you met?! How can he just offer one million dollars like that?" Chloe asked me. 

I realized that I really knew nothing about him at all. And yet, I had agreed to his proposal just like that. What was I thinking? 

I know…. the fact that I am going to be homeless soon if I don't find a way to come up with money contributed to that impulsive decision. 

"I know...it's a lot. I don't think that I'd ever make that much even if I got a chance to sell all of my art" I said.

"I think that you should take it Carmen. You should get married to him" Chloe told me. 

"What? You really think so? But we don't even know who this man is! What if he turns out to be a horrible person?" I asked her. 

"Oh please I really don't think so Carmen. I mean, you said that he looks rich. Besides, I feel like all rich people have skeleton in thier cupboards. There's no way that they get so much money without stepping on some toes and doing some bad things right? But it should not really matter to you. What you should care about is how you're going to survive. We need to face the facts here Carmen. You may have to give up your dreams of being an artist and take up a regular job if this continues" Chloe said to me. 

I frowned. This is what I feared the most. Giving up my dreams. After working so hard to get to this point. 

But I know that that is probably what is waiting for me if I don't find do something quick. 

"I don't want to give up art Chloe. I don't care if I'm being unrealistic or not. I've always wanted to do art and I managed to put myself through art school. I don't want to give up now.... especially since I have made so many sacrifices to get here" I said to Chloe.

"And now, you don't have to give up! Why should you give up your dreams? Especially like what you said, you've put in a lot of effort into it and gone through so much just to see yourself through art school. Carmen, you are a really good artist. I know you are a good artist. Heck, I'm sure that you know deep down that you're a good artist. What you need is just one lucky break. And I think that it may just have appeared in front of you right now. Without worrying about your rent and other bills you need to pay, I'm sure that you will be able to focus more on your art and you can create even better art" Chloe said to me. 

I found myself nodding as she said this. This really does make a lot of sense now that I think about it. Without having to worry about how I'll survive the next day or about the fact that I may just become homeless, I can focus more on my art and create even better art that will catch people's attentions. 

"And also, you said that you met him at the art gallery right? Which means that he is very well connected to the art world. All that you need Carmen, is a lucky break to get your work out there. I am sure that he can help you with this. So I think that in a year, you'd be walking away with not just one million dollars, you'd also be walking away as a successful artist who's set up for life. Is there anything better than this?" Chloe asked me..

I shook my head. It sounds good....this does sound good....but I can't shake off the feeling that I may be using him. 

"Do you think that I'd be using him if I do this?" I asked Chloe. 

"Oh, come on Carmen. He's asking you to get married to him for some reason that you don't know. You need to take as much benefits as you can!" Chloe said to me. 

I nodded my head. "Yes. You are right"

"So what did you tell him when he asked you to get married to him?"

"I told him yes. Then I ran away"

"What?!"

"I said I ran away!" 

"Wait, let me get this straight, you told him that you agreed to his proposal and then you just what? Got up and ran away?! Who the heck does that?" Chloe asked me. 

I frowned. "Don't blame me! I had no idea what I was thinking! I was just sitting there with him and he told me that I had to get married to him. I don't know....the only thing that I could think of was the fact that I'll get thrown out of my house very soon if I don't come up with the money for my rent. And also there are other bills that I'm supposed to pay. I had no other choice than to blurt out yes!" I said to Chloe. 

"Since you already agreed to it, why did you see the need to run? He must think that you're crazy right now! What if he doesn't want you and he actually goes to find someone else?! You would have lost your chance then!" Chloe said to me. 

I was really starting to panic now. After Chloe explained things to me, I was starting to see that it's a good idea for me to get married to him

I don't have to care about why he wants to get married to me or anything that he does. I just need to take his money and do a good job. 

But at that moment, immediately I agreed to it, I panicked and I didn't see a better option than to run away. 

I just agreed to give a year of my life to a man that I barely know. It was so unlike me. The thought of that really unsettled me and I could only make a run for it. 

"I just panicked Chloe. I don't know him! I felt as if I had just made a very horrible decision! I think he's going to call me back though ...he said something about how he thinks that I fit the image of the wife that he's looking for ...so I am sure that he's going to call. He's definitely going to call" I said. 

I felt as if I was trying to convince myself more than I was trying to convince Chloe that he'll call back. 

"Oh please Carmen. You said that he's a really rich man. There can't be a shortage of women in this city like you who will be willing to get married to him to earn a quick one million dollars in just a year's time! Just hope that he does call you back or else you're going to lose such a good opportunity!" Chloe said to me. 

My heart was beating fast against my chest. He should please call back....I won't blow off such a good opportunity again. 

A few seconds later, my phone rang. I looked at it. It was an unknown number. 

I picked it up with high expectations. 

"Hello, who's this?" I asked