Unwanted Proposal

Two days later, the meeting Mr. Nelson had arranged with Ms. Clara was finally set up.

Clara was currently sitting in a large conference room, nervously looking around at her surroundings. The room was enormous, with a long polished table in the centre, luxurious leather chairs arranged neatly around it, and floor-to-ceiling glass windows offering a beautiful view of the city. Everything about the place screamed wealth and sophistication.

She adjusted the sleeves of her simple outfit and nervously clasped her hands together.

She had no idea why she had been summoned to such a prestigious office. All she knew was that she had received a call informing her about a potential job opportunity. Since she desperately needed money for her father's medical treatment, she had agreed to attend without asking too many questions.

For the past few days, she had been desperately searching for a stable job. Her father's medical expenses were increasing every day, and the hospital bills were becoming impossible for her to manage. She had already exhausted most of her savings and borrowed money from a few acquaintances. She knew she couldn't continue like this for much longer.

This job opportunity seemed like a ray of hope in her otherwise difficult life.

She glanced at the expensive clock hanging on the wall.

It had already been quite some time since she had arrived, yet nobody had come to meet her.

"Why are they taking so long?" she whispered to herself.

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair and looked towards the closed conference room door. A thousand thoughts crossed her mind. Was she supposed to meet the owner of the company? Would they ask about her educational qualifications? What if they rejected her because she hadn't completed her studies?

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.

Just when she was beginning to lose patience, the conference room door finally opened.

Two professionally dressed women stepped inside, followed by a man whose mere presence seemed to change the atmosphere of the entire room.

Clara immediately stood up.

The man was dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, with his expensive watch reflecting the light. His facial expression was unreadable, and his sharp eyes carried an intimidating coldness. He walked with confidence, as though the entire world moved according to his wishes.

It was none other than Mr. Nelson.

Behind him were his two secretaries.

Clara had never encountered someone with such a commanding presence before. For a brief moment, she found herself staring at him, unable to understand why the atmosphere suddenly felt so suffocating.

She quickly composed herself and offered a polite smile.

"Hello, my name is Clara. Nice to meet you," she greeted the two women.

The secretaries returned her greeting with professional smiles before taking their seats. Mr. Nelson, however, merely glanced at her without responding and walked towards the head of the table.

He settled into his chair, crossed one leg over the other, and rested his hands on the armrests.

Clara slowly sat down again, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the way he looked at her.

One of the secretaries opened a file placed in front of her and began speaking.

"Ms. Clara, we heard that you are looking for a stable job with a decent salary, preferably one that does not require many educational qualifications. Am I right?"

Clara nodded immediately.

"Yes, ma'am. I am looking for a job. Unfortunately, I haven't studied much, but I am willing to do any simple tasks assigned to me. I don't have any particular salary expectations either. The payment can be according to the work I do."

Her voice was gentle and respectful. She was careful with her words, hoping to make a good impression.

The secretaries exchanged a brief glance before nodding.

"Alright. We have gone through your background and understand your current circumstances. Our boss has personally shown interest in offering you an opportunity."

Clara's eyes widened slightly.

"Really? Thank you so much, ma'am. I will definitely work hard if I get this opportunity."

The secretary gave her a small smile before opening another file containing several documents.

However, what she said next completely shattered Clara's expectations.

"Our boss here, Mr. Nelson, wants to make you an offer. These are the contract papers that explain the conditions. You are required to marry Mr. Nelson and follow his instructions. In return, he will pay you the amount you desire."

For a moment, Clara thought she had misunderstood.

She blinked several times, trying to process the words she had just heard.

"Excuse me? Did you just say... marry?"

"Yes, Ms. Clara. You heard that correctly," the other secretary answered calmly.

Clara immediately turned her attention towards Mr. Nelson.

He was sitting comfortably in his chair, observing her reaction with an expression that revealed absolutely nothing. Unlike her, he did not seem embarrassed or uncomfortable discussing such an unusual proposal.

In fact, he appeared completely uninterested.

It was as though he was discussing an ordinary business transaction rather than asking a stranger to marry him.

Clara lowered her eyes for a moment before looking back at the secretaries.

"I'm sorry, but I think there has been some misunderstanding. I came here because I was told there was a job opportunity. I wasn't expecting something like this."

"There is no misunderstanding, Ms. Clara. Our boss is offering you a marriage contract. The terms and conditions are clearly mentioned in these documents."

Clara swallowed nervously.

She had never imagined that someone would approach her with such an offer. She was struggling to arrange money for her father's treatment, but that did not mean she was willing to marry a stranger.

"I'm sorry. I know I am in need of money, but I am not ready for marriage. Thank you for considering me, but I cannot accept this offer. If that is all, I'll take my leave."

She stood up, adjusted her dress, and turned towards the conference room door.

She wanted to leave that place as quickly as possible. The entire situation felt strange and uncomfortable, and she didn't want to remain there any longer.

However, before she could take more than a few steps, a cold voice stopped her.

"If you want your father to survive and get well soon, accept this offer."

Clara froze.

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her handbag.

Slowly, she turned around.

Mr. Nelson was looking directly at her, his expression still as cold as ever.

"I will pay all your father's medical expenses. His treatment, hospital bills, medication, and everything else will be taken care of. You won't have to worry about arranging money anymore."

For a brief moment, Clara's heart skipped a beat.

Was he really offering to pay for her father's treatment?

But before she could find the courage to ask anything, he continued.

"If you reject my offer, your father has very little time left in this world."

His words struck her like a slap.

"Please..." she whispered.

Her eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Please don't say that about my father."

Mr. Nelson leaned back in his chair, completely unaffected by the distress on her face.

"Then you know what you have to do."

Clara stood motionless.

Her mind had gone blank. She couldn't believe that someone could speak so casually about another person's life. Her father was the only family she had. He was the person who had raised her, protected her, and sacrificed everything to give her a better life.

Now, his survival depended on a decision she never wanted to make.

She looked down at the floor as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

What was she supposed to do?

If she rejected the proposal, how would she arrange the money for her father's treatment? She had already tried everything within her reach. There was nobody else she could turn to.

But accepting the proposal meant marrying a complete stranger.

A man who didn't even seem to respect her enough to discuss the matter personally.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and took a shaky breath.

After standing there for what felt like an eternity, she finally turned around and walked back towards the table.

She slowly pulled out the chair and sat down in front of Mr. Nelson.

Her eyes were red, and her expression was filled with helplessness.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked in a low, defeated voice.

A faint smile appeared on Mr. Nelson's face.

He had expected this reaction.

He knew that Clara wouldn't easily accept such an unusual proposal, but he had also known that her father's medical condition would become his strongest bargaining tool.

Without wasting another moment, he gestured towards his secretaries.

"Explain the contract to her."

The secretaries nodded and moved the documents closer to Clara.

"Ms. Clara, please go through the terms and conditions carefully. We will explain each clause to you."

Clara nodded silently and looked down at the papers.

The first condition stated that she was required to marry Mr. Nelson and officially become his wife.

The second condition clearly mentioned that she had to obey him in all matters. She was not allowed to question his decisions, deny his instructions, or act against his wishes.

The third condition stated that their marriage was strictly for his public image and business reputation. They would appear together as a married couple whenever required, especially during business gatherings, social events, and family functions.

There would be no romantic relationship between them. She was not supposed to expect love, affection, or emotional attachment from him.

Another condition stated that she had to respect his family members and fulfil her responsibilities as a daughter-in-law. Regardless of how they treated her, she was expected to tolerate whatever came her way without creating unnecessary problems.

Clara slowly turned each page, reading the conditions with trembling fingers.

Every clause made her heart feel heavier.

She was being asked to surrender almost every aspect of her personal freedom in exchange for financial assistance.

She looked up at the secretaries.

"May I ask something?"

"Of course, Ms. Clara."

"What if... what if I am unable to fulfil one of these conditions?"

The secretary glanced briefly at Mr. Nelson before answering.

"The contract clearly states that you are expected to follow all the conditions. You should understand that this is a formal agreement, and both parties are expected to honour their commitments."

Clara lowered her eyes again.

She hesitated before asking another question.

"And my father's treatment?"

"Mr. Nelson will take responsibility for all his medical expenses as agreed. You don't have to worry about that."

She looked towards the man sitting opposite her.

He was still watching her with the same cold expression.

There was no sign of sympathy in his eyes, nor did he seem concerned about the difficult position she was in.

For him, this was simply another business arrangement.

For her, it was a decision that would change the entire course of her life.

"Is there anything else you would like to clarify?" one of the secretaries asked.

Clara shook her head slowly.

She looked down at the signature page.

Her father's smiling face flashed through her mind. She remembered the days when he would encourage her to study, the little things he did to make her happy, and the sacrifices he had made throughout her childhood.

She couldn't lose him.

Not now.

Not when he needed her the most.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the pen placed beside the documents.

Her fingers trembled as she held it.

For a few seconds, she stared at the blank signature line, silently wishing that things had been different. She had dreams of her own, a future she wanted to build, and a life she had hoped would one day become easier.

But none of those dreams mattered at that moment.

Her father's life was more important.

With a heavy heart and tears threatening to fall again, Clara finally signed the agreement.

The moment her signature appeared on the paper, Mr. Nelson leaned forward slightly and took the documents from the table.

He glanced at the signature and smiled faintly.

His plan had finally succeeded.

"Good. I hope you understand that from this moment onwards, you are expected to honour every condition mentioned in the agreement," he said in his usual cold tone.

Clara nodded silently.

She couldn't bring herself to say anything.

She had just agreed to marry a man she barely knew, a man who had made it clear that their relationship would never involve love or affection.

All she wanted was for her father to recover.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nelson handed the signed papers to his secretary.

"Make the necessary arrangements. I want everything completed before the family gathering."

"Certainly, sir," she replied.

Mr. Nelson stood up, adjusted his suit jacket, and walked towards the door without sparing Clara another glance.

The two secretaries gathered the remaining documents and followed him.

Clara remained seated for a few moments, staring at the place where he had been sitting.

She slowly looked down at her signature.

A few tears fell onto the paper.

She had entered the conference room hoping to find a job that would help her save her father.

Instead, she had signed away her freedom and agreed to become the wife of a man who had no intention of loving her.

Little did she know that this signature would become the beginning of the most painful chapter of her life.