Chapter 7: The Demand for an Heir

Madam Hansel's grip felt incredibly sincere against Hellena's skin.

"Thank you, Hellena," the middle-aged woman whispered softly, her voice filled with deep emotion.

Hellena paused in confusion.

"Thank you for what, Mother?"

"For curing my son's phobia," Madam Hansel replied, looking at Hellena with eyes full of gratitude.

Hellena frowned slightly.

"A phobia?"

Beside her, Hellena could feel Kael's body suddenly tense. The atmosphere around him instantly turned cold.

"He's afraid of falling in love and being loved," his mother continued, ignoring her son's reaction. "Ever since that terrible tragedy eight years ago, Kael has built an incredibly high wall between himself and every woman. I nearly lost hope and thought he would spend the rest of his life alone, never marrying."

Hellena glanced at Kael from the corner of her eye.

The man was staring out the window of the hospital room, his jaw rigid, his eyes suddenly dark and gloomy.

Hellena swallowed hard.

There was a huge secret in this cruel man's past that she knew nothing about, despite having worked for him for five years.

"Oh... I see," Hellena replied softly, trying to keep her voice steady.

Madam Hansel smiled emotionally.

"Please take care of him, Hellena. Kael may appear strong and powerful to the world, but deep down... he has a very fragile side."

Something stirred strangely in Hellena's chest upon hearing those words.

Kael Willian? Fragile?

"I'll do my best, Mother."

"I'm entrusting my only son to you. And now that you're officially my daughter-in-law, call me Mother, not Madam," the older woman requested warmly yet firmly.

Kael cleared his throat softly, trying to interrupt the growing intimacy.

"Mother doesn't need to go that far. Your condition hasn't fully recovered yet."

"Shh!" Madam Hansel shot him a sharp glare.

"Be quiet, Kael. Let me talk to my daughter-in-law."

Hellena nearly laughed at the sight of a tyrannical CEO feared by the entire business community suddenly becoming completely powerless before his own mother.

Madam Hansel gently patted the back of Hellena's hand once more.

"You two must promise to make each other happy."

"We'll do our best, Mother," Hellena answered sincerely.

Madam Hansel nodded in satisfaction, her body relaxing against the bed.

"Now I can rest much more peacefully. At least before I finally close my eyes, I've seen you build a family of your own, Kael."

"Don't talk nonsense about death, Mother," Kael cut in quickly, his voice rising slightly with obvious displeasure.

His mother merely responded with an understanding smile.

The atmosphere in the room warmed for several moments. Then suddenly, a different spark of hope appeared in Madam Hansel's eyes.

"Now that the marriage issue is settled," she said slowly, looking between Kael and Hellena, "when can I expect to hold a grandchild?"

Cough!

Hellena and Kael both froze simultaneously.

Kael blinked in disbelief.

"Mother..."

"You've been hiding this relationship for a year, haven't you?" Madam Hansel raised both eyebrows meaningfully. "I would love to see the next heir of our family before I leave this world."

Instantly, Hellena's face burned red all the way to the tips of her ears. Her curvy body stiffened like stone.

Kael immediately took over the conversation, trying to ease the growing awkwardness.

"We haven't discussed anything that far yet, Mother. Right now, we're focused on your recovery."

"Why not?" his mother pressed innocently. "You're already legally married. Delaying something good isn't wise."

Hellena lowered her head deeply, staring at the tips of her shoes while her heart pounded chaotically.

No physical contact. No emotional involvement.

Those two absolute rules had been written clearly in black ink within their contract.

Yet reality was now demanding the exact opposite.

Kael stared at his mother with an unreadable expression, his jaw tightening slightly.

Madam Hansel smiled gently and squeezed Hellena's hand again.

"I only want to ensure that the Willian family bloodline continues through the right woman."

Hellena subtly nudged Kael's arm with her elbow, silently urging him to end this insane topic before she suffered a heart attack.

Kael finally exhaled softly.

"We'll... think about it later, Mother."

It was the safest diplomatic answer he could give to protect his mother's fragile condition.

Madam Hansel appeared highly satisfied with that response.

"Good. I'll hold you to that promise, Kael."

Hellena could only force an awkward smile onto her face.

Several minutes later, the ward door opened. A nurse entered and politely informed them that visiting hours for VIP patients had ended because the next medical examination was about to begin.

Kael bowed his head slightly toward his mother.

"We need to return to the office. We'll visit you again tomorrow."

Madam Hansel nodded understandingly.

"Remember what I said, Kael. And don't forget to bring me good news about my heir as soon as possible."

Hellena nearly choked on her own saliva at those final words.

They left the VIP ward at a much faster pace than when they had arrived. The moment the heavy wooden door closed behind them, Hellena immediately turned to face Kael.

"A grandchild?" Hellena whispered, her voice trembling with panic and tension. "How could your mother ask for something like that?"

Kael did not respond. He simply continued walking toward the elevator lobby, his cold gaze fixed straight ahead.

Hellena followed beside him and let out a long sigh in an attempt to calm the turmoil inside her chest.

"And I just found out that you have that kind of phobia."

"That is beyond the scope of your job, Hellena. And it is none of your business," Kael replied sharply, instantly rebuilding the wall between them.

The private elevator chimed open and slowly carried them down toward the ground floor.

Inside the confined moving space, an awkward silence once again hung heavily in the air.

"Starting today," Kael said, breaking the silence as the elevator neared the lobby floor.

His eyes remained fixed on their reflection in the mirrored wall.

"In front of my mother, we are a husband and wife deeply in love. You need to improve your improvisation so you won't look stiff."

Hellena nodded quietly, fully aware of the consequences attached to the one million euros she had accepted.

"Yes, Sir."

"And regarding my mother's request for a grandchild..."

Kael paused briefly before turning toward her and looking directly into her eyes.

"We'll find another medical solution without violating the clauses of the contract."

Hellena froze completely.

Her eyes widened in shock.

A medical solution for the grandchild issue?

Her thoughts immediately jumped to various medical procedures involving artificial conception, making her heartbeat even more unstable.

Would this contract marriage become far more complicated than she had ever imagined?