NICOLE
A contract marriage was not something I had ever imagined for myself. Love wasn't even on my bucket list. But here I was, considering a contract marriage with Marcus, a wealthy young man.As I sat on the couch, gazing out the window, I noticed the serene surroundings, and it looked like it was going to rain.I sent a text to Nina, telling her that I had made it home and that she could enjoy the after-party on her own.Memories flooded back to me, and tears began to stream down my face. Damian my younger brother had been born with a defective heart, and even at sixteen, his condition was still critical. He had undergone several surgeries, but none had been successful. He urgently needed a heart transplant, but finding a suitable donor had proven to be a challenge due to his rhesus factor.Also, my dad had suffered a work accident years ago, resulting in a perforated lung.These were some of the reasons why I had left home and moved to North Dakota - I wanted to work and raise money for Damian's transplant and Dad's treatment. Dad had undergone surgery to cover the hole in his lung, but now it seemed like he had contracted an infection.My head was pounding and I collapsed onto the couch, slipping into a restless sleep.Suddenly, my phone rang, jolting me awake. I saw Nina bustling around the kitchen, preparing breakfast.“Nina,” I groaned, rubbing my temples. “When did you get here?”“A few hours ago. Are you feeling okay? You look pale,” she said, rushing over with a cup of green tea.“I just have a bad headache,” I mumbled, taking a sip of the tea. I noticed my phone flashing with my mother's name and quickly answered it.“Hi, Mom,” I said, my heart racing.“Thank you, Nicole. Damian is out of surgery, but he’s still unconscious,” she said, her voice shaking.“Was the surgery successful?” I asked, holding my breath.“Yes, but we need a donor as soon as possible. His heart muscles are very weak at the moment, and we have a week to find a donor or he might not make it,” she said, struggling to hold back her tears.“I’ll fly to Florida this evening. I hope to be there by 8 pm,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.“Would your boss be okay with that?” she asked.“I’m sure he’ll understand. Please keep me updated, and I’ll see you soon,” I said before hanging up.As I sat there, tears streaming down my face, I knew what I had to do. I had to go through with this contract marriage with Marcus to save Damian's life.“Is this another cardiac episode for Damian?" Nina inquired, and I simply nodded, the lump in my throat preventing me from speaking."I'm so sorry, Nicole," she said, gently placing her hand on my head as I rested it on her chest. The tears I had been struggling to hold back flowed freely and uncontrollably.After breakfast, I felt somewhat calmer. Nina insisted on accompanying me to Florida and purchased a ticket for the same flight. Fortunately, we were able to secure twin seats so that she could sit next to me.After I gave my landlord the remainder of my savings, Nina came with me to pack a few of my belongings before we boarded a bus back to her house.Nina, there's something I need to tell you," I said, and she looked at me expectantly."What is it?" she asked."You remember the guy who came to my rescue at the diner a few days ago? Marcus?" I said."Of course, I remember him. Wait a minute... I ran a background check on him. He's the biological son of Christian and Jean Russell," she replied, causing me to stare at her in shock."Jean Russell? The famous actress who passed away two years ago?" I asked incredulously."Yes, that Jean Russell. His father, Christian Russell, owns a chain of high-end schools and real estate. Marcus himself is a self-made billionaire, as he owns Ria Games," she explained, leaving me gaping in disbelief."Ria Games? That's the most popular game of the century," I said in surprise."Well, it turns out he's not some mysterious man after all. He's a rich young playboy who's also breathtakingly handsome. I wonder what made him step up to save you," she mused."Or what made him approach me for marriage," I murmured, causing Nina to exclaim loudly."Shh! Keep your voice down, Nina. We're almost home. I'll tell you all about it once we get there," I said, trying to calm her down.We maintained silence till we reached home but I could see the curiosity burning in Nina's eyes. As soon as we dropped my bags, she turned to me."I'm all ears," she said, and I led her to the couch, taking a seat beside her."The thing is, I met him again at the art exhibition yesterday. He proposed a business deal where we enter into a contract marriage for the next year”“His father and stepmother have been nagging him to get married, but he doesn't want to. To appease them, he's decided on a marriage of convenience”“I'll be paid, and he's already given me some money to handle a few things, which is how I have some money left," I explained, and Nina's jaw dropped in surprise."The most sought-after man in all of North Dakota and the United States asked you for a marriage of convenience? Damn girl, you're really lucky," she exclaimed“Oh, come on, stop teasing me and start packing. We need to leave for the airport soon," I replied with a laugh, playfully smacking her shoulder.We arrived in Florida in just 40 minutes, and Nina quickly hailed a cab. "Monica Memorial Hospital," she told the driver, and we got in."I hope Damian is alright," Nina said, expressing my own thoughts.The journey was uneventful, and we arrived at the hospital soon enough. I called my younger sister, Darla, to let her know that I was at the hospital counter."Nicole!" Darla exclaimed when she saw us, and she hugged me tightly. "I missed you so much," I told her as I kissed her cheeks."I missed you too, Nicole. Hi, Nina," Darla greeted as she hugged Nina too."Where's Damian?" I asked anxiously."Follow me," she said, and we walked to the ward. As we entered the ward, we saw many doctors and nurses bustling around, and our mom was standing by a corner, staring as if in disbelief."What's happening?" I asked, my heart pounding."They found a donor for Damian, Nicole," Mom said tearfully. "They found a donor that matches his unique situation. And to top it off, the money for the heart transplant has been deposited anonymously. It's a miracle, Nicole. A miracle has happened."NICOLE “A miracle has happened”. The words my mom uttered sounded like magic in my ears.“Where’s Damian right now?” I asked my mom who was still overjoyed."Damian is down the hallway. Hurry, you might be able to see him before he undergoes anesthesia," Mom urged me. Without wasting a moment, I sprinted down the corridor, determined to catch a glimpse of Damian before his surgery commenced."Hey, sis!" Damian called out as soon as he caught a glimpse of me through the glass window. Tears welled up in my eyes as I took in his sickly appearance; he was a mere shadow of his former self. I quickly wiped my tears and smiled back at him, giving him a reassuring wave.Just then, a kind-looking nurse approached me and handed me some protective gear.“You'll need to put this on before entering the OR," she said. I smiled gratefully at her and quickly donned the gear before entering the operating room.With a weak voice, Damian called out, "Sis." I immediately broke down in silen
NICOLEWhat the hell was Marcus doing here?!The nurse seemed to have heard me and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Miss Zachary?"I shook my head, realizing that I had spoken out loud. "Nothing, sorry. Where is he?""He's waiting for you in the lobby," she said and gestured towards the door.I nodded and got up from the chair. I quickly brushed my hair with my fingers and straightened my dress before heading out of the room.If there was anything I was anxious about, it was unnecessary attention. It would go round the whole world, that Marcus the son of a world class actress came to look for a regular girl. When I finally reached the lobby, I saw him leaning against a pillar in the hallway, his left leg crossed over his right, and his arms folded. Lord, he was a beautiful specimen to look upon. He looked at me and stood straight.“Hi, Love,” he said and waved at me. I looked back and pointed at myself.“Me?” I whispered and nodded, feeling a little flustered.I sighed and walked faste
NICOLE"Damian is awake?" I asked, exchanging looks with Marcus. Without waiting for Nina to respond, I rushed towards the elevator.Together, we hurried down the hallways and arrived at Damian's room, where we saw a flurry of doctors and nurses rushing in.Damian was sitting up and flashing a smile at the nurses who were tending to him."Mr. Damian, are you feeling alright? Any discomfort or pain?" asked the neurosurgeon, to which Damian nodded in response."I'm doing okay, Doc. Just feeling a little dizzy, but overall I'm fine," Damian replied.“Damin," I called out as he turned to face me at the door, his eyes lighting up at the sight of me."Nicole," he replied, his voice full of warmth and affection.I wiped away the tears that were streaming down my face and walked towards him. He grabbed my hand and held it tightly."Sis," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I've missed you so much, Sis," he continued, holding onto my hand even tighter.I turned towards the doctor and aske
NICOLE "Is that Marcus Russell?" Darla exclaimed with such excitement that her loud voice startled Damian from his slumber."Shh, Darla!" I cautioned her, trying not to wake Damian any further.As Marcus rose to his feet and wiped his face, I couldn't help but notice his tousled hair, likely a result of sleeping on the couch."Wow, it really is Marcus!" Darla exclaimed, her bags falling to the ground in her excitement."Hello Marcus, I'm Darla Zachary and I'm a huge fan of yours," she gushed, her eyes wide and shining as she looked at him in awe.Marcus reached out and took her hands, shaking them warmly as a smile spread across his face.“I'm always excited to see you on the red carpet and in your photoshoots, and I used to be a big fan of your music as well," Darla expressed."Thank you, Darla," Marcus replied with a grin. "It seems like you have a lot of admiration for me."Darla blushed and looked away. "Please, just call me Darla."As the conversation continued, I cleared my thr
MARCUSI sat across from Nicole's mother, Mrs. Zachary, feeling incredibly uneasy. I knew that this meeting was going to be intense. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I felt as if I was being interrogated. Every time I opened my mouth to speak, I felt like she was dissecting my words.I had just confessed to her that I loved her daughter and let's just say the atmosphere wasn't pleasant. I could only imagine what was going through her mindMrs. Zachary's face remained stoic, but her eyes betrayed a hint of surprise. "I see. And what does this have to do with me?"I took a deep breath. This was not the response I was hoping for. “I want to ask for your blessing to marry her.""Absolutely not," she said firmly.I was taken aback. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"Mrs. Zachary took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "I'm sorry, but I have to be clear. I cannot allow you to marry my daughter," she said firmly.As soon as the words left her mouth, I heard gasps from Nina and Darla, who
NICOLE I could tell that my mother was incredibly upset. Her face was filled with anger, and it was clear that she was very angry about something. I had never seen her so mad before, and it was worrying to see her like this. As I looked on, Marcus slowly got up from his seat and made his way out of the room. He even gave me a peace-out sign before he left.Feeling confused and upset, I turned to my mom and asked her, "Mom, why did you do that?" I couldn't understand what had caused her to react in such a way, and I was desperate for an explanation.My mom gave me a disapproving look that made me feel uneasy. "Have all the men on earth suddenly vanished that you had to settle for Marcus?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.I was taken aback by her comment. I couldn't understand why she was being so harsh towards Marcus. So, I frowned and replied, "What's wrong with getting married to Marcus? You still haven't given me a valid reason for your disapproval."I was determined not to
NICOLE It had been two weeks since Damian's heart surgery, and although I had been spending most of my time at the hospital, I couldn't help but think about Marcus. We had been meeting up in secret since the day Damian was admitted.Marcus had invited me to an event, one of his friends was celebrating his son’s first birthday. He had told me it was going to be grand and I should dress for the occasion.I was in my room with Nina going through my closet, thinking of what to wear. “Gosh! I’m so tired I’ve been rummaging through my closet, still I haven’t seen the perfect outfit” I sighed, slumping on the bed.“Let’s keep searching, we will find something soon,” Nina said.“Most of my clothes are just casual wear, how do I find a cloth that’s elegant?” “Who even does a grand party for a one year old anyways”“The people of high class obviously” Nina said“Come on, you have to find something,” Nina said, standing in front of me with her hands on her hips. “You can’t be late to this part
MARCUSI was sound asleep, dreaming of nothing in particular, when my phone rang, jolting me awake. I fumbled for the phone on my bedside table, groaning as I answered the call."Hello?" I grumbled, my voice heavy with sleep.“Marcus, it's me, Mike," came the urgent voice on the other end of the line.Mike was my cousin from my mother’s side."Mike? What's going on? Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?""I need you to come to the old abandoned warehouse on Oak Street. Something important has come up."I frownedWhy did he need me to go there in the middle of the night? What could be so urgent?It better not be a prank “What's going on?" I asked, my mind racing with possibilities."I can't explain it over the phone," he said urgently. "Just trust me and come here. It is important."I threw on some clothes and hopped in my car, the sense of unease growing stronger with each passing moment. The night was dark and eerie, and the street lights flickered ominously as I pulled