Chapter 3

• Grace's POV
• I was fully prepared for any insults the doctor might hurl at me as I entered the hospital to check on my mom as I had not paid my mother's past three months hospital bill.
• I greeted the staff at the nursing station before walking into the ward where my mother was.
• They had stopped her treatment and advised me to take her home, but I refused because if there were to be an emergency, what would I do? Even though she wasn't receiving treatment, I still believed she was safe in the hospital.
• As I entered the ward, I saw my mother sitting up on her bed, her eyes looking red. When I moved closer to her, I could tell that she had been crying.
• “You still don’t want me to sell that necklace of yours,” I blurted out, and seeing her red eyes only fueled my anger. How on earth would someone love an old necklace than her own life
• I mean, who’s going to wear the necklace when she eventually passes away? Me? What does she even think?
• “I already have buyers for that necklace, Mom. It’s old, and these gold dealers really want it. Let’s sell it for your health.” I managed to keep my voice low because if I spoke with the anger I felt, I’d only end up hurting her feelings.
• She just stared at me, saying nothing.
• Maybe she was considering it, so I stayed quiet to give her time to think.
• I picked up my phone to call my friend Vera. I needed to see if she had found a way to help me. Just as I placed the phone to my ear, my mom tapped me. I looked at her, and she simply shook her head, meaning she is not selling the necklace.
• “What the hell is wrong with this woman?” I wanted to scream in frustration.
• “Why?” I asked, my voice already laced with anger.
• She didn’t respond, she just crossed her arms over her chest as tears streamed down her face.
• She still loves him. I knew it, but he abandoned us, so why hold onto the gift he gave her all those years ago?
• I moved closer and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
• I wanted to ask her what would happen to the necklace if she eventually died from the cancer, but I had to hold that back to keep her from crying more.
• The hatred I felt from hearing how my father abandoned us years ago because his family said my mom was his bad luck made me never want to marry.
• “You will be fine, Mommy,” I said, tears falling down my cheeks as I thought of how much she loved the man that had chosen his family over us.
• Now, the only option left is the one my boss suggested.
• I never want to get involved in any kind of marriage, and now the only option is a contract marriage—one without feelings. A marriage based on feelings comes with many struggles, not to mention one that lacks them entirely.
• As much as I hate to think about it, I still need money to help my dying mother.
• The sound of my ringtone jolted me from the embrace as I grabbed my phone. It was Vera calling, she must have seen my missed call.
• “How is Mom?” That was her first question as I answered.
• “Vera, her condition is getting worse. We really need the money for the surgery,” I said, my voice trembling.
• I could hear Vera let out a deep sigh.
• “I couldn't get any money for you,” she replied, her voice heavy with sadness.
• “Vera, there’s an option for me to get the money,” I said, stepping away from my mother. I didn’t want her to hear this.
• “I don’t think I can do it, though,” I added as I found a seat in the reception area.
• “What is that?” Vera asked impatiently.
• “A contract marriage with my boss for eleven months,” I said quietly to keep the patient next to me from hearing.
• “What?!” Vera exclaimed, a hint of joy in her tone, and then she burst into laughter.
• Why is she laughing at something so serious? It was really annoying.
• “Why don’t you want to do it?” she asked after she stopped laughing.
• “Vera, I just said it’s a contract marriage for eleven months,” I repeated, maybe she didn’t hear me well.
• Vera had never met Victor Mason in person, but she always praised him as the most handsome and influential man she had ever known.
• Vera followed my boss on all social media and didn’t hide the fact that she had a crush on him.
• “Do you know how much I’m dying to meet that man and maybe give him a taste of my body?” Vera said, laughing, but quickly stopped when she noticed my silence. She knew I didn’t appreciate crude talk around me.
• “Maybe you can give me his number,” she said again, sounding more serious.
• “He said no intimacy attached,” I replied. She fell quiet for a moment before finally saying,
• “Don’t worry about that. I’ll find a way to have him to myself after the marriage.” Her smile was almost audible.
• “Vera,” I called her name, suspecting she was imagining inappropriate things about her and my boss. I knew her well enough to know she could easily do that.
• “What?” she screamed back at me. “I don’t even think you love your mother,” she hissed again.
• This was the second time I would be hearing that word in a day — from my boss and the person I see as my best friend.
• Tears streamed down my cheeks as the words rang in my head — Did you even love your mother?
• “The cute man doesn’t even want your body, and you want to reject him?” she said again, her voice filled with anger.
• I wanted to respond, but I had to hang up when I saw the doctor approaching.
• “Miss Thomas, I’m sorry, but we will discharge your mother by tomorrow evening if we don’t get the money for the surgery,” he said sharply before turning to leave.