POWERLESS

world to crumble i

next, I was holding a medical report with a d

e," the doctor had said. "If it's not done within

omeone's life. Like he wasn't talking abou

y fingers clutched the hospital file so tightly, my nails dug into the plastic

for the surgery and the post-operative care. I couldn't even wrap my head arou

one. No back

water dripping from my soaked clothes pooling around my feet. It wa

worked night shifts and cleaned houses just so I could attend s

ost of them were people I hadn't spoken to in years. Some were old classmates, ot

mergency medical assistance, only to be told the waitlist was months long. Pawned every valuable

y bottom lip har

lse cou

Isla

e storm like a sharp blad

lla shielding him from the downpour. His suit looked more expensive than my entire apar

tly, pulling my soaked co

represent Mr. Ale

the cold had gotten to my h

y, frowning. "As in... the bil

Yes. Mr. Blackwood has

ou must be mistaken. I d

need to. H

ipple of uneas

s this

I have no idea what

out a sealed envelope. He handed it to me, along with a business

, unsure of what I

made my br

,000. Payable

my ribcage. I glanced up at hi

t be real,"

replied calmly. "It co

" I asked, already bracin

od legally and publicly. In return, the check is yours,

e he had just spoken

me to marry

s a business transaction. Mr. Blackwood requires a wif

omach

y not someone from his own world? A model? A so

ok in his eyes before he said, "Because you resemb..

d that e

was so surreal. I could almost feel

rstand... is t

u'll receive a copy to review. Everyt

x months?" My

leanly. Discreetly. No

nd the urgency clawing at my heart. My mother needed that money. S

. No options.

ering to buy my life for six mo

if I say no?"

I walk away, and the of

ny sign that this was a prank or a scam or

here w

ke Alexander Blackwo

r. He simply gave a thi

f into the rain, disappearing like a shadow into the

ed, stunned, heart

e I never expected, attached to

was a blessing or a tra

own, I knew

esn't care abou

ten me into a deal I co