The marriage proposal

MIA'S POV

grrr... grrrr

grr... grrr

i wake up to the sound of my phone ringing and groggily pick up "hello" I mumbled as my head is pressed against the pillow.

"Hello Mia"

The sound of that voice was enough to wake me up completely. I sat up and stared at my phone. How did Damien get my number?

"Mia!" I heard my name being repeated over the phone and decided to speak.

"Yes Damien"

I heard him take a sharp breath as I called out his name.

"Come  downstairs. Let's go see your father" was all I heard before the line went dead.

I sat transfixed for a minute before realizing. Damien was downstairs and he wanted to take me to the hospital.

I dashed into the bathroom and got dressed as fast as I could.

 Downstairs I saw his car, the latest Mercedes. I walked towards the car and got in. "Good morning."

He hums a response and drives off in the direction of the hospital.

I buy my lips nervously as I try to ask the questions running through my mind. I was lost in thought as to why he was being so nice to me.

"What is it?" I heard him say 

 His voice jolted my back to reality from my train of thoughts. I turned to look at him, "Why are you being so nice to me? How did you get my number and you're driving straight to my dad's hospital without asking for directions"

****

DAMIEN'S POV

 I could tell I made her nervous, she was shuffling in her seat and was biting her lips, I also knew she had a thousand questions running through her mind right now. 

"What is it?" 

 She visibly jumped like she had been lost in thoughts and my question shocked her.

She looked at me and asked nervously "Why are you being so nice to me? How did you get my number and you're driving straight to my dad's hospital without asking for directions"

Her questions didn't surprise me as I was expecting them. 

Last night, after dropping her off I didn't go back to the party i went straight to the office with my secretary and gathered all the information I could about her and her father's predicament. Marcel Silverstein's company was really gone and things could get worse as the banks were going to reclaim their houses and private properties. 

 Fortunately, Marcus Silverstein was a wise man. He had kept aside a generous amount of money in a foreign account and bought secret shares  that would be given to Mia if she were to get married before her twenty second birthday which was next month.

Stealing a glance at her, he was sure she wasn't aware of this and her father had to time to tell her and he was in a coma right now.

My secretary constantly reminded me last night that this whole mess wasn't my business  and me getting involved with my nephew's ex fiancé could get messy but for some reason I didn't care. I just wanted to get involved, plus getting the remaining existing shares of the Silverstein company wasn't a bad idea as well.

"Let's get married."  

"What?" She screamed so loud I instinctively pressed hard on the brakes.

"Is marrying me such a bad idea?" I sneered. For some reason her reaction annoyed me.

"That is how I've decided you'll pay off your debt. If you're so against it then fine!" I snapped.

"No that's not it. You don't understand. I'm your nephew's ex fiancé and he just called off the engagement a few days ago..." She trailed off

Taking a deep breath to suppress my anger "I know. Right now you need all the money you can get to take care of your father and I need a wife. It's going to be a contractual marriage."

Her brows were furrowed as she listened to me, "Why would you need a wife?" She finally asked after being silent for a few minutes.

"I am not related by blood to Lucy and her kids. I was adopted when I a baby into their family but later left when I was seven. I found my real grandfather in England. Apparently my mother got married out of wedlock and was sent away from the house, she had me and gave me up for adoption. Both my parents are dead and my grandfather is all I have now. Long story short my grandfather is terminally ill and he has been bugging me to get married. I want to fulfill his wishes."

" I already told him I had a girlfriend and the plan was to get a random girl to pay for that job."

I watched her face closely as I gave her my back story. She looked overwhelmed.

***

MIA'S POV

I listened closely to all Damien had to say and I was taken aback.

'A contractual marriage with my ex fiancée's uncle. Although they weren't blood related'

The very idea sent shockwaves through me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It felt like a tidal wave crashing over my heart, leaving me speechless and bewildered.

As I looked at him, I couldn't help but notice how unfazed he appeared. It was as if nothing could rattle him, no matter how challenging or intense the situation. His calm demeanor was almost unnerving, contrasting sharply with the chaos and uncertainty that his proposal brought.

The notion of entering into such an unconventional arrangement left me feeling a mix of confusion, disbelief, and even a touch of fear. I had been living life by the books and look where that got me, a failed ten year relationship and a failed engagement.

"I'll marry you. In fact let's do it right now before going to see my father."

I could tell my answer caught him by surprise but I had made up my mind. It's time to live life a little dangerously.