Chapter 1 A Crazy Idea

Harry's suggestion didn't sit right with Deanna at all. Anyone in their right mind wouldn't come up with something like that.

"What you're saying doesn't make any sense. Did you hit your head before you came here?" she said.

"I know it sounds crazy, but we really need your help. I don't know who else to turn to," Harry replied.

Laura, Harry's fiancée, remained silent. Still, the worry on her face kept growing.

Things had already gotten complicated. They were both still in school, still young, and deeply in love, but they hadn't been careful. Just three days ago, Laura confirmed she was pregnant.

"Trust me, I get it, Harry, but no one will believe this. Your family doesn't even know who I am," Deanna said.

"I already spoke to my brother, and he agreed. Please, Deanna, help us," Harry said.

At that point, Laura gathered her courage and finally spoke, and her eyes filled with tears.

"We wouldn't come to you like this if it didn't matter so much to us. Our families are strict about these things. They won't allow Harry to marry me if his older brother isn't married yet. And my family won't let me keep the baby if I'm not married," Laura said.

Watching how anxious Laura was about her baby made Deanna hesitate.

"I can't believe people still think like that these days. But I've only seen your brother in pictures," she said.

The idea they laid out was straightforward. If Harry and Laura wanted to get married, then Daniel, Harry's widowed older brother, needed to remarry first. As Harry's closest friend, Deanna ended up being their only choice.

"I can't wrap my head around it either. It feels like we're stuck in another era. This was the only way I could think of, and Daniel said he's willing to go through with it too," Harry said.

"How is your family supposed to take this? Do I just walk in one day and tell them I'm your brother's fiancée?" she asked.

"We'll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, what matters is getting you married as soon as possible. Once that's done, we'll have our own wedding, and then we can welcome our baby," Harry said.

Somehow, Deanna found herself thinking the same way Harry did. The plan sounded ridiculous, yet it was starting to make sense. She cared too much about her friend, and when she saw how distressed Laura was over her unborn child, she finally made her choice.

"Alright, but-"

"Are you serious, Deanna? This is incredible!" Harry said.

"Hold on, Harry-"

"You really saved us. You're amazing! Laura, we're getting married!"

"Harry! Wait, please... At least let me meet your brother first," she said.

"That works. I'll set up a dinner so the four of us can sit down and meet."

Tears spilled down Laura's face, and she couldn't hold them back. The relief and joy hit her all at once. Harry pulled her into his arms and held her close, pressing soft kisses to her cheeks as he tried to calm her down. Anyone could see how deeply they loved each other. It made everything feel even more unfair, knowing they had to come up with something so extreme just to be together.

The more Deanna thought about it, the more it felt like she was stepping straight into trouble. She couldn't understand how a family could still hold onto such rigid traditions. Even so, turning them down didn't feel right after everything they had shared. She had known Harry since his first days at the Arts University. They became classmates almost immediately, then partners in mischief, and eventually, the kind of friends who stuck by each other no matter what.

Back then, Laura hadn't been comfortable with how close Deanna was to her fiancé. As time passed, though, she realized there was nothing romantic between them. What they had felt more like siblings than anything else. From then on, the three of them spent most of their time together, even if their lives were completely different.

Both Harry and Laura came from families known for producing successful professionals. Deanna's story was nothing like theirs. She grew up with just her mother and grandmother, and she was the first person in her family to make it to university.

To keep things going, she worked part-time at a clothing shop. It helped with her expenses and eased some of the pressure on her mother, who had already done so much just to send her to study in the capital. Singing came naturally to Deanna, a gift she probably got from the father she had never met. Her mother and grandmother gave up a lot so she could chase a better future.

Money had never been an issue for Harry and Laura. Still, Harry had his own struggle when he fought to study music. His father had wanted him to follow a more traditional path like law, medicine, or business, just like his brother Daniel. In the end, things worked out because Daniel had already taken over the family business, so their father loosened up a bit with his younger son.

"My family can't know about this," Deanna said.

"Why not?" Laura asked.

"My family only has the three of us. It's my mom, my grandmother, and me. I don't want them to believe this marriage will last forever, only to see me divorced later. I already promised them I'd finish my degree first," Deanna said.

"Don't stress about it. We'll keep everything as low-key as we can," Harry replied.

Time wasn't on their side. Laura had less than eight months before the pregnancy became impossible to hide. They had to move fast. Once Deanna and Daniel got married, Harry and Laura planned to run off together and begin their life elsewhere. They would come back after the baby was born, and by then, no one would be in a position to question them.

As for Deanna and Daniel, they would simply say things didn't work out and go their separate ways, as if it had all been temporary. It wouldn't raise suspicion. Couples split all the time after realizing they weren't right for each other. No one would get hurt, and Deanna would end up with a niece or nephew to dote on.

"I'll call my brother and tell him the good news. I'll also ask when he's free to meet us," Harry added.

"Does he even know who I am?" Deanna asked.

"He knows I planned to ask a friend from university. There was no point telling him it was you since you two haven't met," Harry answered.

"Alright, I get it."

"Relax, I'm sure he'll like you. He's not as hard to deal with as people make him out to be," Harry continued.

"What exactly do you mean by 'hard to deal with'?" Deanna asked.

"My future brother-in-law can be a little... particular. Still, Harry's right. Once you get used to him, he's not that bad," Laura said, trying to reassure her.

"Why do I feel like I just signed myself up for a disaster?" Deanna said.

A knowing look passed between Harry and Laura. Daniel could be difficult at times, that much was true, but he wasn't a bad person. He was strict, nothing like Deanna's easygoing and lively nature. Even so, he agreed to help for the sake of his future niece or nephew. When he first heard the news, he made a scene, but in the end, he still chose to stand by his brother, his soon-to-be sister-in-law, and the child.

"Oh, and you do know Daniel has three kids, right?" Harry said.

"What?!"

"Yeah. Ethan, Naomi, and Jonathan."

"I thought those were your sister's kids!" she exclaimed.

"No. Susan's still single," Harry said.

"Oh my God," Deanna said.

"You're going to be a great stepmom."

"Keep talking like that, and I might just walk away from all of this," she replied.

"Too late. You already agreed."

"Watch me," Deanna said.

Joy lit up Laura's face, and she couldn't stop smiling. Seeing Harry and Deanna argue like that reminded her how lucky she was. Deanna was willing to go this far for them. She was about to become a mother, and the man she loved was about to marry her. All she wanted now was for everything to go smoothly and for Daniel to act like a proper gentleman.

Later that evening, the three of them headed to the food stall near the university, the same place they always visited. Deanna and Harry ended up drinking more beer than they should have, and by the time they left, Harry had to half-carry her back to her apartment before calling a taxi.

When they finally got inside, Harry dropped "Mighty Dean," as he liked to call her, onto the bed. She sank into the mattress and didn't move, completely out cold. At that moment, Deanna had no clue what kind of situation she had just stepped into, all because she chose to help her friends.