Chapter 4 Wife hunt

Nicholas enjoyed the feel of the cool breeze on his skin as he drove. it helped him to think clearly. His father had been discharged from the hospital. They were only waiting for the surgery, which his father had stubbornly refused to undergo, unless he got a wife.

He arrived at his company and met the secretary, Kate, at her desk. She was busy with a call, and she bowed slightly as a form of greeting to him. He nodded in response and walked past. He took the private elevator and stopped at Stanley's office.

"I need a wife!"

He said to stanley, immediately he entered his office.

"What?"

Stanley was taken aback.

"Whether contractual or fake, I need someone to present to my parents as my wife. someone who would go with me to functioAs. A contractual wife, basically ."

He explained.

"Dude, you're actually serious ?" Stanley was surprised."

"As serious as a heart attack."

He ascertained.

"When the contract expires, she will be rewarded with the sum of four hundred thousand dollars, and some other benefits. That's fair enough, no?"

"So when I might eventually find my type of woman, then I can divorce the contractual wife. I just want my old man to have some peace of mind."

Nicholas confessed.

"Just one visit to your dad's, and you're already serious about your life. You should visit him more often."

Stanley teased, grinning.

"Shut up, man. I'm serious."

Nicholas shunned.

"My old man is sick,Stan. He's refusing to undergo surgery until I agree to get married in two months' time. imagine that."

"Oh! I'm sorry about that, man. what are you going to do now?"

Stanley asked in a more serious tone this time.

"Just find me a decent and naive girl that would agree to do this."

Nicholas said, rubbing his temple in growing frustration.

"Fine. So, if it were to be contractual, how long would it last?"

Stanley was curious now.

"Two years, so it would look believeable. After that, I'm done. It just has to look real, so that my folks won't suspect."

Nicholas said to a surprised Stanley, who still had his mouth wide open.

"What about Laura? Isn't she your latest toy? or don't you consider her an eligible candidate?"

"Nah, she's for the street. Too desperate and clingy. Besides, it's just sex with Laura, nothing more."

"I want someone else. Preferably a more decent and homely woman. Laura is none of that. So, no."

Nicholas explained.

"So, Nicholas Thompson- CEO of LEAMS Global, playboy and Crush of both the married and the unmarried, is legit wife-hunting?"

Stanley couldn't help himself.

"You're an ass! Remind me why I'm friends with you again."

Nicholas resigned, shaking his head in frustration at Stanley, who had an annoying smirk on his face.

"Hahaha. Fine. We'll figure it out, man. That shouldn't be too hard. You're Nicholas Thompson, after all."

Stanley assured him, and Nicholas headed up to his office.

******

Olivia was at Josephina's bedside, reading her a novel. After several attempts to get a part-time job, She resulted in applying for a loan instead so she could settle the hospital bills. She had no idea how long the money would last her for. She sat lost in thought, staring at Josephina, who had become so pale and lifeless. There was nothing indicating she was still alive. Indeed, there was just a thin line between life and death. She wished it was her, in Josephina's place. Her daughter didn't deserve to suffer like this. She had missed hearing her voice. She was so sweet and bubbly. She had also missed her beautiful smile.

She closed the novel, knelt down, and resulted in prayer again. She wept bitterly and asked God for mercy upon her daughter. A little relieved after praying, she decided to go out for some fresh air. She had always hated the smell of hospitals.

"Have you guys heard that the handsome billionaire is in search of a wife?"

Olivia heard a loquacious nurse ask with excitement. She was heading out to get some air and paused in her tracks.

"Which billionaire?"

The rest of the nurses asked in unison.

"The Ceo of LEAMS Global, Nicholas Thompson, of course."

Abigael replied, like she was surprised they even needed to ask her that question in the first place. Olivia didn't know why, but she decided to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"And how do you know this, Abigael?"

One of them asked.

"Well, a little bird told me. And I'm not gonna say whom."

Abigael said, with a tone of finality.

"Imagine being a wife to one of the richest men in the city. You won't want anything. And on top of that, i hear the man is sex on legs!"

She went on. Olivia made her way outside through the other exit without the nurses seeing her. She sat outside the hospital, alone with her thoughts. She had no one to run to for help. She was an orphan, and so was her late husband. He was the only one she had, and he was gone.

She couldn't afford to lose her daughter, too. She was already running short of cash, even after applying for a loan. The doctor already told her that Josephina had high chances of surviving the coma and that she needed a much better and well equipped hospital to guarantee her chances, but that was easier said than done.

Moving Josephina to a bigger and private-owned hospital would cost a lot of money - money she didn't have. How she hated the monster who did this to her daughter. She would never forgive him. She prayed that karma dealt with him.

Her mind went back to the conversation she overheard the nurses having. And on impulse, she brought out her phone and Googled the name Nicholas Thompson. There were lots of people with the same name who popped up, but one stood out.

His profile read, 'The young and competent Ceo of LEAMS Global.' and she clicked on it. It was an official page. Strangely enough, there was no picture of him. Just the picture of an expensive and massive company on display. Maybe the man led a subtle life, who knew. Just then, her curiousity was suddenly replaced with a crazy idea that came to her head.

What if she offered Josephina's hand in marriage to Nicholas Thompson but on the condition that he funded her hospital bills and ensured she survived?