Chapter 2 Natalie's Struggles

The scent of fresh flowers filled the air as Natalie Sandstrom carefully arranged a bouquet of daisies and tulips in her modest flower shop, located some distance away from the bustle of the city center in a peaceful area of Stockholm. The shop was the only thing she had to depend on . Elliot, her six-year-old son, was playfully running around filling the little room with his laughter. He was her world and the reason she was working so hard so she could give him the life that he deserves.

"Mom, look!" Holding up a beautiful yellow daisy, Elliot shouted. "This one's perfect for Grandma!"

Natalie forced herself to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach and smiled feebly.

"Yes darling, Grandma will love it."

However, she couldn't help but think about the pile of unread bank notices that were hidden behind the counter, bills that she was unable to pay. The phone had been disconnected, and the rent was past due. For Elliot, she had put on a strong front, but she was running out of time and choices.

She noticed the eviction notice hidden beneath the register as she was gently tying a ribbon around the bouquet. Her heart skipped, this was the last straw. For months, she had been dreading this one thing. Just this morning, the letter that threatened to take everything away had arrived. Her hands were shaking as she read the lines again, hoping she had misread them. No, it was obvious. She and Elliot would be homeless if she couldn't pay the rent within the next five days.

A knot in her chest tightened, after everything she had struggled for, she couldn't let this shop go. She could not allow Elliot to witness her failure but she had no one to turn to for assistance, and shop's sales were slow and the debts kept piling up. She turned to look at Elliot, who was now spinning around while holding the flower. His carefree delight and innocence almost broke her heart and she knew she needed to come up with a solution.

Just then a customer she had seen previously stepped through the door. She didn't remember his name, but she knew who he was from the few times he had visited. his eyes darting to the stack of papers on the counter. He took one look at her face and immediately knew something was wrong.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

Natalie paused. The weight of her troubles weighed heavily on her, yet she didn't want to bother anyone. She pushed the papers away and smiled.

"Just a little behind, that's all."

He nodded knowingly, "I'm sure things will turn around."

Natalie was sure even he didn't believe it to be true as his voice wasn't as convincing as he would have wanted it to be and Natalie understood.

Rasmus's Troubles

Rasmus sat in his modern and tastefully furnished flat, but this evening the space felt oppressive. His search for a contract wife had begun. Every profile he'd looked at was more inappropriate than the last. In his opinion the women were either too young, too old, too eager, or just not what he was looking for. He flung the tablet on the table in frustration.

The contract marriage was intended to be purely a business partnership, but every second that went by felt more like a prison term as he thought about his grandfather's ultimatum, he has one year to get married and have a child. This felt like oppressive pressure to him.

At this point Rasmus knew that a miracle was what he needed. The search was just getting started, and the pressure was mounting.

He needed to clear his head as the silence in his apartment suddenly felt uncomfortable. He got up and locked his door as he stepped out into the cool evening breeze.

The busy streets distract him for a moment from the thoughts that were beginning to form in his head.

Just then, his phone rang and he let it ring. When it rang the second time he decided to take the call. He pressed the phone firmly to his ear, his voice chilly and calculated.

Just as he negotiated a bend, a young woman appeared from the doorway of a charming flower store, Rasmus's attention momentarily left his phone. He noticed a lady standing there carrying some flowers, but before he could stop himself he bumped into her causing her to stagger to regain her balance and some of the flowers fell out of her hands.

"Oh no!" She said, as she struggled to catch herself from falling. Immediately she bent down to pick up the flowers that had fallen down.

Rasmus quickly removed the phone from his ear, his face tensed as he knelt down beside her and began helping her to pick up the flowers and suddenly he stopped when he saw her face. She was beautiful with silky dark hair framing her face and brown eyes that looked warm and sincere even though she seemed a bit shaken by the impact.

He looked at her as she was picking up the flowers. He noticed she wasn't wearing makeup and she had a naturally beautiful face.

"So sorry," he said.

"I ought to have kept an eye on my destination."

When she responded to him, her voice was warm.

"It's fine."

Just then she looked up and something he couldn't place made her eyes widen. She looked like she had seen his face before. Rasmus's chest pounded a little, but she averted her gaze and turned back to the flowers before he could take it all in.

As he reached for another flower stem, his fingers touched hers and he felt an unexplained pull. But he brushed it off as soon as it appeared. She was simply another face in the crowd, someone he had ignored, another city dweller who would always be a mystery.

He repeated, "I really am sorry," in a chilly tone.

He had nearly forgotten the phone call he had been so engrossed in, but it brought him back to the present. His excuses were short-lived, and he needed to be on his way.

"I didn't see you."

She only nodded and stood with the flowers in her arms.

"It's fine, I was just about to close."

"Okay," he said

"Can I at least help you hold your flowers while you lock up?" He asked

"Thanks, I can manage," she said.

Raamus then turned to leave, but something kept pulling him to look back and as he did, he found that she was staring at him. She immediately turned and walked away as soon as their eyes met.

Rasmus couldn't get her face off his mind. He shook his head trying to get it off his mind.

"She was simply another face." He thought.

However he tried, he just found out he couldn't shake it off.