Chapter 4 Mira's final decision.

That night, Mira slumped against the corridor wall, her knees slightly trembling beneath her.

The beeping machines and the scent of disinfectant filled her senses, yet all she could focus on was the crisp card in her hand-Cole Enterprises, embossed in gold.

A name that didn't belong in her world. A name that now had direct access to her.

Her fingers tightened around the card.

She hated that it felt heavier than it was. Heavier with implications.

"I'm Miss Riley, Mr. Cole's assistant. I've been instructed to inform you that Mr. Cole would like to meet with you tomorrow at Cole Enterprises at 8 a.m. sharp." The assistant had said.

"His time is limited. The meeting will be brief and... straightforward." The assistant had added, her lips forming a professional smile that didn't quite meet her eyes.

What did a man like Nathan Cole want with someone like her? A contract marriage!

Mira's chest rose with a shaky breath.

She hadn't even made it back into her father's hospital room.

The glass door to his ward stood only a few feet away, yet her legs remained rooted to the ground.

A sudden vibration in her bag snapped her out of the trance. She fumbled for her phone and picked it up without looking.

"Hey. How's Dad?" came Aiden's familiar voice.

She didn't answer immediately.

"Mira?"

"He's stable... for now."

"Where are you?"

"In the hallway."

"You okay?"

Mira's throat worked. "Not really."

There was a pause on the other end. Then, his voice softened. "I'm coming."

Before she could protest, he'd already hung up.

******

Aiden arrived less than twenty minutes later, his eyes scanning the corridor until he found her still standing in the same spot.

His brows drew together as he approached, the faint smell of a night rain clinging to his jacket.

"You look like you saw a ghost."

She gave a hollow chuckle and handed him the business card. He stared at it for a moment, then looked up at her.

"What is this?"

"Nathan Cole's assistant gave it to me. She said he wants to meet tomorrow morning."

His jaw dropped. "Why?"

She hesitated.

"You're not going."

Mira shook her head, unsure whether she was agreeing or denying.

"I mean it," Aiden added, his voice tightening.

"You can't walk into the lion's den because the lion invited you."

She crossed her arms, fighting back the lump in her throat.

"What other choice do I have? The bills are mounting. Dad's treatment is expensive, and I'm already behind on rent. If this man-"

"Mira." Aiden's voice was sharp now, cutting through her rising panic. "You don't even know what he wants."

"Look. His offer might not be that bad."

"Offer? More of a reason why you shouldn't go."

His words stung, not because they weren't true, but because they echoed every fear she hadn't dared admit.

She turned her face away, blinking back the sting in her eyes. "You think I'm being reckless."

"I think you're desperate. And I get it. But desperation makes you vulnerable; dangerous men like Nathan Cole prey on that."

"Why do you keep calling him dangerous? Do you know something I don't?"

Aiden hesitated.

"Aiden."

"I've heard things," he said finally, rubbing the back of his neck.

"He doesn't just run companies. He controls people. Manipulates them. And if he's suddenly offering help, it's not charity-it's strategy."

Mira dropped onto the plastic bench lining the wall, her mind spiraling. Her eyespirallingon her father through the glass.

He lay there, still unconscious, unaware of the storm brewing beyond the hospital walls.

"If he has the power to help-"

"At what cost?"

She exhaled, defeated.

She knew the answer but was beating around the bush because she didn't know how Aiden would accept the world

Silence hung between them for a moment before Aiden crouched beside her, eyes level with hers. "Promise me you'll be careful."

"I will."

"No, Mira. I mean it. I don't trust him. And neither should you."

She gave a faint nod, more out of exhaustion than agreement.

"You're not alone," he added. "Don't forget that."

"I won't."

But as she clutched the card again, its edges cutting into her palm, Mira wasn't sure she believed her own promise.

Aideaded towards the hospital cafeteria and got Mira a warm paper cup of coffee.

Mira drew a shaky breath as she clasped the warm paper cup of coffee between her palms.

The hospital cafeteria buzzed quietly in the background, shuffling past muffled conversations between family members, a toddler's giggle echoing faintly across the room.

But all Mira could focus on was Aiden, sitting across from her, eyes searching hers with a deep frown tugging at his brows.

"I need to tell you something," she began, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aiden leaned forward. "What is it?"

She paused. Her heart pounded so hard it echoed in her ears.

Then she looked up, meeting his gaze. "Nathan Cole offered to marry me... in exchange for paying all of my dad's medical bills."

Aiden's face went blank for a heartbeat. Then the shock gave way to disbelief. "What?"

"I know how it sounds-"

Aiden stood frozen, Mira's words hitting him like a punch to the gut.

"He what?"

She didn't flinch. She couldn't. "He wants to marry me," she said, her fingers trembling as they gripped the hem of her blouse.

"In exchange for... paying all of Dad's bills."

For a moment, there was silence between them. Heavy. Unforgiving.

Aiden took a slow step back, shaking his head like he didn't recognize her.

"You agreed to this? Mira, are you even hearing yourself right now?"

"I didn't say I agreed. I'm just... considering it."

"Considering it?" His voice rose, sharp with disbelief.

"You want to throw yourself into some cold-hearted contract with a man you barely know-someone who sees you as a bargaining chip-because he waved money in your face?"

"It's not like that!" Mira snapped, then lowered her voice as heads turned nearby.

She stood up and stepped closer, her voice trembling.

"You don't understand. My father is dying. We don't have time, Aiden. The bills are piling up, and he's getting weaker every single day. This... this might be our only shot."

Aiden's jaw clenched. "So you're just going to sell yourself off to the highest bidder?"

Tears gathered in her eyes, but she blinked them back.

"Don't say that. It's not like I wanted this. I'm not naïve-I know what kind of man Nathan Cole is. Cold. Strategic. Detached. But he's offering help when no one else can."

Aiden laughed bitterly, dragging a hand through his hair.

"Of course, he's offering. Men like him don't do anything without a plan. What happens after he gets what he wants, Mira? What happens when he no longer needs you?"

She was quiet for a moment. Then she said, "That's why there's a contract."

"A contract?" he repeated like the word was poison. "That makes it better?"

She sighed. "My dad knows. He said... he said if this is what I need to do to save him, he won't stop me."

"And God?" Aiden asked, his voice low now. "You always said you'd follow His lead. Do you this is His plan for you?"

Mira swallowed. "I prayed. And I believe... Maybe this is the answer. Not ideal. Not beautiful. But sometimes obedience doesn't look like roses and rings. Sometimes it looks like a sacrifice."

He stared at her for a long time, eyes burning. "You know I would've done anything to help you, right?"

Her heart cracked at the sound of his voice. "I know. And I'm grateful. But we both know your job at the school can't cover even a fraction of what we owe."

Aiden looked away, jaw clenched, hurt shadowing his features. "You used to be someone who believed love mattered. Now you're walking into a deal that spits in love's face."

Mira's voice was barely a whisper. "This isn't about love."

"Exactly," he said sharply. "And that's the problem."

Mira lowered her eyes. "I'm not desperate. I'm choosing to trust... maybe it's crazy, but-"

"It's not just crazy," Aiden interrupted.

"It's reckless. It's giving your life to a man, what? Runs a billion-dollar company and expects a wife like he's buying a property?"

She winced. "You don't know him."

"And neither do you!" he fired back, pushing back his chair slightly.

She sat still, absorbing his frustration.

Aiden stared at her, wounded. "So that's it? You've already made up your mind?"

Mira's lips trembled.

"I haven't said yes yet. But if it comes down to saving my father or keeping my sanity... I'll choose him. And I believe God's hand is still on this, even if it doesn't look perfect."

He exhaled deeply, clearly struggling. "I just don't want to see you hurt."

She reached across the table, gently squeezing his hand. "I know. But right now... this feels like obedience."