LOVE ME, BABY

**January 2014**

**MORGANA FOSTER**

A girl walked out of the room, and there was no smile on her face. This meant there was still a small chance of salvation for me and my father. That I could leave here married and "happy."

What a bad joke!

With two jobs and accumulated college tuition, plus my father undergoing chemotherapy, I was exhausted. Not only were the college expenses piling up, but the hospital bill was also growing larger, and my father's health had significantly worsened in recent months. That's why, and only why, I decided to show up for this interview for a sham marriage.

Yes, this is at least stupid. Who still needs something like this in the 21st century?

He could be a man too shy to find a wife. He could be a very busy executive who didn't want to bother with finding a real wife. Or simply an ugly man. A million things crossed my mind while I waited for my name to be called and prayed that the other girl hadn't done so much better than I would now.

The mere idea of a sham marriage to solve my financial problems and save my father's life was almost ridiculous, but in the face of adversity, it was the only solution I could see. With no romantic expectations or personal interests, everything boiled down to survival. The idea of a union out of obligation, just to keep my father alive, echoed in my mind like a necessary mantra.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Truly, whoever my suitor was, he had to be someone with a lot of money and influence because even this hotel was too expensive and luxurious for an ordinary person.

I was so deep in debt that my only options were to enter into this contract marriage or become a prostitute. Not that there was much difference between the two, though I was trying to convince myself there was.

Neither option seemed like a good one. But of the two evils, the lesser, right? This was my lifeline.

The idea of selling my commitment or my dignity for financial necessity crushed my pride and suffocated me. However, the feeling of helplessness and the urgency to help my father led me to consider any alternative, no matter how inhumane it seemed.

I entered the dark and empty room, the few beams of light coming through the thin curtains contrasting with the rich environment. I sat in one of the chairs, nervously waiting. The door opened, and an elderly man entered the room.

"Good afternoon, Miss..." He began, his eyes assessing me carefully while I tried not to appear too out of place.

"Morgana. Morgana Melissa Foster," I replied, trying to control the tremor in my voice.

The man sat down, looking at me with a thoughtful expression. "I understand you are here out of a pressing need, Miss Foster." I raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't think I investigated each candidate before this selection, do you?"

I shook my head, and the elderly man chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "There are several clauses you will have to comply with if you accept the final proposal. However, the marriage we are considering is not a trivial decision. My grandson, Ryan, is going through challenging circumstances. He is not looking for a wife just for formality but for specific needs."

I swallowed the lump in my throat before responding. "I understand, sir. I am aware of the difficulties on both sides. I am here because I see no other way out of my family's financial troubles, especially my father's health. That is the most important thing to me right now."

"I understand your situation, but we need to ensure that if this proceeds, it will be a solution that benefits both parties. This is not an ordinary contract; it is an agreement that will require mutual understanding and respect."

We talked for a while longer, detailing mutual expectations and needs. At the end of the conversation, Mr. Burke looked at me with a grave expression, his blue eyes taking on that dark tone that made my spine shiver. "If this goes forward, remember, Miss Foster, that everything we do here will have consequences. Seek wisdom beyond necessity, and perhaps, who knows, something more than just a contract of convenience might emerge."

"Does this mean I passed?" I shook my head, dazed. "I mean..."

"Just sign, child," Mr. Burke replied.

I signed the paper so quickly that before I knew it, I was at the courthouse wearing a blue dress with simple embroidery on the bodice and a fitted waist, not too short. It was the only thing that would do for the occasion. My soon-to-be husband entered the small anteroom where the wedding would take place, furious enough to knock over the side table with a lamp next to him. He hadn't noticed my presence, so I just shrank back at his arrival.

"My grandfather must be out of his mind!" he shouted, pacing back and forth. The loud yells echoing in my ears made me tremble. "How dare he trick me into marrying a..."

He froze mid-sentence when he noticed my presence and stared at me for the first time. I shrank my body into the corner of the room, feeling tiny under the weight of his contemptuous gaze.

The awkward silence lingered for a moment as I tried not to seem so fragile and vulnerable in this situation. The tension hung heavy in the air, as if our fates had been ripped from our hands and forced into a situation neither of us truly wanted.

"I'm sorry... I..." I murmured, trying to break the discomfort between us. "I'm Morgana Foster."

He stared at me, his eyes reflecting a mix of incredulity and irritation. There were no words to calm the whirlwind of emotions that seemed to consume us at that moment. I could barely breathe. He glanced at my hand, which was suspended in the air, and ignored it completely, making me feel foolish.

"Let's just get this over with," he growled, looking away while the tension between us was palpable.

The officiant entered the room, drawing our attention to the beginning of what was being forced into a marriage. His words were a mere murmur, lost amid the emotional chaos surrounding us. As he spoke about union, love, and commitment, it felt like each phrase was another blow to the wound that was already open.

After the ceremony, I was introduced to Ryan's entire family, and then we went home. There was no party or celebration, just a few fake smiles under the flash.

We arrived at the house his grandfather gave us as a wedding present, and silence hung in the air for a moment in the room.

"Well, I guess that's it," Ryan said, breaking the silence with an indifferent tone. "Now that the formalities are over, we need to be clear about how this will work. I don't want any interference in my life, and you shouldn't expect me to be involved in yours either."

I nodded, accepting the coldness in his words. It was obvious that neither of us was willing to turn this marriage of convenience into anything more than a practical agreement.

"Agreed. Each of us lives our own life, no questions, no expectations," I replied, trying to sound as firm as he did.

"Great. Here are the basic rules." Ryan pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and began listing the conditions of our agreement. "No emotional involvement. No questions about each other's personal lives. This is a business deal, and we need to keep it clear."

The coldness of his words was like a confirmation that this marriage would be anything but conventional. It was a pragmatic arrangement, a contract to help us get through our difficulties.

"Of course, I understand," I murmured, memorizing the rules while trying to digest the surreal nature of the situation.

"If you need anything financially, use this," he said, extending a black card toward me. "I hope not to have any problems with you."

I stared at the handsome man with the cold expression in front of me, took the card in my fingers, and watched him leave. Despite being married on paper, our lives remained separate.

THREE YEARS LATER

MORGANA FOSTER

That morning, everything seemed quiet when I arrived at the mansion. After two years, I returned, feeling a shiver run through my body as I stared at the massive door.

I took a deep breath a few times before pushing the handle, wondering if this was really a good decision. I inherited this house from Grandpa Burke when I married his grandson in that crazy contract, but I didn't want to stay here. Since I was living at college and kept minimal contact with my paper husband, I never felt the urge to live within these white walls.

I wore my ring only at family gatherings and parties where I had to accompany him to maintain the appearance of a happy and stable couple.

I never considered the possibility of living with him, and he never sought me out for that either. We even tried to make the fake marriage seem real in the first year so that his family would leave him alone, which was when I stayed in the downtown apartment for the first few months. It didn't work out.

Our marriage was only nominal. We had talked and agreed that we would live our lives normally, away from this contract. It was an enormous mistake. I fell in love with him.

He had his girlfriend, Elena. The woman he loved was her, but his family didn't want her around, and I never really understood why.

From what I gathered in the little time we spent together, Elena was the love of his life. The famous model, Elena Kyle. Blonde, tall, slim, and delicate. A fine and elegant face.

That woman was my husband's true love, not me. And that kept me from creating expectations, but not enough to stop me from falling in love and being completely at the mercy of his scraps of affection.

I knew he didn't love me. He always treated me coldly, forced to be with me when he always wanted to marry Elena. I had met her a few times, but we never spoke directly.

She was always by Ryan's side when we had to meet, exchanging unnecessary affections in front of me, like a dog marking its territory. Yes, that's the right term.

The only times I didn't have that displeasure were during visits to Grandpa Burke. I was always grateful for that, as my paper husband didn't care much about how I felt about it. His mere presence made me uneasy, anxious.

But my paper husband always made sure to stay as far away from me as possible.

I preferred it that way.

I didn't want to be hurt by seeing my husband with another woman. I know, it was just a contract.

After three years of being married to the eccentric Mr. Ryan Burke, this would be the first time I'd see him after finishing college and having to leave the campus. Two long years of making excuses not to see him. Starting my internship at a hospital helped a lot with that.

An unexpected shift, a college exam. Always avoiding him as much as I could. Those first few months here were enough. I loved him. And seeing him with Elena, even though I knew he wouldn't be mine, hurt.

I avoided him like the plague. Although this marriage was initiated by a contract to save my father's life, he didn't survive the chemotherapy and had passed away a few months ago. So now, I should come back to end this. Dissolve this marriage. And move on.

I sat on the white couch in the living room, tossing the keys onto the coffee table. The house was immaculate, probably cleaned regularly. It was truly enormous, decorated with luxury and elegance.

I picked up my phone to check the time and saw an email from my husband.

From: Ryan J. Burke II

Date: February 10, 2017 10:00 AM

To: Morgana M. Foster

Subject: Divorce

We need to discuss the divorce. When will you be available? Please get back to me as soon as possible.

Attached are the documents listed and reviewed by my lawyer.

Sincerely,

Ryan J. Burke II

CEO, JBR ENTERPRISES LTD.

A pang burned in my chest. Even though I was expecting this, a bit of hope still lingered in my heart. That, like me, he might have developed some affection for me. I knew it was pathetic.

Considering that Ryan never showed any signs of this, well, it hurt a lot. A faint hope that coming here, he might change his mind about ending this contract. Since my father was no longer with us, the hospital debt was settled, and the mourning period had passed.

But was this all I would get? An email asking for a divorce? After years of enduring his humiliations, he lived it up with Elena without caring how humiliating it was for me, even when I loved him.

He could end the contract and move on since my husband never touched me and never actually consummated this marriage.

As I thought, he was just waiting for the mourning period to pass before doing it.

Two months after my father passed, he finally did it. The divorce came. That hope that lingered was just an illusion.

I fell so in love with him at the beginning of all this. I really thought I could win him over.

And those first few months were just a futile attempt. Tears filled my eyes as I processed the coldness of that email. All the illusions I had built around the possibility of a change of heart crumbled in that instant. I knew our marriage was just an arrangement, but the part of me that longed for something more, for a real connection, was still alive.

I took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. It was time to face reality and move on. I picked up my phone and started drafting a response to the email.

---

From: Morgana M. Foster

Date: February 10, 2017, 10:15 AM

To: Ryan J. Burke II

Subject: Re: Divorce

Mr. Burke,

I received your email. I am available to discuss the divorce. We can schedule a time that is convenient for both of us.

Sincerely,

Morgana M. Foster

---

Sent. I looked around the room, trying to absorb every detail as if it were the last time I would be there.

"What a fool I was, huh!" I said to the walls, staring at my reflection in the gilded mirror across from the sofa. "To think he would actually love me."

Sighing deeply, I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I was very tired.

Of all of this.

RYAN BURKE

It was late afternoon, and there were few clouds in the sky. I left the office shortly before 4:00 PM. Morgana would be arriving at "our house" sometime between today and tomorrow; she had been avoiding me for a few months. I hadn't reached out to her during that time, not because I liked her, but because I needed to maintain the farce she and my grandfather had put me in.

I never wanted this damn marriage, but I felt some empathy for her situation when she explained her father's health condition.

I had been deceived from the beginning of all this. So, we came to a consensus; I wouldn't interfere with her life, and she wouldn't interfere with mine. We would remain in this marriage agreement while her father needed medical treatment, and I would maintain my relationship with Elena. The marriage with Morgana had always been nominal. Honestly, I never paid much attention to her; my affections always belonged to the blonde with blue eyes who dominated me.

Since her father passed away a few months ago, I decided to wait for a mourning period before requesting the annulment of the marriage.

I believe by now she had received the email with the documents and terms of the agreement.

I got into my Rolls Royce and drove through Rookgaard until I reached my destination. I had been living there for about a week, making sure everything would be in order when she arrived, as the house would be hers after the divorce.

I parked at the door and hurried inside. I still had to attend a family dinner tonight because nothing in my life could be simple.

As soon as I entered the house, I saw two huge pink suitcases. I knew she had arrived. I walked into the living room and saw her sprawled on the sofa.

The petite woman there was no more than 5'4", with black hair falling over her wrinkled, neglected clothes, large eyes, and lips red with lipstick as she sighed while napping. I dragged the suitcases upstairs and placed them in the master bedroom. My bedroom.

I went back downstairs, and she was still sleeping. Her peaceful face during sleep gave her a slightly angelic air, except for the red lipstick that made her mouth look attractive.

I watched her for a few moments, intrigued by that feeling. This woman was different from the last time I saw her. I swallowed hard at the sudden urge to kiss her and cleared my throat so she would notice my presence.

Startled, she raised her head and looked at me, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands.

"When did you get here?" I asked without showing any reaction to her presence.

She stared at me, astonished, and let out a groan as she stretched, aligning her body on the sofa.

"This morning!" she replied, yawning. "Just before lunch."

She reached out and gave a slight jump as she looked at her phone, probably shocked to see it was already past 5:00 PM and that she had lost almost her entire day napping.

"Damn!" she exclaimed, still looking dazed.

"You should have let me know; the driver could have picked you up," I said, pouring myself a glass of whiskey and sitting down across from her. "Did you get my email?"

She nodded, keeping a serious expression.

"Just read it, and if you have no objections to the division of assets, sign it, and we'll be separated."

She looked at me with a blank expression. I wanted to know what she was thinking, but her face was unreadable. She stayed silent for a long time.

I sipped my whiskey and continued staring at her face. This woman seemed nothing like the one I married. She looked more confident.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," she sighed and looked away. "I'll sign it tomorrow. Excuse me, I need to organize my things."

She stood up and walked toward the kitchen. I just watched her every move until my phone rang.

Elena's name lit up on the screen. I picked up the phone and stepped away to take the call, keeping a look of disinterest as Morgana disappeared into the kitchen.

"Hi, darling. How was your day?" Elena's soft voice echoed through the phone.

"Normal. Work, as usual," I replied. "And I'm home now."

Elena sighed on the other end of the line. I could feel her frustration. Our relationship had always been kept secret, and she longed for more.

"Ryan, we need to talk. Did that woman respond to the email? This isn't working for me anymore. We've been in this situation for years, and I'm tired of hiding our love as if it's something dirty."

I swallowed hard. I knew this conversation was inevitable, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon, especially on the same day Morgana arrived.

"I know, Elena. I'm aware of the complications, but we have to keep it this way for now. Morgana is here now, and... well, we need to deal with some things."

The silence on the other end of the line was followed by a resigned sigh. The mention of Morgana as "that woman" left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Actually, I just talked to her, Elena. She's here and agreed to sign the divorce papers."

"Really?" Elena replied, sounding surprised on the other end of the line. "No objections at all?"

"Yes, no objections. Don't worry, I'll handle this as quickly as possible," I sighed heavily, feeling a bit of resentment growing in my chest. "But that's not why you called, is it?"

"Oh! No. Actually, I called to remind you not to forget about our dinner tonight."

I had completely forgotten about it. I rubbed my face. The dinner with her conflicted with the dinner at my family's house.

"Of course, dear, at 9:00 PM?" I asked. "I still need to go to my family's house tonight."

"Oh... Okay." Her voice sounded less enthusiastic. "I'll see you later then?"

"I'll be there at 9:00."

"Okay, I'll be waiting."

I hung up the phone and went upstairs for a quick shower. The night was going to be long. As the water cascaded over me, I couldn't help but reflect on the complexity of my life. Two relationships, both based on lies, secrets, and convenience. The decision to finally end the marriage with Morgana relieved part of the burden, but now I faced the challenge of maintaining appearances with Elena.