Million Dollar Bride

Five o'clock is the end of the shift.

Ella was packing up her paperwork and was about to go home when a head popped into her room and spoke. "Ella, the boss wants to see you."

"Yes." Ella raised her head and replied. Then she mumbled to herself. 'Time is up, what does the boss want to see me for?'

Her heart was filled with uneasiness. But she still got up from her chair, grabbed her bag, and went to her boss's room, Mr. John.

Ella's boss is a fat man. It is rumored that he is lustful, flirting with young girls even though he is married. Ella was among the young girls. She was repeatedly beaten by Mr. John's harassment, but the cases of harassment were mild. Working at a company whose boss is a pervert, would rather quit. But Ella desperately needs a steady job. If she quits her job, who will take care of her often sick father? Therefore, Ella gritted her teeth and endured, turning a blind eye to everything.

The clattering of clogs in the hallway. Ella thought as she walked. 'After all, what does the boss want to see me about?' She paused and reassured herself. 'It's okay. Don't think too much. It's probably about the Blue Heaven project I'm in charge of.'

Arriving at the door of Mr. John, Ella took a deep breath and then raised her hand and knocked three times on the door.

"Come in." Voices came from within the room.

Ella opened the door. "Boss, is something wrong?"

Mr. John stepped back took Ella by the hand went inside the room and closed the door.

Ella looked at the closed door, a little scared but still calm. "What's the matter, sir?"

"Don't call me boss when it's over. Let's sit down and talk for a while." Mr. John grins.

"If it's not important, I'll go home." Ella had just turned her back when an arm grabbed her.

"Don't rush. It's still early." Mr. John deliberately said roundabouts, buying time.

He stroked the back of Ella's hand. Feeling a little ticklish, she withdrew her hand.

"Boss, be proud."

Mr. John thought Ella was a difficult girl to convince, but he liked her even more. He is not in a hurry but slowly flirts with his prey.

"Project Green Paradise, how are you preparing? Do you need my help?" Mr. John thinks he needs to be a little nicer before his prey falls into the trap.

"No need. I'm done. I'll email you shortly after I get home." Ella said sternly.

"So I invite you to dine with me tonight, okay?" Mr. John suggested.

"Sorry, I'm busy." Ella makes excuses.

"You always say you're busy. Aren't you going to have dinner?"

"I'll eat at home with my father." Ella lost her patience. She looked at her watch, desperately wanting to get out of there.

"Just eat with me once. If you make me happy, I'll give you a raise."

Ell begins to realize the evil intentions of Mr. John, but she refuses. "I will work hard and get the salary I deserve. I don't need a raise just to make people happy."

Ella said fiercely and walked towards the door. Mr. John walked over and hugged her tightly from behind. Ella struggled and struggled and screamed. But unfortunately for her, all the employees in the company have already left. Mr. Johm told them to leave early but didn't tell Ella. The more she resisted, Mr. John was more than pleased. His arms tightened and he tried to kiss Ella.

The door suddenly opened with great force. An angry, flashy woman entered. It was the wife of Mr. John.

Seeing someone appear to destroy their space, both Mr. John and Ella turned their heads to look at the woman. Mr. John loosened his grip. Ella took the opportunity to push him away. She fixes her clothes and hair.

The woman slapped Ella hard on the cheek. Her mouth was bleeding.

"Slut, you dare seduce my husband?"

"I don't..." Before Ella could finish her sentence, Mr. John's wife grabbed her hair and beat her.

Mr. John just watched at first, but when he saw his wife hit harder and harder, he tried to stop him.

The woman rolled her eyes at Mr. John. "Fired her immediately." Do not let Mr. John react, she turns to Ella, warning. "Starting tomorrow, you can't come to the company. If I see your face tomorrow, I'll kill you."

Ella hugged the side of her blood-red face and ran out. She walked down the quiet hallway, sniffling. She just wants to work in peace, is that difficult?

The phone in Ella's bag rang. She opened it and saw it was a strange number, but she answered anyway. "Hi."

"Are you a relative of Mr. Stephen?" A girl's voice came through the phone.

"Yes. That's my father. Is something wrong?" Ella asked impatiently.

"I called from hospital xxx, Mr. Stephen was in a traffic accident, and the situation is very critical. He is being treated at our hospital..."

The nurse didn't finish her sentence, Ella saw her legs running like flying to the hospital xxx. Moments later she showed up in the emergency department.

She asked the nurse at the counter about the room number her father was staying in.

The nurse said Ella's father was in room 222, she immediately went there. Ella stood outside the door of room 222 and looked inside. Mr. Stephen was lying on the bed, his face covered with wounds, his shirt bloody, the situation seemed serious. The mouth, nose, and hands are covered with tubes of oxygen. Ella burst into tears, she prayed to God for her father's peace. Ella's high-pitched cry caught the attention of a man dressed in patient clothes. He was standing next to Ella calling someone but Ella didn't notice him.

The emergency room door opened. A female doctor asked Ella. "Are you the patient's family member?"

"Yes," Ella replied. "How is my father? Is the injury serious?"

The female doctor hesitated. Her face wrinkled slightly. Seeing that expression, Ella had a premonition that something bad had happened to her father.

"There is a blood clot in Mr. Stephen's brain, we need to perform surgery or it will endanger his life. Given your father's age, delaying surgery will be very dangerous, possibly... death." The female doctor answered after a few seconds of hesitation.

"So how much does the surgery cost?" Ella asked, voice nervous.

"Thirty thousand dollars."

Ella was stunned to hear the cost of Mr. Stephen. What does she do with such a large amount of money?

"How long is the deadline?" Ella asked shivering.

"From now until tomorrow morning but you should have the money as soon as possible."

In such a short time, where did she make thirty thousand dollars? Mr. John's wife recently fired her, she can't get her salary.

The female doctor looked at Ella's expression, she showed sympathy. "I'm sorry I can't help you. You can borrow money from a friend or a bank."

Ella nodded to the female doctor and walked out of the hospital campus, sitting down on a stone bench, thinking.

Loan?

Ella doesn't have many friends. Most of them are social network friends, she doesn't have a trusted friend who can lend her money.

Wait, Ella suddenly remembered she had a best friend named Suzy. But Suzy's family is not well off. She also has to work hard to earn money. She doesn't have enough money to lend Ella.

As for the bank, they will ask what Ella does. If she says she's quit her job and is unemployed, will the bank give her a loan?

Ella feels tired. She couldn't think of any way to solve the problem at hand. Her father's life is in her hands. What is she supposed to do?

Suddenly, a man's voice rang in Ella's ear. "I can help you."

Ella was startled, turning to look at the man in the hospital uniform from earlier. Since when is he sitting here? She frowned, staring at the man. He is so handsome. The lines on his face were strangely perfect. If he wasn't dressed in a hospital gown, Ella thought he might be an executive or some billionaire among the nobility.

"I'll give you a million dollars to pay for your father's surgery." The man said, not sounding joking.

What? A million dollars? Ella didn't mishear, did she? If she didn't mishear, he was joking.

"Why? I don't know you." Ella scowled. It was clear that she had never met this man in her life. There's no reason for him to give her a million dollars. This is not a small amount.

Could it be... he's crazy?

The man continued. "Yes. We don't know each other, but we need each other." His words were unclear, causing Ella to misunderstand.

Oh my god, what is he saying? Ella shivered in fear. Is he trying to flirt with her? Why does she always meet perverts everywhere she goes?

Ella stood up and was about to leave when a hand grabbed her. She panicked, talking nonstop. "Let go. You are lustful. You pervert. You're grouchy. If you don't let go, I'll scream."

What? Metamorphosis? Sam So? The man gasped, in disbelief. Ella's imagination is so rich. He had just grabbed her wrist, he hadn't even done anything yet. Yet she said he was the one who molested her.

Seeing many people looking in their direction, he let go of Ella's hand and spoke immediately for fear of her running away.

"Hey girl, can you calm down and listen to me?"

Ella saw the serious look on the man's face, she calmed down and sat down in her chair, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"You need money and I need a wife. Let's cooperate." The man's voice was calm.

Ella was amazed. It was the first time she heard such words. If he's not a pervert, he's a... mental patient. Oh no, he's crazy.

Ella leaves.

The man's voice echoed behind Ella causing her feet to slow down.

"Think again. Don't you want to save your father?"

Ella turned her head and asked. "How can I believe you?"

Before he could speak, another man approached. This person wore a polite gray suit, his face was a little younger than his.

The man in the gray suit gave him a fancy suit and said. "General manager, your clothes are already dry."

General manager? Ella opened her mouth in surprise. She stared blankly at him. Not a madman, not a pervert, but a general manager.

"Please wait a moment." He said and went to the bathroom.

Ella waited in the chair with the man in the gray suit. she asked. "Is that person the general manager?"

The man in the gray suit was stunned for a moment before realizing who Ella was referring to. He nodded. "Yes. He is the general manager of D&A company. Today he went to the hospital to visit a friend, and unfortunately, a boy spilled food on him. I told him to throw the clothes but he disagreed. He liked this suit, so he told me to wash it thoroughly. While I asked the staff to wash it, he only temporarily wore the patient's clothes in the hospital."

Therefore, it is. Ella understood. She wrongly blamed him.

The man came out of the toilet. He's even more handsome in his elegant suit.

Ella shook her head, dispelling the thoughts in her mind. 'How can you look at him with lustful eyes? You're just as greedy as he is.'

Ella felt ashamed of what happened, she lowered her head.

"You don't believe me, do you? You thought I was a psycho just now?" The man seemed to see through Ella's thoughts.

Embarrassed, she dared not raise her head.

"What I say is true. I'm David Anthony. This is my business card." The man hands Ella a business card.

She took it and asked. "Why do you want to help me?"

David said. "Actually, my parents and grandfather urged me to get married, but I'm very busy and just want to focus on my career. My mother said that if I don't have a girlfriend or don't get married, she will decide on her future wife for herself. me and will force me to marry someone I don't love. That's why I asked you to pretend to be my wife. We will sign a marriage contract for three years. After three years, you will be free."

Ella listened silently and then she wondered. "So after three years, your mother asked, what would you answer?"

"I would say that we are not compatible so we should divorce. In those three years, maybe I will find my true love so you don't have to worry about that." David shrugged.

"But why me and not someone else?" Ella tilted her head slightly.

"You're having a hard time with money, aren't you? Just now I heard the doctor say you need money to pay for your father's surgery. If I help you unconditionally, you won't agree. So I came up with this idea." David spoke again, explaining in detail to Ella.

"That's called cheating. How can I work with you to deceive your family?" Ella turned and got ready to leave.

David said hastily. "We work for each other's sake. You need money, I need someone to introduce to my family. Both parties are happy, why is it a lie? This specialty is only the three of us know. Me, you, and Key - my assistant."

The man in the gray vest is David's assistant - Key.

Seeing Ella hesitate, David continued. "If you keep thinking about it, I'm afraid your father's life will not last."

"But... we're going to sleep together? And... you know... how could I... I haven't even held hands..." Ella stammered. Her face turned red when she thought about it.

David understood what Ella meant, and he reassured him. "Don't worry. We won't overdo it. But we need to be a little bit intimate in public after that, you can do whatever you want as long as you don't let the reporters see about sleeping together, we're in the same room but we'll sleep in two different places. I promise I won't do anything to you."

Ella was relieved to hear David say the last sentence. And then...

"But if you want, I'm ready." David grinned.

"You dare?" Ella rolled her eyes at David.

"I was just joking. So you agree?" David asked firmly.

Ella hesitated for a moment. Apart from David's scheme, she couldn't think of a better way. Just acts like a fake husband and wife play, with no loss, and no one harms anyone. Just endure three years. After three years, she will be free.

Thinking that Ella agreed to David's suggestion.

David nodded, telling Key to immediately transfer the money to Ella's bank account and then pay for her father's hospital bills.

"I only need thirty thousand dollars," Ella said nonchalantly.

"The remaining balance, you use to rent a luxury apartment for your father to recuperate," David suggested.

He said no wrong. Ella is unemployed, her father is hospitalized again. She needs money to take care of everything. Money for medicine, food, living expenses, electricity, water, food... many things require money. Ella thought about her difficult life, sighing. She had to obey David's arrangement.

Key returns and tells his master. "I'm done, sir. Her father is currently undergoing surgery."

"Good." David nodded and spoke to Ella. "Now come with me to my company, we will sign a marriage contract then I will introduce you to my family."

"I want to wait for my father to finish the surgery, okay?" Ella asked.

"But I can't wait," David suggested. "Key will stay here when your father's surgery is done, he'll give us a call."

Ella had no other choice. David was the one who paid for Mr. Stephen. She could only listen to him.

Ella followed David to the parking lot.

Fifteen minutes later, David drove down to the basement of the D&A building. He pulled out his car keys and went to his office. Ella lazily walked behind.

Inside the room, David took the paper from the table and gave it to Ella.

'Did he have the contract ready? This man planned it from the start.' Ella blinked a few times, taking the paper.

"Read it. The terms are in the contract, if you have any questions, ask me." David said.

Ella mumbled reading. The terms are not unreasonable. But rule number six: Do your duty as a wife.

Ella looked at the serious man beside her. "I've never been a wife. How do I know what a wife needs to do?"

David frowned for a moment, then replied. "When necessary, I will give you a course on being a wife."

"Is there this course anymore?" Ella smiled and shook her head. She signed her name and gave it to David.

His signature is beautiful. She looked and admired.

"The contract is in effect from this moment. I keep one copy, and you keep one. After three years tear it up." David, after photocopying, gave Ella a contract.

She folded it in half, dropping a few bags. Next, the two of them went to the ward to register their marriage.

Officers at the ward looked at Ella's depressed expression, she asked over and over again if Ella wanted to marry David Anthony.

Only then did Ella wake up and reply with a smile that she agreed. Looking at her and David's marriage certificate, Ella suddenly felt funny. She is only twenty years old, has no boyfriend, but is now the wife of a strange man.

Step out of the ward, David reminded. "If you're acting, then act real. Outsiders will think I'm bullying you."

"I'm sorry. I just felt it all happened so suddenly." Ella dazedly said.

David regrets. "I'm very grateful to you for agreeing to help me. Don't worry, I won't let you down. I will help you find a job."

"Thank you." Ella grinned. That bright smile suddenly made David's heart skip a beat.

His phone rings. Key calls and tells David something. He hung up and spoke to Ella in a cheerful tone. "Your father's surgery was a complete success."

Ella was relieved. She whispered. "Fortunately. Can I go to the hospital to visit my father? Tomorrow I will go with you to your house."

David hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "I'm afraid not. Your father has a doctor and nurse to take care of you, so don't worry. And you have to come with me, go home now. Because tomorrow morning my mother will arrange a meeting. I don't want to be forced like that. If you don't come with me today, I'm afraid it won't be in time."

Ella was helpless, drooping her shoulders. She curiously followed David to the parking lot. On the way back, she looked out the window. Cars one after another. The city glowed with lights.

Ella's peaceful life is suddenly disturbed by a strange man named David. She will have to be his wife for three years and face his family members. A smooth or difficult life awaits her ahead. She couldn't guess.

"Are you worried about being my wife?" David asked.

Ella turned her head to look at David. Does this man have a talent for reading other people's minds?

He's not a superhero. It's just, that Ella's expression is so clear on her face that it's easy for him to guess.

"You know, I've never been through this. I'm not ready." Ella twisted her hand and said.

"Don't worry, I'm here."

"Will you protect me?"

"Of course. This is the way I came up with, so I must protect you from difficulties." David looked at Ella, spoke, then turned his face forward and continued driving.

Ella realized. "So that means your family members are... difficult?"

"It's only my mother, but you don't have to worry too much. If you do your duty well, I think my mother won't make it difficult for you. Three years have passed in a blink of an eye." David comforts.