MARCUS
Nicole Zachary was stunning. I had already noticed her beauty the day we met at the diner, but today she looked even more striking. Whether it was the red dress, the red lip gloss, or the way the dress hugged her figure, I couldn't say.As she walked through the door, I felt fate was on my side. My friends had bet that I would never get married, but I was determined to prove them wrong. And there was only one person I had in mind: Nicole Zachary.I had done my research and paid for information on her. I knew she was a struggling artist in need of money, making her an easier target. Offering her a large sum of money would be all it would take to win her over.At least, that's what I believed - women are programmed to be drawn to money, or so the stereotype goes.I approached her, standing behind her with my head tilted. It was now or never.“Nicole Zachary," I said, and she turned to face me, her eyes widening in surprise and recognition as she locked her gaze onto my face."Mr. Marcus, what a pleasant surprise to see you here," she responded, and I walked over to stand beside her."I must say, it's an even more pleasant surprise to see you as an artist, and a good one at that," I complimented her.A soft smile graced her lips as she responded, "Well, you never know with people, Mr. Marcus. People are very unpredictable."As I looked at her, I couldn't help but think about the bet my friends had made about me finding a woman to get married to. With $9000 at stake, I knew I had to win."True. Can we step outside for a moment? I have a business proposal I'd like to discuss with you," I said, watching as she placed her drink on the table."Sure, let me just inform my best friend that I'll be outside if she needs me," she replied, before making her way toward her friend.“Sure, take your time. I'll wait here," I nodded as Nicole excused herself and walked towards another brown-haired girl. As she exchanged pleasantries, I felt a tap on my shoulder."I suspected that it would be you. And I was right. What in the world of arts are you doing here? This has never been your thing, Marcus Russell," the lady said, and I let out a sigh.It was Emily Reins, one of my numerous ex-girlfriends."Well, people change. People can become unpredictable. I didn't expect to see you here either. Alana said you went to Europe," I replied,I cringed at the thought of Emily catching me red-handed with another woman, and the memory of her crying her eyes out still lingered in my mind. However, I couldn't bring myself to care about it."I returned to finalize a contract here. Then I heard there was an exhibition being held here tonight, so I said, 'why not?'" she explained, taking a sip from her wine glass."Oh, I see," I replied, feigning interest in our conversation."So, what are you doing tomorrow? I'm less busy. I was thinking we could hang out," she suggested, and I gave her a weird look."You want to have lunch with me? A guy who broke your heart and doesn't feel sorry about it?" I asked, unable to mask the incredulity in my voice.Women. Women were the most impossible creatures to predict.“You still owe me an apology, I know that. But I'm not a vengeful person, and I don't hold grudges. So, dinner tomorrow? My treat?" she said, flashing a smile.I sighed, knowing that I couldn't refuse her invitation. "Okay, deal. Do you still have my number? Text me the location, and I'll be there by seven. I have to go now," I said, already walking away towards Nicole."Well, Nicole, have you forgotten me?" I said, sliding up beside her."No, no. I was just greeting some people, but we can go now”.“Nina, if you need me, I'll be outside," she said, nodding at her friend. I followed her out to the balcony."What's this business proposal you have for me?" Nicole asked as we stood overlooking the city. Her hair was loose now, and it swayed in the breeze.No way was I going to tell her it was all for a bet. I had to tell her something different."My parents are pushing me to get married, but I don't want to. I'm tired of their nagging, so I'm looking for a contract marriage," I said, watching her reaction carefully."And?" she asked, her eyebrows raised."I want a contract marriage, and I think you just might be the perfect candidate for it. You're beautiful, calm, and intelligent," I said, waiting for her response.Her blue eyes widened in surprise, and I couldn't tell if it was a good or bad thing.“Mr. Marcus, are you suggesting a contract marriage between us? I must confess, I am surprised. After all, I belong to the lower class of North Dakota's society," she said."Your social status doesn't matter to me. I believe that class distinctions are unnecessary. However, as I mentioned before, this is a contract marriage designed to provide mutual benefits. You stand to gain something, and so do I," I explained, and she looked at me quizzically."What exactly are the benefits I would receive?" she inquired."Financial gains, to put it simply. Money. Lots of it" I replied, and she let out a sigh.****NICOLE“Money. Lots of it.” Marcus said and I sighed.I didn't have faith in men and relationships have never been my forte, but Marcus made it clear that he was proposing a marriage of convenience solely for financial gain. And at this point in my life, that was something I desperately neededSuddenly, my phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. I glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was my mom."Excuse me," I said to Marcus as I stepped away to answer the call."Hi, Mom," I said as I put the phone to my ear."Nicole, I'm sorry to interrupt your work, but it's urgent. Damian is in the ICU, his lungs collapsed and he's going into surgery. And your dad is scheduled for surgery in two days, and he's currently in the hospital," my mom said, her voice trembling with emotion. It was evident that she had been crying.My heart sank as I heard her words, and tears began to well up in my eyes.“Is Darla with you, Mom?" I asked, my voice shaking with worry."Yes, she's with your dad in his hospital room," she replied."Nicole, we don't have the money. I need to deposit something for them to prepare Damian's room after surgery," my mom said, her voice filled with despair."Okay, Mom. I'll see what I can do," I replied before ending the call.I wiped away my tears and took a deep breath. I had to keep my emotions in check. The only way I could save my dad and Damian was to go ahead with this contract marriage, no matter how distasteful it seemed."I accept the contract, Marcus, but with one additional condition," I said firmly.NICOLEA contract marriage was not something I had ever imagined for myself. Love wasn't even on my bucket list. But here I was, considering a contract marriage with Marcus, a wealthy young man.As I sat on the couch, gazing out the window, I noticed the serene surroundings, and it looked like it was going to rain. I sent a text to Nina, telling her that I had made it home and that she could enjoy the after-party on her own.Memories flooded back to me, and tears began to stream down my face. Damian my younger brother had been born with a defective heart, and even at sixteen, his condition was still critical. He had undergone several surgeries, but none had been successful. He urgently needed a heart transplant, but finding a suitable donor had proven to be a challenge due to his rhesus factor. Also, my dad had suffered a work accident years ago, resulting in a perforated lung.These were some of the reasons why I had left home and moved to North Dakota - I wanted to work and raise
NICOLE “A miracle has happened”. The words my mom uttered sounded like magic in my ears.“Where’s Damian right now?” I asked my mom who was still overjoyed."Damian is down the hallway. Hurry, you might be able to see him before he undergoes anesthesia," Mom urged me. Without wasting a moment, I sprinted down the corridor, determined to catch a glimpse of Damian before his surgery commenced."Hey, sis!" Damian called out as soon as he caught a glimpse of me through the glass window. Tears welled up in my eyes as I took in his sickly appearance; he was a mere shadow of his former self. I quickly wiped my tears and smiled back at him, giving him a reassuring wave.Just then, a kind-looking nurse approached me and handed me some protective gear.“You'll need to put this on before entering the OR," she said. I smiled gratefully at her and quickly donned the gear before entering the operating room.With a weak voice, Damian called out, "Sis." I immediately broke down in silen
NICOLEWhat the hell was Marcus doing here?!The nurse seemed to have heard me and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Miss Zachary?"I shook my head, realizing that I had spoken out loud. "Nothing, sorry. Where is he?""He's waiting for you in the lobby," she said and gestured towards the door.I nodded and got up from the chair. I quickly brushed my hair with my fingers and straightened my dress before heading out of the room.If there was anything I was anxious about, it was unnecessary attention. It would go round the whole world, that Marcus the son of a world class actress came to look for a regular girl. When I finally reached the lobby, I saw him leaning against a pillar in the hallway, his left leg crossed over his right, and his arms folded. Lord, he was a beautiful specimen to look upon. He looked at me and stood straight.“Hi, Love,” he said and waved at me. I looked back and pointed at myself.“Me?” I whispered and nodded, feeling a little flustered.I sighed and walked faste
NICOLE"Damian is awake?" I asked, exchanging looks with Marcus. Without waiting for Nina to respond, I rushed towards the elevator.Together, we hurried down the hallways and arrived at Damian's room, where we saw a flurry of doctors and nurses rushing in.Damian was sitting up and flashing a smile at the nurses who were tending to him."Mr. Damian, are you feeling alright? Any discomfort or pain?" asked the neurosurgeon, to which Damian nodded in response."I'm doing okay, Doc. Just feeling a little dizzy, but overall I'm fine," Damian replied.“Damin," I called out as he turned to face me at the door, his eyes lighting up at the sight of me."Nicole," he replied, his voice full of warmth and affection.I wiped away the tears that were streaming down my face and walked towards him. He grabbed my hand and held it tightly."Sis," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I've missed you so much, Sis," he continued, holding onto my hand even tighter.I turned towards the doctor and aske
NICOLE "Is that Marcus Russell?" Darla exclaimed with such excitement that her loud voice startled Damian from his slumber."Shh, Darla!" I cautioned her, trying not to wake Damian any further.As Marcus rose to his feet and wiped his face, I couldn't help but notice his tousled hair, likely a result of sleeping on the couch."Wow, it really is Marcus!" Darla exclaimed, her bags falling to the ground in her excitement."Hello Marcus, I'm Darla Zachary and I'm a huge fan of yours," she gushed, her eyes wide and shining as she looked at him in awe.Marcus reached out and took her hands, shaking them warmly as a smile spread across his face.“I'm always excited to see you on the red carpet and in your photoshoots, and I used to be a big fan of your music as well," Darla expressed."Thank you, Darla," Marcus replied with a grin. "It seems like you have a lot of admiration for me."Darla blushed and looked away. "Please, just call me Darla."As the conversation continued, I cleared my thr
MARCUSI sat across from Nicole's mother, Mrs. Zachary, feeling incredibly uneasy. I knew that this meeting was going to be intense. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I felt as if I was being interrogated. Every time I opened my mouth to speak, I felt like she was dissecting my words.I had just confessed to her that I loved her daughter and let's just say the atmosphere wasn't pleasant. I could only imagine what was going through her mindMrs. Zachary's face remained stoic, but her eyes betrayed a hint of surprise. "I see. And what does this have to do with me?"I took a deep breath. This was not the response I was hoping for. “I want to ask for your blessing to marry her.""Absolutely not," she said firmly.I was taken aback. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"Mrs. Zachary took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "I'm sorry, but I have to be clear. I cannot allow you to marry my daughter," she said firmly.As soon as the words left her mouth, I heard gasps from Nina and Darla, who
NICOLE I could tell that my mother was incredibly upset. Her face was filled with anger, and it was clear that she was very angry about something. I had never seen her so mad before, and it was worrying to see her like this. As I looked on, Marcus slowly got up from his seat and made his way out of the room. He even gave me a peace-out sign before he left.Feeling confused and upset, I turned to my mom and asked her, "Mom, why did you do that?" I couldn't understand what had caused her to react in such a way, and I was desperate for an explanation.My mom gave me a disapproving look that made me feel uneasy. "Have all the men on earth suddenly vanished that you had to settle for Marcus?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.I was taken aback by her comment. I couldn't understand why she was being so harsh towards Marcus. So, I frowned and replied, "What's wrong with getting married to Marcus? You still haven't given me a valid reason for your disapproval."I was determined not to
NICOLE It had been two weeks since Damian's heart surgery, and although I had been spending most of my time at the hospital, I couldn't help but think about Marcus. We had been meeting up in secret since the day Damian was admitted.Marcus had invited me to an event, one of his friends was celebrating his son’s first birthday. He had told me it was going to be grand and I should dress for the occasion.I was in my room with Nina going through my closet, thinking of what to wear. “Gosh! I’m so tired I’ve been rummaging through my closet, still I haven’t seen the perfect outfit” I sighed, slumping on the bed.“Let’s keep searching, we will find something soon,” Nina said.“Most of my clothes are just casual wear, how do I find a cloth that’s elegant?” “Who even does a grand party for a one year old anyways”“The people of high class obviously” Nina said“Come on, you have to find something,” Nina said, standing in front of me with her hands on her hips. “You can’t be late to this part