Susan faces an impossible choice: let her beloved mother suffer without the costly medical treatment she desperately needs, or enter into a loveless marriage with a powerful and mysterious billionaire, as proposed by her father. Desperation leads her to accept this cold proposition, exchanging her freedom for the lifesaving funds. From the moment she says "I do," Susan realizes she's caught in a web of secrets and misunderstandings. First, she is faced with a shocking twist in the identity of her husband. Edward Anderson, her husband is haunted by a traumatic past that left him physically crippled, and he believes Susan to be the very woman responsible for the accident that left him crippled. As they navigate through their complicated marriage, Susan struggles to clear her name and uncover the truth behind Edward's assumptions. Caught between a love she never anticipated and a truth that could destroy them both, Emma must decide whether to fight for her marriage or walk away from a man who might never see her as anything but the enemy. Will love be strong enough to heal old wounds, or will the shadows of misunderstanding tear them apart forever? Will they find a way to trust each other, or will their marriage of convenience end in heartbreak?
Chapter 1 1|| UNFORTUNATE DAY
Chapter 1
SUSAN'S POV
"You are fired!"
Those words flowed freely from my Manager's mouth piercing through my heart.
But it was not my fault, Sir."
I refuted as tears pricked my eyes.
"Miss Susan, go to the HR department and initiate your handing over process. Do not make me loose my cool."
He seethed looking at me viciously.
My shoulders slumped in defeat as I noticed that he had a look that showed he was not going to have a change of mind and so I left his office.
I smiled sadly, sighing as I recalled the events of today that caused me to be fired.
I mistakenly tripped and fell on the dining area of the restaurant, emptying the order I was carrying on a customer.
And because of that, the customer got angry and ordered that I be sacked, so that is how I got fired.
Strolling down the road to my house, caught up in my train of thoughts, a sleek luxurious can drove furiously past me, splashing water from the potholes on me.
My eyes widened in shock as I looked at my stained dress and then at the car, which had come to a halt. Almost immediately, the van started moving again, this time slowly.
"Wow, so you couldn't even step down to apologize! Arrogant fools."
I snarled as I started following the car.
Rage built within me as it dawned that whoever drove that van was not going to step down and apologize.
"You need to feel this pain too."
I thought with a smirk as I picked up a big stone from the sidewalk and threw it on the rear window glass of the moving vehicle.
I gave a satisfactory smile when I saw that the rear window glass had shattered into small, round pieces.
The car halted as a guy came out of the driver's side and walked to the back of the car.
He stood tall with a confident posture, his features striking yet approachable. His eyes, a piercing shade of blue, held a warmth that would likely draws me in. A well-defined jawline that complemented by tousled dark hair that gave him a casual, yet effortlessly attractive appearance.
I gulped down saliva as I looked away in shyness, maintaining a frown.
"What did you just do?"
He screamed in shock as his scythe-shaped eyebrows furrowed in fury as he looked at the car and then at me.
"I gave you a taste of your own medicine.
You fools go around hurting people and then go scot-free. Well, you just messed with the wrong person."
I stated stated with an indifferent shrug.
"And now you don't know the consequences you've attracted to yourself as a result of this."
He said with gritted teeth as he walked towards me. His face expressed terror.
He wore a flushed face, as his jaw clenched, his brow furrowed and his posture tensed. His eyes were glaring, and he was breathing heavily.
The sliding door of the van opened, and two men with black shades stepped out, approaching me. They were clad in dark suits and earpieces, glinting in the sunlight.
I needed no one to tell me at that point to run for my dear life, so like a flash, I took off on my heels for my safety.
Within the speed of light, I had already reached my best friend's house because I did not want them to trail me to my house.
"Ameliiiiiiiiiiiaaa"
I called out to my best friend, panting heavily.
The front door swung open as Amelia Roberts appeared at the door, folding her arms with furrowed brows.
I did not wait for Amelia to say a word when I pushed her from the door, dashed into the sitting room, and banged the door in fear of locking it.
I went on to sit on the couch as I shook visibly.
"What's wrong? Why are you breathing heavily? "
Amelia asked all at once, with panic.
"Get me water, please."
I replied, putting my hands on my chest as if to calm my heart.
Amelia Roberts rushed into the kitchen and came out with a glass of water, handing it over to me.
I took the glass of water from her and emptied its contents down my throat, and thereafter, I heaved a sigh of relief.
"I got fired today"
I announced after sometime of staring into space.
"What?"
Amelia shouted, her face conveying horror and shock.
I explained the details of the incident to her and she could not help but shake her head in pity.
"And I almost got into trouble. I bashed someone's car."
"I mean he splashed dirty water on me, and arrogantly drove past without apologizing, so I broke the rear window screen of the van."
I added trying to justify my actions.
Amelia let out a gasp as she quickly covered her mouth with her palms.
"You're wicked. Was that enough reason to bash someone's van?"
She said quietly.
"Do you know how much it costs to replace the window glass of a car talk more of a van? Is that why you ran in here panting? What if those people trace you to this place? How will I tell them that you do not live here?"
Amelia bombarded me with these questions, with panic written all over her face.
"Don't worry, they will not show up."
I assured her but she just eyed me as silence engulfed the room.
"How will you get funds to pay for your mom's surgery?"
She questioned in curiosity after sometime.
"My father wants me to get married to a billionaire who has offered to help us with funds for my mother's surgery in exchange for my hand in marriage."
I broke the news after some moments of silence, while staring into space.
Amelia's eyes widened in express shock and surprise, and almost immediately, she looked away as if trying to figure out something.
"Well, Susan you have to consider this. This is the only option you have. Or do you want your mother to suffer and die?"
She advised after staying mute for some time.
Fresh tears spilled down my eyes as I recalled my mother's critical situation and how I could not get enough money for her medical expenses.
"It's fine. If that is the only thing I can do to save her life."
I declared.
We said our goodbyes and in no time, I had hit the road, heading home.
Strolling towards the house, I froze as my eyes widened, then blinking rapidly as I tried to process the sight before me.