When Emily Reed's father suddenly falls critically il, she is thrust into a desperate situation where she faces an impossible choice: give up her freedom to save the only family she has left or watched her father's life slip away. Running out of time and options, Emily turns to Sebastian Blackwell, her wealthy and arrogant ex-fiancé. He holds the key to saving her father, but at a high price-marry him or repay an insurmountable sum within 48 hours. As the terms of their deal unfold, Emily is pulled into a tangled web of secrets, past betrayals, and family drama that shakes her to her core. As she discovers a life filled with luxurious manipulation, hidden truths, and dangerous enemies, she must choose whether to forgive the man who shattered her heart or walk away from everything. Will their past define them, or can Emily and Sebastian rebuild what was broken and find a future in the ruins?
Chapter 1 DESPERATE MEASURES
"Doctor!...Where is my dad?!" Emily yelled, her voice filled with fear as she rushed through the hospital doors, her feet hitting the chilly tiled floor.
The busy hospital silenced for a brief moment, all eyes on the young woman in her café outfit, apron still secured around her waist. She hardly paid attention to the glances or the murmurs, concentrating solely on the faraway sound of the emergency doors crashing open.
Her heart pounded in her chest, every beat sending a shock of fear throughout her veins. Her eyes were crimson, her mascara running down her face, the result of a morning spent stifling tears at the café. But at that moment, it seemed like everything was collapsing around her.
The call from the hospital arrived under an hour ago: her father had suffered a stroke and was quickly taken to the emergency room. She hadn't considered changing out of her work attire before hurrying here. Her apron now felt oppressive, but she couldn't pause long enough to remove it. She needed to get to him. She needed to find out if he was alright.
At that moment, a tall Doctor stepped out of the emergency room, his expression tense with worry, his forehead creased under the soft glow of the hospital lights. Emily hurried towards him, her breathing quickening as she clutched his sleeve.
"Doctor, What happened?... Where is my father?" Emily's voice broke, her throat constricted with anxiety.
"Emily," the doctor remarked, his gaze searching her expression. "I need you to relax.You're Emily Reed, am I correct?"
Emily nodded swiftly."Yes,yes. My dad... he's alright, isn't he? He must be. He's the only one I have remaining."
She swallowed back her tears, determined not to weep. She held her hands tightly together to stop them from shaking .
She tried to calm herself down but the truth was that she was panicking.
She listened as the doctor started in a calm but remorseful voice.
"Miss Reed, your father is in serious condition." We've managed to stabilize him for the time being, but the stroke he experienced... It was intense.We must act right away to avoid additional brain injury, but the circumstances are quite sensitive."
The world appeared to change, leaning and rotating around her. She struggled to breathe, her mind racing as the phrases reverberated in her thoughts.
"What... what is the meaning of that?"she asked, her voice almost inaudible.
The doctor paused, his look compassionate yet resolute. "The operation will be a minimum of $100,000, Miss Reed. It must be completed in the next twelve hours if we hope to save him.I'm afraid that we don't have enough time."
$100,000. The number echoed in Emily's ears like a funeral toll. She stumbled back a few paces, almost losing her steadiness.
"$100,000..." she breathed, experiencing her breath falter in her throat.
She had no reserve money, no safety net. Serving as a waitress in a tiny café hardly provided enough to pay the bills, much less anything so significant. Her father had always been her support, the one individual who stood by her side after her mother died. And now he could be drifting away from her, just like that. The idea left her feeling lightheaded.
The doctor placed his hand on her shoulder, his hold steady yet gentle. "I know this is too much for you, but we must move quickly. Provided you can gather the money, we can move forward right away."
Emily nodded distractedly, her thoughts swirling. As the doctor turned to head back into the ER, Emily sensed her legs growing weak, her body yielding to the immense burden of the circumstances. She couldn't allow her father to drift away from her. She would not. She was willing to do whatever it took to rescue him.
Emily returned to the café, the recognizable clank of coffee machines and the buzz of customers doing little to calm her fraying nerves. She sensed the burden of the world pressing down on her, with every step she took toward the rear of the café feeling more difficult than the previous one.
Her friend Jessica stood at the counter, a concerned frown starting to appear on her face as she noticed Emily's messy look.
"Emily?" Jessica hurriedly phoned, rushing towards her. "What happened? Where have you been? You look... you look terrible."
"There's a problem,my dad...He's at the hospital, and they need $100,000 for the operation. I don't know what to do."
Jessica's face turned ashen as she absorbed Emily's words. "$100,000? how will you... how could you even...?"
"I have no idea!" Emily said, her frustration, fear, and helplessness pouring out in a torrent. She gazed at her friend, her eyes filling with tears once more. "I can't afford to lose him, Jessica."
Jessica sighed, resting a hand softly on Emily's arm, attempting to soothe her. "Emily, look.You can't give up. We'll solve this together. Maybe... Maybe there's a solution."
Emily locked eyes with her, a subtle spark of hope igniting within her heart. "How's that?How are we even going to gather that much money in such a brief period?
Jessica squinted as she appeared to ponder for a moment. Then, her expression lit up. "I know a company... a lending service.They do not impose interest fees, and they operate swiftly. Perhaps you could obtain the funds from them and repay it gradually"
Emily's heart missed a beat. "A lending institution?Do you believe they would accept me? I don't have any collateral at all.I can't even provide them with anything."
Jessica gave a slight smile. "They could assist you.it's worth trying, isn't it?"
Emily sensed a glimmer of hope light up in her heart. "Do you think it will work?"
Jessica gently pressed her shoulder. "It will"
Emily sighed, her thoughts spiraling with options. Could this be a solution to her problem? Was it truly possible for her to save her father?
Chapter 1 DESPERATE MEASURES
06/01/2025
Chapter 2 SWEEPING WAVES
06/01/2025
Chapter 3 HIS DEAL
06/01/2025
Chapter 4 HEARTACHE
06/01/2025
Chapter 5 LAST OPTION
06/01/2025
Chapter 6 NO TURNING BACK
06/01/2025
Chapter 7 MEMORIES
06/01/2025
Chapter 8 THE WEEDING PREPARATION
06/01/2025
Chapter 9 A WEDDING, A CAGE
06/01/2025
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