Entwined by Secrets

"Miss Lily Turner," a voice calm and still shattered the silence in the room. "The test we ran revealed something... unexpected."

My head jerked up like a marionette yanked by invisible strings. "What do you mean?"

The doctor turned the screen towards me, showing scans of my brain. He pointed to a dark spot near the frontal lobe. "There's a growing mass here." He said softly with a carefully measured tone.

"You mean ... a tumor?" I could hardly speak, the words stuck in my throat as though speaking them out loud would make them seem too real.

The doctor nodded gravely. Yes...there's a tumor in your brain." His words were slow, as though each syllable could break me.

I tried to process what I had just heard by blinking, but the words felt alien, as if they were from someone else's life rather than mine.

He added hesitantly, "We caught it in time, but we need to act quickly, starting with a surgery."

The doctor's words were like blows to my already shattering world. I went blank as my thoughts swirled in a vortex of disbelief and fear.

"How long do I have?" I asked with a trembling voice barely holding back the rising panic.

The doctor leaned forward. "It's quite uncertain, a couple of months I suppose, but we can fight this if ..."

His voice began to fade as I could barely hear him over the deafening roar of my thoughts. All I could hear was the sound of my life crumbling, like fragile glasses shattering into million pieces, drowning deep in the deep sea of uncertainty. My mind went completely blank.

All my mind's eye could behold was the image of my Amelia portraying me.

My sweet angel, my precious baby, she's depending on me. And now everything is at risk. The thought made my heart race even faster.

"I...I need a moment." I whispered, pushing myself out of the chair, carefully walking towards the door. The doctor kept calling out to me but I wouldn't turn back, everything inside me was unraveling, my thoughts spiraling into chaos. The air in the office felt suffocating, I needed to escape.

I am back home but my mind kept reminiscing over the big blow I had received from the doctor today. Thinking about it made it so real again, I was deeply lost in thoughts when suddenly there was a heavy bang on the door which startled me and brought me back to reality.

BANG! BANG!

"LILY TURNER! We know you're in there, open the damn door!" A male voice thundered from outside.

The pounding on the door shook the apartment walls and I felt the ground beneath me shaking. My heart raced and my breath coming in short. They were here.

My hands were shaking uncontrollable as I took a firm grip of Amelia's hand, pulling my daughter close.

She was terrified, I could see it in her cute eyes.

"Mommy! What's going on?" Amelia was so scared. Her voice shaking.

I pressed my finger to her lip, "Shh, sweetheart, it's going to be okay." It was a lie, but that was the only assurance I could give her.

Looking at the door it was obvious that the door would be brought down in seconds.

"I'm coming for you, Turner! You think you can hide from us forever? We will get what's ours!"

Think, Lily, think! You need to get out of here.

I looked around the small apartment trying to see a solution.

The back door!

This was my only chance, with my heart pounding heavily in my chest, I yanked the back door open, dragging my Amelia behind me.

"Run, baby, don't look back."

We barely made it a few feet before a loud crash came from inside the apartment, the front down was down and the loan sharks were in.

"Go! Go!"

Before we could take another step further a man blocked us.

"Well, look what we've got here." He crossed his arm over his chest, shining his yellow teeth in a grin.

"Thought, you could run away through the back? Smart. But not smart enough."

My heart sank, there was no way out.

"Please, just give me more time. I-I'll get the money, I promise!"

"Your time's up, Turner. Mr. Colby doesn't wait around for people. He gave you enough chances and now it's payback time."

"Please." I begged wholeheartedly. "I'll figure something out. Just a little more time."

"You should've thought of that a long time ago. Now you have to pay."

I watched his eyes flicker to Amelia; I tightened my grip on her, shielding her from the horror unfolding. My baby didn't understand the danger she was in.

"Cute kid. Would be a shame if something happened to her."

"No! I'll do anything! just don't touch her!" I said defending Amelia.

The man stepped closer to me; his grin widened. "Anything, huh? Well, it just so happens we have an offer for you."

My heart skipped a beat. "What...what kind of offer?" I asked.

"You see, Mr. Colby's got connections. He can be generous, in his way. Someone is looking for a...let's say, partner. Someone in your position might find this deal very interesting.

"I-I don't understand. What kind of partner, a business partner or what?" I couldn't seem to comprehend.

"You don't need to understand right now," he sneered at me. "Just know this, you agree to meet with him, and get the money he's offering."

What does he mean to meet him? meet who?

"Who...who is it?" my voice was trembling. I don't trust this man, not even for a second.

He gave a cold smile that sent shivers down my spine. "You'll find out soon enough. You meet him tomorrow. Until then..." He took a glance at Amelia, his gaze lingering a second too long.

"Don't get any funny ideas about running. We'll be watching."

The man and his minions disappeared into the shadows. I just stood there with my whole body shaking with great fear.

Amelia tugged at my sleeve, her voice small and trembling. "Mom, who was that man?"

I knelt down, gathering her in my arms, fighting back tears. "No one, sweetheart, just a bad man."

Oh, my little cutie, you don't deserve this.

Finally, after some time, I managed to put Amelia to sleep.The man left an envelope at the kitchen table, and I sat there looking at it.

I ripped it open, pulling out a single letter. The name written at the top of the letter made my heart skip a beat.

James Blake.

The man whose name was splashed across magazine covers, and echoed in boardrooms. A billionaire and business tycoon. He was offering me a deal.

Marry me, and your debt will disappear.

What? Is this some sort of joke? Marry a billionaire? His money for my hand in marriage. No attachment whatsoever, no strings attached.

My phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts. It was an unknown number.

I hesitated a little, then I picked.

A smooth, deep voice spoke. "Miss Turner, I assume you've received my letter."

My eyes widened, it's Mr. Billionaire.

My mouth went dry. "Yes, I got it."

"Good. I trust you understand the terms."

"I -I don't understand any of this. Why me?"

He paused for a short moment and then spoke. "Because, Miss Turner, I don't waste time. And neither should you. If you want to keep your daughter safe and give her financial security, I suggest you agree to my proposal."

My blood turned cold. He knows about Amelia too.

"What do you want from me?" I asked.

"I want a wife, you need money. I need to fulfill an obligation. It's a simple business deal. Nothing more." He said simply.

"But this is insane, I don't even know you." My voice was almost a whisper.

Is this some kind of sick joke? How do I marry someone for money, what about love?

"I'll give you until tomorrow to decide. But make no mistake, Miss Turner. This is your only possible way out." His voice is smooth and deep. The call dropped dead.

My eyes flickered with emotions, I just couldn't believe what had just happened.

I had just been offered a lifeline by a billionaire.

This has got to be a dream; someone please wake me up!