Gina Davidson never imagined that one night would change everything. Desperate to save her mother's life, she agreed to a one-night stand with J, Jeremy Fernand the ruthless and powerful CEO of J Group of Companies. But fate was cruel-her mother passed away before she could even use the money. Heartbroken, Gina left her past behind, moving to a new city to start over with a fashion boutique. Just when she thought she was rebuilding her life, she discovered she was pregnant. The pregnancy wasn't easy-complications nearly cost her everything. But with the unwavering support of her new best friend and neighbor, Gina fought through every challenge, never once considering reaching out to J. She gave birth to twins-a boy and a girl, determined to raise them alone. For five years, she kept their existence a secret, refusing to let their father's shadow touch their lives. But when her daughter was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, Gina had no choice but to seek out J. At first, he refused to believe it, but a DNA test proved the truth. Without hesitation, he donated his marrow to save his daughter's life-but in return, he demanded something from Gina: his rightful place in his children's lives. As they navigated co-parenting, past wounds, and undeniable desires, something unexpected happened-they began to fall for each other. But just as they started opening their hearts, a dangerous enemy emerged, threatening J's business and their children's lives. With their family in danger, Gina and J must fight to protect what matters most. But will their newfound love survive the storm? And who is the enemy determined to destroy them?
Chapter 1 The Weight Of Desperation
Gina Davidson's world had always been a fragile balance of hope and hardship. At twenty‐three, she carried the heavy responsibility of caring for her ailing mother-a burden that pressed upon her with every labored breath. Working long, exhausting shifts as a cleaner and waitress at a modest hotel, Gina faced each day with quiet determination despite the ever‐looming specter of despair. Every scrubbed floor and every tray served was a silent plea for help, a desperate attempt to gather enough money for the critical surgery her mother needed to fight a ravaging bout of cancer.
For months, Gina had painstakingly saved every penny, yet the amount was always tragically insufficient. Her mother, once a vibrant source of unconditional love and strength, now lay weakened in a sterile hospital bed, clinging to life as time slipped away. The hospital corridors echoed with the beeps of monitors and whispered prayers-a constant reminder that her mother's future was rapidly fading. Desperate to secure the funds required for the surgery, Gina decided to approach the one man who might have the power to offer her a solution: Owen, the owner of the hotel where she worked.
Owen was known for his shrewd business acumen and a demeanor but a very nice person who cares for every one around him and is also very nice to his employees. Yet, with her heart pounding and hope mingling with trepidation, Gina gathered every ounce of courage to request a loan or an advance that could bridge the vast gap between her meager earnings and the astronomical hospital bills. In a sparse, dimly lit office high above the lobby, Gina recounted the dire state of her mother's health and the crushing urgency of the seventy‐two‐hour window the doctors had provided. Her voice trembled with both fear and determination as she pleaded for a chance to work full time, promising to repay every cent with the sweat of her brow.
Owen's gaze remained impassive as he listened, his expression unreadable. After a long, heavy silence, he finally spoke-with his tone full of compassion. He measured his words and delivered a verdict as cold as the marble floors of his office. "I'm sorry, Gina, but I can't help you with that, that's a huge amount of money and the hotel will be greatly affected if that sum of money is removed for no reason " he said curtly, his eyes betraying nothing of the anguish unfolding before him. Before Gina could muster a response, however, Owen leaned forward and proposed an alternative that struck her like a thunderbolt. He explained that his close associate, Jeremy Ferdinand-the notorious playboy CEO of the J Group of Companies-was soon to return from abroad. Jeremy, known for his disdain for sentimentality and his appetite for carnal pleasures, was in need of a companion for an upcoming celebration with influential Arab clients.
The proposition was as clear as it was degrading: spend a night with Jeremy in exchange for a sum large enough to cover her mother's mounting medical bills. The idea made Gina's blood run cold. The very thought of trading her body for money, of surrendering even a fraction of her dignity, was abhorrent. With tears gathering in her eyes and her heart pounding in protest, Gina's voice emerged barely above a whisper as she rejected the offer. "I can't do that," she said firmly, her tone laced with sorrow and defiance. Owen, unfazed by her rejection, handed her a small card bearing a number-an invitation to reconsider if her desperation ever outweighed her principles. But Gina's answer was resolute; she would not compromise herself further.
No sooner had she left the stifling confines of the hotel owner's office than Gina made her way directly to the hospital. The rain that had been falling earlier now gave way to a bleak, overcast sky as she rushed through the hospital's sterile corridors. The cold linoleum floors and the relentless echo of footsteps reminded her that every passing second carried the weight of her mother's uncertain fate. In a small, quiet consultation room, a compassionate doctor met her anxious gaze. With a voice as soft as it was grave, he explained that her mother's condition had worsened. The cancer was advancing, and the window for a successful surgery was shrinking fast-only seventy-two hours remained before the damage became irreparable.
Each word from the doctor felt like a hammer blow to Gina's already shattered heart. The urgency of the situation was undeniable: if her mother did not undergo the surgery within the allotted time, the chance of saving her life would vanish. The clinical setting, filled with the muted hum of machines and the distant murmur of hurried nurses, underscored the cold finality of the prognosis. Gina sat in stunned silence, her mind reeling from the dual impact of a rejected plea and the dire news about her mother. The harsh reality was that she now had only a short time to muster an alternative solution-a solution that would not demand she sacrifice the very essence of who she was.
Standing in the quiet aftermath of the consultation, Gina felt the crushing isolation of responsibility. The rejection from Owen and the monstrous proposition that followed still echoed in her ears. Yet, the relentless ticking of the clock in the hospital corridor served as a grim reminder that there was no time for indecision. The seventy-two hours were not just a deadline-they were a countdown to a future without the warmth of her mother's smile, a future where the cost of survival might be measured in compromises too painful to bear. In that desperate moment, Gina vowed that she would find a way to raise the money needed, even if it meant venturing down a path she had long feared.
With her resolve hardened by sorrow and necessity, Gina rose from the consultation room and stepped into the unforgiving brightness of the hospital corridor. The sterile smell of antiseptic mingled with the chill of impending loss, yet within her heart burned a spark of determination. Every step she took was a silent promise to fight against the inevitable, to challenge the cruel fate that had been thrust upon her. Despite the humiliation of Owen's offer and the crushing reality of her mother's dire prognosis, Gina knew that she would never allow herself to be broken completely.
As she moved toward the exit, the echoes of the doctor's solemn warning-"Seventy-two hours"-resonated in her mind like a death knell. The decision was now hers alone: to seek an alternative, however unthinkable it might seem, or to accept a slow surrender to fate. With her heart heavy yet unyielding, Gina stepped forward into the uncertain future, determined to preserve the dignity that even the darkest desperation could not steal. In that moment, she realized that every sacrifice she might be forced to make would be measured against the precious gift of her mother's life-and that hope, fragile as it was, might still light the way through the encroaching darkness.