Rose's POV

"How do you even expect me to just sign a contract like that?!"

His eyes were laced with something I couldn't place together.

"Rose, I'm your boss, and I have full right over you and over the things you do under my roof."

His voice sent chills down my spine.

I couldn't believe what he was saying to me. How on earth does he expect me to accept a contract from him?

A contract that I don't even know if it would favor me or not.

I glanced at him, our eyes meeting.

"What's this contract about?" My voice was calm, filled with respect for him.

One thing I never did was disrespect Jim, even though he deserved it.

"Be my substitute wife."

My whole body changed at once.

The offer was the last thing I expected from him.

"Bo...."

"You'd get 500k!" He cut off my words with the huge amount of money he was offering.

At first, I was attracted to the amount, but I felt uneasy about it.

Why was he choosing me over the other girls he had met?

"Sorry, but I can't accept such an offer from you, sir." I gave a slight nod and turned around to walk out.

I was just a nanny in his mansion, and this offer was the last thing I expected.

I went back to my duty post, my heart racing, my head pounding as I thought about his offer.

"Rose."

I jumped out of my thoughts, turning toward the direction of the voice.

It was Madam Alice calling me.

I immediately walked towards her, but before I could greet her, I felt a sharp slap on my face.

"Ma'am?" I gasped.

"You must be foolish not to know my son is half dead, and you're just sitting here."

Half dead??

I didn't waste a second before running to his room.

He was lying on his bed, his whole body trembling.

I sat on the bed and felt his neck-his temperature was way too high.

Turning to his cupboard, I reached for the thermometer and placed it in his mouth. It showed a high fever.

"What happened, sir?" I asked.

"Nothing."

My facial expression immediately changed.

What does he mean by that?

"But you're way too hot to say it's nothing."

He smiled and sat up in bed.

"Can you sit?" he asked.

"No, sir, with all due respect!"

"I said sit so we can have a better talk."

I forced a smile and sat as he commanded.

"So, why is your body so hot?"

He pulled out a body heater from under his blanket.

It wasn't funny to me, but it was to him.

I felt a surge of anger.

His mother had hit me for not nursing him.

Yes, I was a registered nurse and a high-class nanny. That's why I was working with the mayor's family.

"I need you to be my substitute wife."

"Why? You're in love with Ms. Amanda, if I remember correctly."

He frowned.

"I can't get married to her."

Funny enough.

I chuckled.

"Why?" I looked him straight in the eyes.

"No more questions, please."

He held my hands. I looked at his hands on mine, then at him again.

He slowly leaned towards me, pressing his lips against mine.

At first, I wanted to break away from the kiss, but he held my head, keeping me locked with his lips.

I pushed him away.

I stood up from his bed. "Sorry, but I can't afford to do this."

He stood up.

His physique was revealed-his six-pack and hairy chest.

He was everything any lady would crave, but I was not just any lady-I was myself.

"You're really beautiful." He complimented me.

I faked a smile. "Sorry, I have to get back to work." I gave a slight bow.

Before I could take a step, he pulled me back, our bodies almost touching.

"You're always free to come back here."

"No, I'm not." I pushed him away and walked out of the room.

As I approached the sitting room, his mother stood up and walked toward me.

As she looked at me, something flashed in her eyes-was it regret or...?

"Please, how is he doing?"

The last thing I wanted was another slap on my face. I stepped back a bit.

"Good!"

"That's nice to know."

I gave a slight bow.

Before I could walk away, her words stopped me.

"Sorry for the slap."

I turned to her and smiled.

"It's nothing." I lied.

I walked away.

Back in my room, my mind was filled with thoughts of the kiss.

That kiss.

The feeling of it.

Still lost in thought, I heard a knock on my door.

"Rose, can I see you?"

I stood up and walked out of the room.

Madam Alice stood there, waiting.

"How can I help you, ma'am?" I asked politely.

"I'm so sorry for the slap."

She held my hands with a smile.

"It's nothing to worry about, ma'am. I was wrong for not checking up on him."

"No, you weren't wrong, dear. I was the wrong one for putting too much work on you."

I smiled.

"That's no problem. I'm paid for that."

"You're soon to be my son's wife, and you don't need that stress."

She chuckled after saying those words.

One thing I didn't quite understand was: YOU'RE GOING TO BE MY SON'S WIFE.

"Sorry, ma'am, I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"Didn't he tell you? Didn't he offer you the contract?"

Was this a plan between mother and son?

"Please, the wedding is tomorrow, and we can't afford to have Amanda marry into this family!"

Amanda had always seemed like a good person, even though we weren't close. Why was this family rejecting her as Mr. Alexander's wife?

I looked at Madam Alice, my body beginning to sweat.

"Ma'am...."

"It comes with a cash price, and the contract itself isn't hard for you to comply with."

Those words still felt strange.

A substitute wife in this family.

"He already told me everything I needed to know about this marriage."

It all felt like a game, and in this game, I was the pawn.

What if this benefited me?

Or made me suffer even more?

I was from a very poor background, and one thing I wouldn't want was to bring shame to my father and mother.

"Can I talk to my parents about this?"

"Please, you have less than 12 hours to do that."

I nodded.

Back in my room, I picked up my phone and dialed my mother's number.

"Hello, Momma!"

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"Not too well!"

"Why? What's happening? Are they treating you badly?"

Her questions were too much already.

I sighed.

"Not that, Mom, but something bigger."

"What's that, my princess?"

"The mayor wants me to be a substitute bride for her son."

There was a disturbing silence on the other end, making me call out her name.

"That's wonderful."

Her voice sounded happy.

"Mother, that wasn't what I was expecting you to say."

"What do you want me to say? This is a one-time opportunity that would erase poverty from our lineage."

In a way, her words sounded true.

But it was my life at stake.

"Mother, the wedding is tomorrow," I said.

"I will be there, darling. Let's chat later. I have a customer here."

She ended the call.

I walked back to the sitting room, where Madam Alice was with her son.

"Ma'am, I'll do it!"

She stood up, a smile playing on her face.

She hugged me.

"Kindly sign these papers."

"What papers are those?"

Immediately, we all turned around to see her standing there.

It was Ms. Amanda.

His supposed wife.