The contracted wife he couldn't control

first page, and she still couldn't decide whether Ethan Cole had of

bed at Saint Gabriel Medical Center with her phone balanced on one knee and the hospital bill folded inside her bag. Sarah had finally fallen a

k to the beginnin

AN COLE AND

n a way she couldn't quite explain, as if she were a

and the responsibilities expected of a married couple. It also specified that neither party could demand

ed the financi

upon successful compl

one exception, for legal couns

ll, cover her mother's treatment, and leave enough money for Maya to stop calculating the cost of every meal she bought

thing valuable in return. Ethan wanted a wife, but Maya was beginning to s

approved cancer treatment, related hospitalization, and necessary medication, with payments made

ad been waiting for treatment while Maya worked herself sick trying to afford it, and now a st

ly the answer seeme

ement came

ay

opened her eyes and was looking a

you sti

dn't

becoming

hospital. I don't

le, then looked at the

re you

ing for

o quickly, and Sara

work keep you a

discovered e

ay

et the phone fac

ha

's wr

neath the blanket. She could tell Sarah the truth, but she couldn't explain the offer without e

sion to make,"

ut w

that coul

tudied

it s

looke

't kno

for a moment before r

out before

er fingers ar

try

e me so

ha

ision for you, and don't let

ere the only things she had left to consult. Instea

be car

he pillow. Maya waited until her breathing evened out, then picked up

onsultations. He sounded half asleep when he answered, but after Maya explained th

met this m

nc

million dollars for a

's co

that you are not o

ope

torney

ment does not automatically make an agreement fair, and a co

toward her m

derst

ll you in the morning. Don't sign anyt

e without asking for anything in retur

own questions for the morning. By the time she finally leaned back in t

, but she was running out of ways to

, Maya stepped outside the hospi

needed clarification, particularly those concerning early terminatio

need to be written into the agreement," he

nd the revi

them withi

ase

Ms. B

eside the hos

es

erstand the consequences, not because somebody h

. Inside, a nurse was helping an el

stand,"

h's room and found her mother awake,

going

ke care of so

thing

ould answer that

ope

rehead and left before Sar

ontract arriv

than it explained. Her attorney had added clear provisions protecting her right to leave the residence, continue working, and vi

e by line, then emailed the docu

with the agreement or tries to force

esponded a few

s personal autonomy. It will not prevent every disagreement, but it

wasn't supposed to be a real marriage, but Ethan's world seemed to have its own rules, an

vised contract to Ev

fteen, her

ha

answ

sions," she said be

nd

're b

orney was

ing paid

silence

any remaini

that can be solve

iscuss them wh

ked at t

here befor

expect

dbye to Sarah. Her mother was watching television when May

leavin

ething impo

at her for

come bac

cour

knuckles. She hoped the promise would sti

evening, from the glass walls overlooking the city to

nd his desk, speaking to a man in a navy suit. He finished the conversation as M

atched him go before turn

y approved th

ew recomm

re inc

the sections protecting her independence. Everything her attorney had requested appeared in the document, inclu

look

ed to all

es

ut arg

prefer th

just su

his seat op

requests. I had no re

ctly as he wanted. Instead, he had accepted her conditions without making her feel foolish for asking,

e?" sh

d back s

sed that y

to your world. That's an obs

ze hel

have no reason to help my cousin gain control of it. I needed someone who could ente

someone who

o understands what

dn't li

n't the sa

said. "Th

r he would elaborate, but he retu

deadline. My cousin has spent years positioning himself to take advantage of that condition. If

ployees who

in the middle of a fig

rn began and ended with his position, but the answer suggest

ng do y

cousin has already s

y he had chosen her, but Maya suspected he would

sed the

ect you to honor

wil

expect you to listen before

ession shift

romise we'

o agree with me. I

her for a mome

r en

inted beside his, waiting for the decision that wo

he years she had spent telling herself that if she worked hard enough, she could eventu

cked up

ospital gets the pa

e documents are executed. The initial payment

change your m

N

of man who kept his promises when doing so became inconvenient. She found nothing she could trust compl

the marriage license and fi

She set it down, and Ethan signed on the line beside hers, then closed the folder and passed

ment was

for some feeling of rel

han answered emails and Maya watched the c

riel Medi

ped aside

el

ve received the authorization for your mother's

're

notified, and the treatment

xplain what they couldn't do until the balance was paid, and now someone was

ou," she

he lowered the phone.

oked up

s do

es

can start

es

ore to hersel

pose you ha

ession remai

lly,

and collect

d too pleas

ware I soun

. That's th

door, but Ethan spoke

ay

ooked

s afternoon. Evelyn will coordinate the arrang

nod

ck what

ush. We can arrange

cide wha

her gaze fo

rig

lyn was waiting to explain the arrangements for the move, but Maya barely heard the first few

, and that was what mattered. For

end, Maya found herself wondering what kind of man needed to marry a st