Chapter 11 – Flashback: The Bargain
Three years ago.
Ava sat in the cold waiting room of the private clinic, her mother's file clutched in trembling hands. Stage 3. Aggressive. Treatable—but only with a type of experimental care they couldn't afford.
She had exhausted every option. Government aid. Loans. Crowdfunding. Nothing was enough.
Then came Dominic Grey.
He didn't rescue her from danger. He presented a deal.
They met in the quiet backroom of a charity gala where Ava had gone as a server, hoping to sneak a moment with one of the attending philanthropists. Instead, she caught Dominic's attention.
He'd read her file. He knew everything.
> "Marry me," he said flatly. "One year. No questions. In return, your mother gets the treatment. Full care. No expenses spared."
Ava was stunned. She asked him why.
> "I need a wife. You need a miracle. Let's not pretend it's anything more."
She didn't sleep that night. But in the morning, she signed the agreement. Not because she trusted him—but because he was her mother's only chance.
The proposal came with no ring. Just a document.
> "Not love," he said. "Survival."
And she walked into it willingly. For her mother.
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