Lopez stood there, staring at Adrian as if he had suddenly grown two heads.

"Marry you?" she repeated. "And why would I agree to something so ridiculous? I don't even know you."

"That doesn't matter," Adrian replied without the slightest change in expression. "What matters is that there is a price. Name it."

"What?"

"Money. Cars. Houses. Whatever you want. Just put a price on it."

Lopez didn't answer immediately. Her mother's face flashed through her mind.

Samantha's unpaid tuition.

She had just lost her job.

How exactly was she supposed to get another one overnight?

‘This man is either crazy or unbelievably rich,’ she thought.

"How rich are you?" she asked before she could stop herself. The question surprised even her.

Adrian smirked.

"Rich enough."

Lopez folded her arms.

"$50,000..."

Before she could finish, Adrian stretched out his hand.

"Deal."

Lopez blinked.

"Wait... I haven't even finished."

"You don't have to."

She stared at the hand in front of her. Fifty thousand dollars… It sounded like something straight out of a movie.

"$50,000?" she asked again. "You're really going to pay me that?"

"You have my word."

She looked at him for a few more seconds before finally placing her hand in his.

"Deal."

Adrian released her hand, reached into his wallet and handed her a business card.

"Monday. Two o'clock."

He looked her straight in the eye.

"Don't be late."

Lopez nodded absentmindedly as she looked down at the card.

Her eyes widened.

"Director?"

She looked up.

"You are the director?"

Adrian had already turned around. Without another word, he walked away.

Lopez watched him until he disappeared around the corner.

"Such a rude brat," she muttered.

Then she looked around.

"Oh, shit."

She sighed. "I still don't know my way out."

*****************

"Finally!"

Lopez breathed out in relief the moment she stepped outside the company.

She stretched both arms happily.

"I made it."

As she walked home, Adrian's proposal kept replaying in her head.

"A contract marriage..."

She shook her head.

"This has to be the craziest day of my life."

But then she remembered the amount. Fifty thousand dollars was enough for her mother's surgery. And to clear Samantha's tuition.

Enough to keep the family going for a while.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

It wasn't such a bad idea after all.

She was still thinking about it when she noticed a sign.

Emma's Mini Mart.

She stopped.

"Oh..."

She quickly opened her handbag and brought out the prescription the doctor had given her.

"I should at least get some of Mom's drugs."

She walked inside.

A middle-aged woman smiled warmly at her.

"How may I help you, young lady?"

Lopez handed over the prescription.

"I need these."

The woman adjusted her glasses before taking the paper.

"Give me a minute."

She returned shortly with several boxes of medication and placed them on the counter.

"Is this everything?" Lopez asked hopefully.

"Yes."

"How much?"

Emma punched some figures into the register.

"Five hundred dollars."

Lopez laughed. Not because it was funny. But because she didn't know what else to do.

"Five hundred?"

"I'm afraid so."

Lopez slowly opened her purse. She counted the little money she had left. It wasn't even close.

She sighed.

"Just return them."

Emma looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry."

Lopez forced a smile.

"It isn't your fault."

Emma began putting the drugs back on the shelf.

"Can't I just buy the cheapest one?" Lopez asked.

Emma shook her head.

"They work together."

"So even being poor has conditions."

Emma didn't know what to say.

Just then, a cheerful voice echoed from the entrance. "Aunt Emma! Tell me you finally decided to appreciate your favorite customer."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"There he is."

A handsome young man walked in with a playful grin on his face.

"You still owe me money," Emma reminded him.

"I prefer the word 'credit’."

His eyes suddenly landed on Lopez.

He stopped walking.

"Wow."

Lopez frowned.

"What?"

Joey smiled.

"Has anyone ever told you your beauty blinds people?"

Lopez looked away.

"No."

"Then allow me to be the first."

Emma sighed.

"Don't mind him. He likes talking."

"I like appreciating beauty," Joey corrected.

He walked over. "What happened?"

Emma pointed at the drugs. "She needs them, but she can't afford them."

Joey glanced at the prescription.

"How much?"

"Five hundred dollars."

Without saying another word, Joey pulled out his wallet.

"I'll pay."

Lopez looked at him in disbelief.

"What?"

Joey handed the money to Emma.

"I said I'll pay."

"I didn't ask you to."

"I know."

"Then why?"

Joey shrugged.

"Because I can."

Emma smiled and handed the medication to Lopez.

Lopez didn't take it immediately.

"I'll pay you back."

"I'm looking forward to it."

She finally accepted the drugs.

"Thank you."

Joey smiled.

"You look even prettier when you smile."

Lopez couldn't help smiling. "You came too late."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I'm getting married."

She turned and walked away.

Joey laughed. "Better late than never!"

She waved without looking back. "Hope to see you again someday!"

*******

The encounter with Joey completely took her mind off the strange deal she had just made with the director of West Insurance.

She kept thinking about him.

"This man is either crazy or doesn’t know what to do with money ."

Before she knew it, she was standing in front of her house.

Voices echoed from inside.

"Not again," she muttered.

She was about to turn back when she heard another voice. A man's voice.

She frowned. "That isn't Dad."

Her heartbeat quickened.

"What the hell is going on?"