I was busy in a video call with a client when the sound of door opening disturbed me. I raised my gaze from the laptop and found Gabe, my assistant standing in the doorframe.

I excused from the client and turned my attention to Gabe. "What was so urgent that you couldn't wait?" I asked and he gulped.

Gabe was a thin, lanky man in his early twenties. Despite his nervous persona and a habit to turn into a stuttering mess in front of me, he was actually a hard worker and that's why I haven't fired him yet.

"Your mother is outside." he said and I sighed in annoyance. I have specifically told her many times not to come to office to disturb me but she simply doesn't listen.

"Send her in," I said and told the clients that I would call them later.

Before Gabe could leave, Mom barged inside on her own, a full blown smile on her face indicating that I was stuck in some uncomfortable situation.

"Guess what?" she said as she seated herself in front of me.

"There was a sale?" I rolled my eyes and asked Gabe to tell the media head to meet me in half an hour so that I could discuss some proposals with him.

"Oh, shut up, will you?" she said, giggling. There was definitely something wrong and I wasn't eager to find out. "Remember when you said you'd marry a woman I'll choose if she fulfills your criterion?" she asked.

"Oh. Don't tell me you found a girl willing to marry me?" I asked with a sarcastic smile on my face.

"Maybe." she shrugged.

Hearing this, a chuckle escaped my mouth. "Let me rephrase that mother, did you actually find a woman willing to give my daughter motherly love without expecting any association with me in return?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

She shrugged again, confidence dripping from her face.

At this, worry started to fill me. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought she would actually found someone fulfilling that criterion. I mean who in her right mind would marry such a man?

No, my mother was definitely pulling a prank on me.

"And where is that perfect, imaginary girl of yours?" I asked, switching my attention to my laptop because I had a feeling that she had no reply to that.

"Oh, you would love to meet her," she said and the next moment, she opened the door to invite someone in.

My throat turned dry when I found an actual girl entering my office. Once she walked in, her gaze fell on me and her big, brown eyes visibly widened. She was of average height and built, with a somewhat pretty face but the most noticeable thing about her was two big dimples gracing her cheeks. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, her brown hair styled in a braid; nothing about her said she was an actress whom my Mom had hired to pull a prank on me.

"Evan, meet Scarlet, the girl I was telling you about." Mom said and a small smile appeared on that girl's face, which made her dimples deepen.

"What is she, eighteen?" I said honestly because the girl looked like she had just graduated highschool.

"I am not eighteen, I am twenty-five." The girl whose name was apparently Scarlet said in a defensive manner. "I just have a baby face."

Her expressions told me that this was not the first time someone had guessed her age wrong. I couldn't help but feel amused at her reaction but I knew better than letting her know that.

"And you want me to marry her?" I asked Mom and she just smiled in return.

"Yeah, you yourself said if I find such girl, you'd agree to marry her. I know you never back out from your commitments." Mom said, smirking.

This forced me to leave my seat and slowly walk towards the two women ready to make a fool out of me. Ignoring my mom, I stepped near the girl who took a step back immediately, creating a perfect distance between us.

"Scarlet, is it?" I said, hiding my hands in my pockets.

Something red creeped up her cheeks as she gulped nervously. "Yes," she said, her gaze switching to my mother, begging with her eyes for help.

"Why did you agree to marry me Scarlet?" I said in the driest voice possible.

Her eyes once again shifted to my mother, who shook her head in return, as if stopping her to tell the real reason. The girl looked confused as hell and that piqued my curiosity.

"I asked you something, Scarlet." Her name rolled off my tongue as I asked again.

"I... I... I needed some money." she said and beside us, my mother slapped her forehead.

"Oh, so you're that type of girl." I commented dryly on hearing her answer. Of course, why else would she agree to marry me? She was definitely one of those girls who would do anything for money just so they can buy branded clothes and designer shoes. Why not move your lazy ass and earn some of your own instead of depending on other's hard-earned money?

At my comment, her face flushed but this time for different reasons. Her big, brown eyes filled with obvious anger and she balled her fists on her sides.

"Excuse me, Mr. Whatever-fancy-name-you-have, What do you mean by that type of girl?" she crossed her arms in front of her chest and growled. "Yes, I agreed to marry you because I needed some money to save my bakery that I had worked hard for seven years. But don't worry, I'll give every cent back so you can stop looking at me with this condescending look in your eyes."

My ego isn't too fragile to admit that I actually felt ashamed of hearing that. I had run a business and I knew that sometimes for the place you had worked hard for, you would agree to do anything, even if it means humiliating yourself.

"Catheryn, I'll make sure to return your money as soon as I can. Thank you, I will never forget that you helped me in bad times." she said to my mother and then cast an angered glance at me.

Before Mom could say anything, she stomped out of the office, leaving me slightly bewildered.

"Evan---"

"Just leave, Mom." I cast an annoyed glance at her for all the drama she had caused by bringing this girl to my office.

..........

It was about 11 at night when I finally drove back to my house. George took my suitcase while I made my way towards the lounge. Asking Kelly to bring a glass of water for me, I sat down on the couch and opened the top buttons of my shirt.

Today was exhausting. First, I lost a deal to my competitors and then I had that argument with that girl, Scarlet. It was all Mom's fault.

"Dad." Cara's voice surprised me and I looked at the clock which showed 11pm.

"Why are you still awake?" I asked as she walked towards me, with her hands secured around her doll.

My eyes shifted to Geena, her babysitter who looked slightly afraid of me. "She... She wasn't sleeping." she stammered.

"And why is that?" I asked Cara.

"Dad, is it true? Are you going to marry Scarlet?" she asked as she sat beside me. Her blue eyes twinkled with happiness and it reminded me of Eliza. Cara was a carbon copy of her mother and looking at her always reminded of my suffering and loss.

"How do you know Scarlet?" I asked.

"She makes pies and cakes for me." Cara replied and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"She runs a bakery. Cara usually go there to buy sweets." Geena explained and I nodded in understanding.

"Dad, is she my new mother?" Cara asked with hope dripping from her eyes.

"Do you like her?" I asked.

"Yes, I love her." she replied with a huge grin on her face.

I sighed, looking away from the familiar face of my daughter because it always makes a part of my heart clench in pain. If Eliza was here, everything would have been so different. Cara would have a mother to look after her and I would have been the same person I was before her death.

"No Cara, I am not going to marry Scarlet." I cleared because I didn't want to give her any false hopes. Her smile turned into a frown and moisture filled her eyes.

"Geena, take her to her room. She shouldn't stay awake this late." I ordered Geena. Cara looked like she wanted to argue with me but for some reason, she chose not to. Whispering me Good night, she silently walked out of the lounge with unshed tears in her eyes.

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