The ten-minute drive was the longest ten minutes of my life, all thanks to the pin-dropping silence prevailed in Evan Parker's car. When we finally passed through a massive gate of a huge mansion, I sighed in relief that I won't have to breathe in a sophisticated manner in this small space anymore.

I stepped out of the car and Evan Parker asked me to follow him. Nodding, I made my way through the door that led to a large entrance hall or maybe a lounge. A man who looked like in his fifties came rushing towards us, to greet him and then me. He asked Evan if he needed anything, to which he replied 'no'.

I kept following him as we turned to a hallway and passed through few doors. He entered through one of them and I entered inside as well.

A worried gasp left my mouth as my gaze landed on Cara, looking pale and a lot weaker than before. Her babysitter Geena was sitting beside her, trying to feed her soup.

"Scarlet," she mumbled in weak voice when she noticed me, a feeble smile appeared on her face.

"Cara," I said and moved forwards. Sitting beside her, I enveloped her in a hug which she responded eagerly.

"I... I am sorry I didn't come to take the brownies yesterday. I had fever." she muttered as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Don't worry. And guess what, I brought your favourite choco lava cookies for you." I said and she smiled, looking too weak to jump excitedly like usual.

"Can I have one?" she asked, staring at the box.

"Yes, you can. But first, you have to finish this soup." I said and took the bowl of soup from her babysitter who then excused herself to go to toilet.

I shifted inside the blanket with her and wrapped one arm around her shoulder, bringing the spoon to her mouth with the other hand. She took the bite and then her face contorted at the taste but she ate it nevertheless.

I lifted my head to look at Evan Parker silently staring at us with a weird, conflicted expression on his face. Noticing my attention, he looked away and then said, "I'll be in study room. Whenever you are free, ask my driver to drop you back."

Nodding, I turned my focus back to Cara and made her eat the whole bowl. Then I gave her a cookie which she couldn't eat more than half. My heart was drowning in my chest at her condition. In just last two months, Cara had become an integral part of my life and I couldn't see her in pain.

Once she lay down, I lay beside her and massaged her head lightly. She was still burning with fever, despite the medicines put on the side table of the bed.

"My head hurts," she said, snuggling closer to me.

"I will pray to God for you and you will get better." I said to console her.

"Scarlet, can I tell you a secret?" she said on hearing that and I nodded. "I wish that I don't get better."

Her words bothered me and I couldn't understand why she would wish that. "Don't say that, Cara. Why would you wish that?" I asked.

She lifted her head from my chest and her blue eyes sparked with a strange emotion. "Because Geena says mommy is in heaven. I want to go there too so I can meet her."

Saying this, she closed her eyes again but I had lost all the peace of my mind. I was both shocked and tormented on hearing what was going on in her innocent mind. For a little girl of 5 to think like that, I couldn't imagine how lonely she felt.

I had lost my mother too. And even though I was much older than Cara, the pain was too much to bear. She was just a child who didn't know why her friends had a mother and she didn't. She didn't know why her father ignored her. She didn't know why she never got to experience the love of a parent.

This girl didn't deserve this.

..........

Standing outside the study room of Mr. Evan Parker, I gently knocked on it. A voice came from inside, ordering me to come in so I did the same. Opening the door, I stepped in and the moment his eyes fell on me, they widened in surprise.

"I am ready to marry you." I said, lowering my gaze to the floor.

I couldn't see his expression but the way he exhaled loudly told me that he was surprised. It took him a minute to respond finally.

"Sit," he said and motioned towards the seat in front of him. With silent steps, I walked towards him and settled on the comfortable seat.

His face assessed me for a minute and I couldn't help but blush under his calculative gaze. After staring at me for almost a minute, his hands moved to a drawer of his desk and he pulled something out.

"How much money do you want in return?" he said and signed on a blank cheque.

Indignation filled me at his words and I once again contemplated my decision. Marrying him was going to be the biggest mistake of my life but I had to do it. Otherwise, I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to Cara.

"I don't need your money." I said and his blue eyes bulged out more, if that was even possible.

"Why are you doing this then?" he asked, propping his elbows on the desk and leaning forwards

"For Cara." I whispered.

He looked like he didn't believe me at all but for some reason, he didn't ask further.

"Okay. Then it's decided. We are getting married next week. It will be a small ceremony, nothing fancy. After marriage, we will live our lives the way we live now. You will be my wife but just on papers and for Cara. Anytime any of us decides that this marriage isn't working, we have the right to dissolve it. In return of doing me this favour, I'll give you the right to take whatever part of my money you want, if you ever decide you need it." he said in a dry tone, as if he were stating a business proposal.

His words hurt me because they made me realise that I was marrying a machine. I didn't know if I will fall in love with someone in this life but it was clear that my first marriage would be a disaster, one that I will never forget.

"Deal," I said.

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