Author's Note:

Thanks reader. The proposition is finally here. Would you like a chapter on Ethan's pov. Please let me know.

Have a nice day.

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Its Nan", Ethan says. There is a softness in his voice. Its the love for his Grandmother Ellis or Nan as Ethan calls her. Ethan's love for every one in his family was one of the many things that attracted me to him. During our initial dates, we would spend hours talking and so many of those where stories about every member of his family. I would laugh until my stomach hurt while he told me stories after stories about them, especially Grandma Ellis and Grandpa Will. They were funny and good people. They are very special to him and he respected them very much.

"Dementia. She has been suffering from memory loss for about an year now. A few weeks back, she had an episode which led to an anxiety attack. She had to be hospitalized for a few days"

"Oh! I am sorry. How is she doing now?", I asked. Its so sad to know about Ellis. Ellis and Will had welcomed me with open arms while others never gave me a chance. Maybe because Ellis was like me, she came from a simple family. Will meet her at wedding and fell for her hard. Against everyone's wish, he married her just like Ethan. But their love had withstood every storm and she won all hearts. She was my inspiration then. I always thought some day I could make them all love me. Someday they would accept me. My heart feels heavy for Ellis. She is a great person. She doesn't have to suffer.

"She is better now", Ethan says calmly like he forgot he hates me. My heart skips a beat hearing him. I had longed to hear this voice, this tone which was soft, loving even. The tone he used to whisper sweet nothings in my ears. Now hearing it makes me realize, I never stopped loving him. I was still hoping in us. But not anymore. Not after today.

Before I am pulled into the black hole of shame, Ethan speaks again.

"Its Pops 80th birthday. There is a party and a get together planned in the island next week. Nan doesn't remember our divorce. She thinks we are still married and she has been asking about you in every sunday gathering. I have been making excuses. But if we have a party and you don't show up, Pops is worried that Nan will get confused which might trigger another episode. So he wants to cancel it. We have convinced him for a family get together and his condition is that you join us. So I need you to pretend that we are married for a week. I will pay you for your time. 25000 dollars".

So this is the proportion. 25000 dollars for a week with a pack of wolves and hateful ex-husband. Previous Amy would have agree for such deals. But after living in poverty for so many months, I would like a breather and 25000 is huge amount. With it, I can pay for my mother's medical expenses for the whole year, which will allow me to start saving money for college and I don't have to work myself to death. Even though its enough to solve my immediate financial problems, I still have to go back to the bar. The thought of going back to the bar or my apartment is terrifying.

Also a week with Ethan's family is another nightmare. They never liked me. They were all born with a silver spoon. They were breed in richness and I am a scum in their eyes. I was never good enough for the golden boy in the family. They have taunted me, insulted me and treated me poorly every time I met them. It was always when Ethan was not around. They knew he wouldn't tolerate it. He may love his family dearly but he would never let them treat me less. But that was in the past. Now I don't know if he will do the same or I still have his support. Also, I am emotionally mess right now, I don't think I can handle any more humiliation physical or emotional.

There is also the time I will be spending with Ethan. I don't know how that will go. I still love him and a week of him showing his hatred freely will push me further into depression considering the current fragile state of my mind. The morning episode in the kitchen made me realize I am not right in my head. I need help. That kind of help will need money which I can't afford. But, this could be my only chance in finding out the answer to why he hates me. Why one day he lovingly kissed me and left with a promise to take me out for dinner and next day kicked me out of the house? If I knew why then I could get a closure. May be that will help me move on. I need to move on. If there was any possibility of us, it was robbed today. Ethan deserves someone better not a battered bruised crazy girl.

After pondering a little more, I look up and see Ethan staring at me. His eyes on my lips that I have been chewing while I was thinking. His unwavering eyes, makes me hot. Instead of blushing which is how I usually react to Ethan's turned on stares, I feel nervous and guilty, like I am doing something I shouldn't be doing. Like I shouldn't be aroused. I pull my Cardigan trying to hide myself. I don't want him to look at me like that. He shouldn't be turned on by my battered body even if he can't see the bruises. He should want someone better. He shouldn't want me after everything. This is not right. I am not right.

"Fifty thousand dollars", I say hurried. Ethan looks shocked. He is no longer looking at me with need. His face has changed to one of disbelief and disappointment. He asks me to repeat it. If I was in his position probably, I would have reacted the same way. It was never about money for me. Its totally out of my character. But I am desperate. The additional money will secure me financially, help me start college and could help me get some psychiatric help which I realize I need as soon as possible with the way my mind is working.

"I will agree for fifty thousand dollars", I say trying to be as strong as possible so Ethan would not see how scared I am. This money could be my only hope. I feel like I am hanging from a cliff and this money is the only rope that can save me. Save me from myself. I trace my wrist. I don't know how I feel about my sudden greed for money. Only one thing is clear, I am a mess.

Ethan chuckles. It doesn't sound pleasant, it is filled with anger and mockery.

"I kept thinking when I will see this side of your. I always wondered if I was so crazy for you I missed all the signs. I even thought I didn't give you a chance to say your piece. And I finally see it. Your money hungry side. My family was right about you. We really are a gold digger". His words are harsh and laced with anger and hurt.

I want to tell him that money didn't matter. I am not this person who demand money for a good cause. I should and would do it without a penny. I want him to know that my love for him had nothing to do with the money. But I know it wouldn't matter now. If I knew one thing for sure, its Ethan's stubbornness. Ones Ethan made up his mind, it was impossible to change it. His stubbornness was the only reason we were able to get married even though his family was totally against it. He thinks I am a gold digger. It was probably the reason why we divorced. I have no clue what made him come to that conclusion about me but it didn't matter. Ethan thinks I married him for money and nothing I say or do will change his opinion. I need this last straw of survival even if it makes his false assumption true. And that amount of money will make so such difference for me whereas for Ethan its penny change.

I never regreted signing the prenup. I just wished when we divorced, Ethan helped me a little. I had uprooted my entire life, made all changes to suit him when I followed him here. When we divorced, the city was still new to me. I had only been living here for few months. And Suddenly I was homeless, jobless and nearly penniless. I didn't even have a recommendation when I was searching for an apartment. I only wished he helped me find a job or secure an apartment before he left me to fend for myself.

Also Right now, I have more pressing matters than Ethan's opinion. I am not going to go back to the bar or the apartment. I am not getting raped again. I need 50k more than his good opinion. So, I remain silent and let him judge me as he pleases. After insulting a little more, he begrudgingly agree.

"I don't trust you. You will get your money only after the party", he takes another dig at me. But I don't react. I understand he is hurt and he is trying to hurt me as well. So I quietly nod.

As I am about to leave I suddenly remembered his finance. "What about your fiance, Sandra Huffman?"

"That won't be a problem", he says dismissively.

"The celebration is two weeks later. I will ask Elizabeth to send you the schedule and she will be in touch with you for other arrangements."

As I leave I realize I have nothing fancy to wear. My worn out clothes will only make me vulnerable and target of insults from his fashionable designer clothed family. So I embrace myself for more insults and ask

"I need money for clothes".

I feeling like a begger. It bruises my dignity a little more. But the money I have in my bank account is only enough to pay the minimum due on the credit card, so I can pay back the balance the next month with the money Ethan will be paying.

Ethan opens his mouth to sprout some more insults but stops himself like I am a lost cause. For some unknown reason, more than his insults his silence hurts. He calls Elizabeth and instructs her to give a company credit card.

"The budget is 5000 dollars. I need a bill for all the purchases and everything you buy should be returned. If you don't produce the bill or return it, it will deduct it from your 50k", he says harshly. Ones Ethan had gifted me designer dress which was more than 20000 dollars. I realize how careless I was before spending lavishly.

I nod and walk out. As I reach the door, he says,

"Take this two weeks to clean up, you can't be high when you're there."

I turn and look at him confused. I am not sure what he means.

"Shivering, hiding your arms, fidgeting, loss of weight, darkness under your eyes. Whatever the drugs you are on, better be clean in two weeks"

I am shocked. How did we get to this point? When did I loss his trust? When did he conjure such bad opinion about me? When did he start hating me so much? How could he even think I did drugs? He knew I rarely drank. Most of the kids in my orphanage had lost their parents to alcohol and drugs. So I had only ever drank a few sips in social events just so I didn't look put of place. Ethan knew. Did he not believe anything I said in the months we knew each other? Did he think I said nothing true?

I have no words to explain why I am shivering, fidgeting, hiding my arm, the darkness under my eyes or my weight loss. I don't want him to ever know what happened to me. I don't want to know how he will react. I don't want to know if he will be disgusted or pity me. I just want to erase the past three years and move forward. I have hope with the money I will get. I need to pull myself together for 3 weeks and then ones I get the money, I will vanish away from here. Three weeks I tell myself again as I nod and leave.