Chapter 2 The Decision

I didn't go home that night. Couldn't face the empty apartment with its peeling wallpaper and the stack of bills on the kitchen counter. Instead, I went straight to the hospital after my shift ended at eleven.

Mom was asleep when I arrived. The machines around her bed beeped softly, a rhythm I'd grown too familiar with. She looked smaller than she had last week, her face pale against the white pillow. The cancer was eating her alive, and I was watching it happen in slow motion.

I sat in the chair beside her bed and pulled out Adrian Wolfe's contract.

The folder was thick, maybe forty pages of legal terms I barely understood. But I read every word. Twice.

The deal was simple on the surface. Marry Adrian Wolfe. Live in his house for one year. Act as stepmother to his daughter. Attend social events as his wife. In exchange, two million dollars and a clean divorce at the end.

But the details made my stomach twist.

The wife agrees to share living quarters with the husband to maintain appearances of a genuine marriage.

The wife agrees to display appropriate affection in public settings.

The wife will not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with other parties during the contract period.

There was a whole section about Lily, the daughter. I'd be responsible for her care, her daily routines, her emotional wellbeing. Another section about public appearances—charity galas, business dinners, family gatherings. I'd need to learn about Adrian's company, his interests, his history.

I'd need to become Sophia Wolfe.

No, not become her. Replace her.

The thought made me sick. But two million dollars made me keep reading.

Near the end, I found a clause that stopped me cold.

Should either party break the terms of this agreement, all compensation is forfeit. Should the wife discuss the contractual nature of this marriage with any outside party, all compensation is forfeit and she may be subject to legal action for breach of confidentiality.

So I couldn't tell anyone. Not Rita. Not my few friends. Definitely not Mom.

I'd have to lie to everyone I knew.

Mom stirred. Her eyes opened slowly, unfocused at first, then finding me.

"Emma," she whispered. "You should be sleeping."

"So should you." I tucked the contract away quickly, forcing a smile.

She reached for my hand. Her skin was paper-thin, her grip weak. "I'm okay, sweetheart. Stop worrying so much."

"Mom"

"I mean it." She squeezed my fingers. "You're running yourself into the ground. Three jobs, Emma. That's too much."

"It's fine. I'm fine."

"You're not." Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm not worth this."

"Don't." My voice cracked. "Don't say that."

"I'm dying, baby. We both know it. And I hate that you're destroying your life trying to save mine."

I pressed her hand to my cheek, hot tears spilling over. "You're going to be fine. I'm going to fix this."

"How?" she asked softly. "How are you going to fix this?"

I almost told her. Almost said, A billionaire offered me two million dollars to pretend to be his dead wife. But the words stuck in my throat.

"I'll find a way," I whispered instead.

Mom studied my face like she could read every thought. She'd always been able to do that. "Promise me something."

"Anything."

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid trying to save me. No loan sharks, no dangerous deals. Promise me, Emma."

I held her gaze and lied. "I promise."

She relaxed back into her pillow, satisfied. Within minutes, she was asleep again.

I sat there until dawn, watching her breathe, the contract heavy in my bag.

By the time I left the hospital, I'd made my decision.

I called the number on Adrian's card. He answered on the second ring.

"Miss Carter." His voice was as cold as I remembered. "Have you decided?"

"I need to see my mom's medical bills paid first," I said. "Before I sign anything. And I want it in writing that if something happens to me, the full two million goes to her care."

Silence. Then, "Done. Anything else?"

"I want to meet your daughter. Before I agree to be her stepmother, I need to know if she'll even like me."

"She's five. She likes anyone who's nice to her."

"That's not the same thing." I took a breath. "And I want to know the truth. About your wife. About why she died."

Another pause, longer this time. "We'll discuss that in person. Can you come to my office this afternoon?"

"I work until five."

"I'll send a car at five-thirty. Don't be late, Miss Carter."

He hung up before I could respond.

I stared at my phone, my heart racing. This was insane. Completely insane.

But I was doing it anyway.

The car that picked me up was a black Mercedes with leather seats softer than my bed. The driver didn't speak, just handed me a bottle of water and drove through the city toward the financial district.

Wolfe Tower dominated the skyline, all glass and steel, reaching seventy stories into the clouds. The lobby had marble floors and a chandelier that probably cost more than my entire neighborhood.

A woman in a gray suit met me at the elevator. "Miss Carter? I'm Helen, Mr. Wolfe's executive assistant. Please, follow me."

The elevator rode so smoothly I barely felt it move. We stopped on the top floor, and the doors opened directly into an office the size of my apartment.

Floor-to-ceiling windows showed the entire city spread out below. A massive desk sat at one end, and a sitting area with expensive couches at the other. Everything was black and white and cold.

Adrian stood by the windows, hands in his pockets. He'd lost the suit jacket, and his white shirt was rolled up at the sleeves. He looked tired. Human, almost.

"Miss Carter," he said. "Thank you for coming."

Helen disappeared, closing the door behind her.

I stayed near the elevator, clutching my purse. "You said we'd discuss your wife."

"Straight to business. I appreciate that." He gestured to the couches. "Sit. Please."

I sat on the edge, ready to bolt.

Adrian took the chair across from me. Up close, I could see the dark circles under his eyes, the tension in his jaw. This man didn't sleep well.

"Sophia died two years ago in a car accident," he said flatly. "She was driving home late at night. The car went off the road and into a ravine. The police ruled it an accident. Her family believes I killed her."

"Did you?"

His eyes flashed. "No."

"Then why do they think you did?"

"Because Sophia and I were fighting that night. Because I have money and power and they want both. Because grief makes people look for someone to blame." He leaned forward. "I loved my wife, Miss Carter. Her death destroyed me. I would never have hurt her."

I wanted to believe him. But something in his voice made me hesitate. There was truth there, but not the whole truth.

"Why does it matter what I think?" I asked.

"Because you'll be living in my house. Caring for my daughter. If you think I'm a murderer, this won't work."

Fair point.

"What about Lily?" I asked. "How does she feel about all this?"

For the first time, Adrian's expression softened. "She asks about her mother every day. She wants to know why Mommy isn't coming home. And I" His voice caught. "I don't know how to help her."

The pain in his voice was real. Whatever else Adrian Wolfe was, he loved his daughter.

"I'd like to meet her," I said quietly.

He nodded. "She's with her nanny now. I can arrange"

"No. Not arranged. I want to meet her naturally. See how she really acts when she's not being watched."

Adrian studied me for a long moment. "You're smarter than I expected."

"You hired me because I'm desperate, not because I'm stupid."

A ghost of a smile crossed his face. "Fair enough. Come to dinner tomorrow night. Seven o'clock. My house. You'll meet Lily then."

He stood and pulled an envelope from his desk drawer. "Your mother's medical bills. They've been paid. All of them. Including the surgery she needs. It's scheduled for next week."

I stared at the envelope, my hands shaking. "I haven't signed the contract yet."

"Consider it a show of good faith. If you decide not to go through with this, the money is still hers. No strings attached."

My throat tightened. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I know what it's like to be powerless to save someone you love," he said simply. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

For a second, I saw past the cold exterior. Saw the grief he carried. The guilt.

Adrian Wolfe wasn't a villain. He was just a broken man trying to protect his daughter.

That made this so much harder.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I whispered.

He nodded. "Helen will give you the address."

I stood on shaking legs and walked to the door. But before I left, I turned back.

"One more question."

"Yes?"

"Why do I look like her? That can't be a coincidence."

Adrian's face went blank. "No. It's not a coincidence. But that's a conversation for another day."

The way he said it sent chills down my spine.

I left his office with more questions than answers, my mother's life saved, and a dinner invitation that would change everything.

Tomorrow night, I'd meet Lily Wolfe.

And then there'd be no turning back.