“Marry me”, he said with a stern look. Sarah blinked her eyes repeatedly, unable to comprehend what her ears had just heard. Bobby’s words were harsh, piercing through her already bruised soul.

“Be my wife for eighteen months, and I will save her life, or I will order them to kill her right away." A wicked smirk tugged at his lip. Sarah’s already bulgy eyes widened in shock.

Sarah hurried out of the room with tears in her eyes. There were two ways to save her sister: hurry home and get all the money she has, or risk the time and marry the devil himself. She got out of the gate and headed home to break her savings bank, then she took her card and withdrew all the money she had, which came out to a total of $1.5 million. The money Derrick gave her last night was surely all that gave her hope.

Back at the hospital, Sarah went straight to the room where Olivia was kept, but the bed was vacant. Her eyes widened, her throat ran dry, and she swallowed the stiff rock blocking her throat as she carefully scanned the empty room.

"Olivia!" she called out and raised the white sheet covered on the bed. Then she ran back to the nurse station with the bag filled with money.

“Where is Olivia? Where is my sister? She asked impatiently. She hit the table as pain welled up in her. She searched the nurse’s face and began to scream at the building.

“Calm down," the nurse told her. “She was taken to the theatre after you left because she was losing her pulse.

“Oh! Okay, so how much is the money ?" she said in a quivering voice, and she pulled out bundles of dollar notes from it.

“There will not be any need for that,” the thick baritone voice said behind her. She turned and found Bobby walking towards her in quick, authoritative steps. She froze, seeing his men standing behind him just like they had done the night they visited her home.

“Why did you do it?” she asked, frowning at him. Her face swallowed with spite as she eyed the remaining men.

“That chicken change you have there is not necessary,” Bobby informed her.

“Well, I have all your money and the bills here too, loser,” she spat the words at him, ignoring the four men dressed in black suits standing behind him.

Bobby scuffed. “You think so?”

“I know so. I have your money, and I am here to pay so I don’t get to see your horrible faces again.” Sarah said.

Bobby smiled and said,

“Oh! I would love to see you every single day, crying, weeping, and begging. How about that?

“Huh?” He darted towards her and grabbed her by the arm. The nurse suddenly got up and left. Does Bobby have all these people at his beck and call? Why does everyone around here seem to freeze in his presence? She questioned herself in her mind.

“Take your money; that’s $1.5 million; take yourself and your chipmunks out of here." Sarah threw the bag at him and barked in frustration.

“Your father owes me $10 million, and the bill for the surgery is $6 million; this piece of sh*t cannot fix it, he retaliated. Kicking the bag away, the money popped out, littering the entire hall.

“Now listen to me,” Bobby said as he gripped high and tight on the wrist.

“You’re hurting me,” Sarah cried out.

‘I have a deal for you. Be my wife for eighteen months, and I will forget about all that your family owes me, and I will let your sister walk out of this place alive." He tightened the pressure on her wrist. "What do you think? Huh!

“Fine, fine. I will marry you,” she answered in pain.

“Good girl,” he said, releasing the grip on her wrist and commanding his second in command to give her two separate papers. She took the papers, confused and sad. She didn’t bother to read, but all she could see was a signature beside Bobby’s name.

"That's the contract signed by both of us now,” he ordered her. “Just sign it, and you’ll become Mrs. Bobby in just eighteen months," he urged. His words stung in the air like the stench of dead meat. an unwelcome agreement that will bind her to the devil for one year and six months—a sacrifice she has to make to save her family and, most importantly, her sister’s life.

With a trembling hand, Sarah collected the pen from Bobby’s second-in-command. Her fingers trembled as she clutched the pen with which she etched her signature on the paper.

“Sign the damn contract now!” Bobby grabbed her tight on the arm and applied pressure against her fragile bones. “That’s my girl,” he declared, his tone triumphant.

“Let go of me!”

“You are my wife now, remember?! Or are you forgetting so soon?” Bobby replied with a triumphant smirk on his face. He knows he has her pinned to his bosom now. She is definitely the perfect match for his little shady plans, and no one would know.

“What about my sister?” Sarah inquired.

“Do not worry about her; she’s in safe hands, and so are you, my bride,” he grinned after forcing the words out of his mouth. He then took a bag containing a dress and a pair of shoes and shoved it into her hand.

‘Here, go change into them,” he stated.

Sarah looks at him with confusion written all over her face. She obeyed and went to the restroom, wishing that the monsters would leave; however, by the time she returned dressed in that beautiful black sequin dress, they were all patiently waiting for her.

“Come with me, “he instructed, and he began to pull her.

Confused, she looked straight into his eyes and asked, “To where?” for what? She protested

“I’m taking you home." He answered bluntly.

"Home,” she repeated after him.

“Where is home?”

Sarah thought about Bobby's words as she followed him out of the hospital and into the waiting vehicle. A flurry of emotions swirled inside her, consuming her thoughts as her heart raced with fear and uncertainty. She was shocked at the situation she was in: she was married to Bobby, her sister's life was in jeopardy, and she was being taken away to an unknown place.

Sarah's eyes darted from Bobby to the passing scenery outside the window as they stepped into the car, her palms shaking with anxious tension. With so many questions and regrets racing through her head, she was unable to truly understand the seriousness of the situation.

"You'll see. Bobby's voice interrupted Sarah's racing thoughts, "You'll see your new home soon." His tone was an unsettling mixture of confidence and pride. Sarah's eyes were fixated on her quivering hands in her lap, unable to bring herself to meet his gaze.

As they drove farther from the hospital, Sarah's thoughts were a swirl of turmoil, with each mile feeling like a step more into the unknown. The weight of her choice became harder on her with every second that went by, and she was unable to get rid of the sensation of dread that had taken up space in the pit of her stomach.

But despite all of the anxiety and uncertainty, Sarah's thoughts stayed fixed on Olivia, her treasured sister, whose life was in risk. Sarah was aware of the fact she would stop at nothing to make sure Olivia had the care she need, even at the expense of her own happiness and wellbeing.

"A period of 18 months. One year, six months," Sarah said to herself, her determination growing as she considered the gravity of her choice. She was prepared to make all the sacrifices and face many obstacles in order to have the opportunity to save her sister's life.

While driving towards a foreign place, Sarah couldn't help but question if she had committed the biggest mistake of her life. Her choice seemed like a huge weight pressing down on her shoulders, one that threatened to break her spirit.

“oh my.” Sarah thought.

But in the middle of all the chaos and uncertainty, there was a glimmer of hope—hope that her sacrifice would not be in vain, and that she would come out of this experience healthier and stronger than ever.

Even though it was only a tiny speck of light in the shadows, Sarah felt encouraged to keep going on and was given the strength she needed to face whatever was ahead.

Only if she truly understood the extent of the obstacles and hardships that lay ahead for her on the chosen route. Only if she understood what her ultimate price would be in order to save her sister. Only if she was aware of the full cost of her biggest mistake.

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

As Derrick came out from his car and got closer to the luxurious mansion where he was raised, his heart skipped a beat. The voice of his father rang in his ears, telling him to rush home because there was an urgent family crisis. He had no idea that what was in store for him would completely shock him.

Upon entering the estate, his gaze swept over the beautiful surroundings, bringing back fond memories of his family's happier moments. But as soon as he noticed a familiar figure standing in the foyer, his thoughts were cut short.

"Sarah?" Derrick spoke in a shaky whisper, toned with surprise. He was taken aback by what he saw as he saw her in his family's home.

With a look of both surprise and nervousness, Sarah turned around. "Derrick? Her question was laced with doubt, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Derrick said, his voice a little sour. "How did you end yourself here? Moreover, why are you dressed in that manner?" He indicated her dressy clothes, which were very different from what she wore to the pub.

Derrick studied Sarah for a moment, making her blush red with shame as she shifted uneasily. She stumbled to put it into words, "I... um... I'm... I'm here because..."

Derrick and Sarah were both jolted out of their thoughts by a loud voice coming from the top of the great staircase before Sarah could continue her sentence. "Derrick, my boy, there you are!" With an uncommon grin, their father, Mr. Duke, was coming down the stairs.

With a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach, Derrick's jaw tightened as he watched his father approach. He was aware that his father rarely smiled sincere, particularly when it came to problems pertaining to the family.

"Father," Derrick said stiffly, lacking any warmth in his voice.

When he got to the bottom of the stairs, Mr. Duke gave Derrick a tender squeeze on the shoulder. "Son, I'm happy you're here. I want you to meet this person," he continued, pointing to Sarah.

With misunderstanding, Derrick narrowed his eyes and turned back to Sarah. "Meet?" he repeated, his voice full of uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

Mr. Duke laughed without acknowledging the tension in the room. With a tone of pride in his voice, he said, "Derick, Sarah here is your brother's new wife."

Derrick felt a sense of having the ground torn away from beneath him. His voice was hardly audible above a whisper as he repeated, "Brother's... new wife?" He was hearing things that he couldn't believe. Bobby, his brother, was married to Sarah? It was absurd.

With regret and guilt in her eyes, Sarah glanced sideways at Derrick. "I apologize, Derrick. Her voice was barely heard as she muttered, "I didn't want things to turn out like this."

Anger, betrayal, and confusion were among the whirlwind of feelings racing through Derrick's mind. He was having trouble making sense of everything, and his mind was racing like a violent storm.

Mr. Duke smiled at Sarah and Derrick, not realizing the chaos that was happening in front of him. “Isn't this fantastic news, then? A new member of the family!" he joyfully clapped his hands together.

Derrick struggled to control the rage that was about to overwhelm him, his fists balled up at his sides. With a sarcastic tone, he said, "Wonderful news? This is absurd.” Derrick thought. "How could you, Bobby?" he said, glaring at his brother who was not there.

Sarah saw Derrick lose control, and her eyes grew wide with worry. She reached out to him, pleading, "Derrick, please," but he withdrew from her contact, his expression transforming into stone.

Mr. Duke noticed the tension in the room and his cheerful manner failed. Trying to defuse the tension, he intervened, "Now, now, let's not make a scene." Mr Duke turned to face Derrick. "Derrick, I understand that this news may come as a shock, but I assure you, Bobby had his reasons for marrying Sarah."

Derrick mocked his dad's pathetic attempt for the sake of him. "Why? What possible explanations exist for this?" he asked, raising his voice with each sentence.

The sound of footsteps echoed inside the hallway, announcing the presence of yet another unexpected guest, before Mr. Duke could reply. When Derrick turned to face the doorway, he saw a familiar figure approaching them with narrowed eyes.

Bobby Duke, the new husband of Sarah and Derrick's elder brother, strode into the room with a smug smile on his face, assessing the sight in front of him.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Bobby scowled, his amused gaze falling on Derrick. "Did I miss the family reunion?"

Derrick's fingers clenched at his sides, resisting the impulse to lash out as his rage flared at the sight of his brother. With a venomous tone, he accused, "You set me up, didn't you?"

Bobby's eyes gleamed with mischief as his smile grew at Derrick's accusation. "Set you up? What do yoou mean by that, dear brother? I don'tunderstand" he taunted, faking innocence.

Bobby's taunting tone made Derrick lose patience and his anger exploded. With his fists clinched at his sides, he spat, "You know exactly what I mean!" and stepped towards Bobby.

With anxiety burning deep within her, Sarah watched in horror as the tension between the two brothers reached a breaking point. She worried what would happen next since she knew Derrick finding out about their marriage would only make matters worse.

Bobby's smirk faltered slightly at Derrick's accusation, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features before he regained his composure. "Come now, Derrick, there's no need for such hostility," he said, his tone oozing with false sincerity. "Sarah and I are simply following our hearts as lovers do.”

Derrick's mind was spinning with a million unanswered questions, and his jaw tightened as he tried to control his anger. “Following your hearts? "Is that what you now call it?" he asked with a sarcastic tone. "Or did you conveniently forget to mention your little arrangement with Sarah?"