“You’re young, single, and desperate enough to consider this. I don’t need love, Mark. I need companionship.”
“Someone to share my name, my estate—and nothing more. Think of it as a contract.”
Mark shook his head, his thoughts racing. “This is insane. What do you get out of it?”
For the first time, her expression softened. “I’ve spent my life alone, Mark.”
“I have no children, no family. I want companionship, even if it’s only for appearances. And I want control over my legacy.”
“A husband helps secure that.”
Mark stood abruptly, the chair scraping the floor. “I can’t decide right now. I need time.”
“Of course,” she replied coolly. “But don’t take too long. The offer won’t last forever.”
Mark walked home in a daze, rain soaking through his clothes. That night, he sat at the kitchen table with his mother, whose pale face was etched with worry. The cost of her medical treatments had drained them financially, and his younger sister’s tuition loomed over them like a dark cloud.
“Mark,” his mother said softly after he explained Eleanor’s proposal, “I know it sounds unthinkable, but if she’s willing to help, maybe it’s worth considering.”
