Strangers In Vow

textbooks on her hip, pushing open

as the kids rushed to their seats,

er chest. Teaching had always been her escape-a

th the soft chatter of children and the g

okes, forming neat, curved letters while

thoughts were tangle

irl an encouraging smile. Amina beamed, her tiny hands clu

e next desk, but her

e way he looked so fragile and weak in that ho

ssly in her mind. The surgery must

sing her father ma

ight as well have been a million.

already been drained by previous treatments. Mira swallo

lplessness washed over her, but she

r present, not

bags and rushing out the door with bright, carefree energy. Mira manage

She wiped her chalk-stained hands on a cl

see Williams standing there, his face lined with c

ed a smil

arms. "You looked spaced out during

ays, but she confessed. "It's Dad. They nee

ympathy softening his eyes. "I'm

red smile. "It's just... You k

d. He glanced at it, grimacing. "I need to take thi

o open to Williams. She didn't feel sa

familiar figure ap

reathed, grate

e been friends since highschool.

faltering as he looked at her face

've been waiting for

ser, his presence comforting and steady. "Y

ped her lips before

diately, or... or we could lose him." Her voice broke,

strong and reassuring. "I'm so sorry," he w

owing herself a moment of weakness. "I j

e tried everything-loans, family, eve

"We'll find a way. Maybe we

"Who would give that kind of mone

a, you've always been a fighter. Don't lose hope now, it'll get be

support, but it felt like her whole world was ca

rooked grin. "Alwa

ret crossing his face. "I have to get to

ut a shaky breath. Aiden was always a gre

y, her head in her hands. She couldn'

sacrificing so much to make sure she had a good life. No

. Mira picked it up and glanced at the screen

el

s La

Who's

s Natha

e her pulse race. CEO of Cole Enterprises, the most powerf

I'm contacting you," he continu

...

d a wife for business reasons. In return, I wil

e tighter. "If I heard you ri

vement and stability. You're respectable and clean

ds. Marriage? To a complete stranger? For

h?" she manag

mutually beneficial arrangement. You get the money your fa

he wanted to scream at him for being so co

"The choice is yours. Let me know whe

ll ended abruptly. Mira stared a

news-wanted to marry her to secure his image. It

med again-a t

can we

nd stared at the message. She could bar

. just to save her fa

it. It was insane. Unreal. But her hear

If she didn't accept, he w

is was the only way to give her father a chanc

tic, so life-altering, without knowing what sh

d of replying, she put the phone down, sq

brea

s. Memories of her father teaching her how to ride a bike flashed through

lose him. N

g. "God, please... show me what to do. I c

st, she would visit her father. Maybe being by

e classroom, her footsteps ec

on air, Mira tried to steel herself

the biggest mistake of her life or save

as running out, and her fath