"Marry me."
Anya looked at Aiden with her mouth agape. She was sure her ears were having trouble. Or maybe she was hallucinating? Looked like she was too exhausted today so her brain was not right. How could Aiden propose to her?
She scratched her head even though it didn't itch. She felt a little stupid, thinking that this handsome, super rich and mysterious man had just proposed to her.
Aiden watched Anya's every move, waiting for her reaction. However, it seemed that Anya did not hear what he said, or maybe she could not believe what she heard. Hence, Aiden decided to make it clear one more time.
"Marry me and I will help you," Said Aiden for the second time.
Only then did Anya realize that she had heard correctly. Aiden did propose to her!
"But ... but ..." Anya stuttered. She didn't think that something like this would happen so she didn't know what to react to. Her mouth opened, closed and opened again because she didn't know what to say.
After confirming that Anya truly understood his intentions, Aiden was silent. He waited until Anya could digest the current situation. He knew that his sudden proposal was a great shock to Anya.
Meanwhile, Anya took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She was completely flustered and her mind was in chaos, as if Aiden had just sent a tidal wave that had ravaged her mind.
She racked her brain, trying to find out what the man in front of her was thinking. But she still didn't understand why Aiden had proposed to her all of a sudden. She had come to ask Aiden for help, but this was not what she thought of. What did this man want?
"Why are you asking me to marry you?" She asked.
Actually, Aiden himself didn't know why he proposed to Anya in this way. All he knew was that he only wanted to protect Anya. He didn't want anything to happen to her. He wanted to make sure that Anya would always be safe, and that the only safe place was with him.
He didn't know how to explain all this to Anya. Plus, Anya didn't remember it at all. He could only let that feeling hide tightly in his heart. He was the only person known to this feeling.
Seeing Aiden not answering his question, Anya said, "But marriage is something sacred. Marriage is not something that can be used as a game."
"I'm not playing around," Aiden replied curtly.
"Then why?" asked Anya again.
"I want to take responsibility for what I did last night." Aiden replied. Only the events of that night could Aiden use as an excuse.
Remembering that night, Anya's face immediately turned red. In fact, all of this was her fault. It was her own fault that she entered someone else's room and asked for help from that man under the influence of the medicine given by Natali. But Aiden was heartened and wanted to take responsibility for his actions.
"It's not your fault," Anya said softly, "It's all because ..."
Anya was silent and looked down. She remembered that the person who caused all this was Natali, Aiden's fiancé. How could she possibly tell Aiden that his own fiancée had done this to him?
Aiden glanced at Anya who suddenly fell silent and did not finish her sentence. He knew what Anya was thinking. The woman was so gentle and kind that she didn't want other people to feel hurt. Anya didn't dare finish her words because she was afraid that Aiden would get hurt.
"I'm sure you already know who did it," Aiden said.
Anya looked up, seeing Aiden's still calm face. She immediately understood that Aiden also knew who had done all this.
"Do you know why Natali did all this?" She asked, "Natali is your fiancée. Why would she do this to her own fiancé?" She spoke of the question quietly as if speaking to herself. That question still bugged Anya's mind and until now, she had not got the answer yet.
"I know." That was all Aiden's answer.
Anya's eyes widened, 'Aiden found out why Natali did this!'
She paused and waited for Aiden to say it, but it seemed the man had no intention of explaining it to her.
"I can help you pay for all of your mother's hospital expenses. I can also help you to get revenge on the person who did this to you." Aiden assured her.
Anya was pensive after hearing Aiden's words. 'Revenge…'
Never once did she think of seeking revenge. She also came to Natali only to demand an explanation as to why Natali did all this to her. She looked for Aiden and found him because she wanted to ask Aiden for help to support her mother, not to take revenge on Natali.
But Anya recalled what Natali did to her. She remembered Mona's treatment when she tried to ask Natali for an explanation. Mona had beaten her up without giving her a chance to defend herself.
She remembered the news that was shown by Mona. Her name and photo were included in the widely circulated news. She was labeled a cheap woman, a woman who had seduced and cheated on someone else's fiancé.
Anya felt that all this treatment was unfair. She didn't deserve this kind of treatment.
Did she want to take revenge on those people?
"But I..." Doubts still haunted Anya's heart. Marriage was not something trivial. Marriage was not a game that could be used as a tool of revenge. She would spend her entire life with one man and worse, she didn't even love the man in front of her.
Was it worth trading her freedom for all of this?
Aiden could clearly see the doubt on Anya's face. She knew that Anya was uncertain because she had to marry someone she didn't know. The woman hesitated because she had to marry a man she didn't love.
This made Aiden even more sure that Anya was not pretending. Anya really didn't know him! That woman really didn't remember anything! He would ask Harris to find out what really happened to Anya that the woman had forgotten about him.
"The choice is yours," Aiden said simply.
Aiden did not force Anya directly to marry him. His attitude just now made Anya feel scared. He didn't want to look too harsh so that it made Anya run away from him.
Even so, he did not give Anya another choice. He cornered Anya who really needed his help so that the woman would fall into his arms.
Anya stared intently at Aiden, trying to figure out what this man was really thinking. But Aiden looked back at her very calmly and expressionlessly, leaving Anya at a loss for what his true intentions were. This man was so mysterious.
Silence enveloped the room as the two of them sank into each other's gazes.
Anya knew that she had no other choice. Aiden was the only hope to pay for her mother's medical expenses.
She desperately needed this help, but she also couldn't just marry a stranger. She didn't know Aiden and didn't love him!
Should she marry a man she didn't love for money?