A Desperate Plea and a Heartbreaking Decision
Rachel Wilson, Emily's aunt, paced anxiously in her cozy living room. Her eyes, red-rimmed from lack of sleep, fixed on the photo of her daughter, Olivia, smiling brightly despite the tubes and machinery surrounding her hospital bed.
Olivia's cancer diagnosis had drained Rachel's savings. The pending surgery loomed, and the medical bills threatened to drown her. Desperation clawed at her heart.
Emily entered the room, concern etched on her face. "Aunt Rachel, what's wrong?"
Rachel's voice trembled. "Olivia's surgery...the funds aren't enough. We need $50,000 more."
Emily's eyes widened. "I'll do whatever it takes, Aunt Rachel. I'll get a second job, sell my books—"
Rachel's frail hand grasped Emily's. "Listen, child. You're 22, beautiful, and kind. Don't you have any young masters who fancy you? Spending just one night with him would yield more than $1 million."
Emily's face flushed. "Aunt Rachel, I—"
Rachel's gaze pleaded. "Consider it, Emily. One night for Olivia's life. You'll save her, and our family."
Emily's heart sank, her mind reeling. She felt as if she'd been punched in the gut.
"Aunt Rachel, how can you ask me this?" Emily's voice cracked.
Rachel's expression remained resolute. "I'm doing it for Olivia, for our family's future."
Emily's eyes stung with tears. She rose, her movements mechanical.
"I guess it's time to pay my aunt back," Emily thought, her heart heavy. "There's nothing really free out there."
As she stepped out of the house, the warm sunlight seemed to mock her. Emily felt lost, her world turned upside down.
"Would Aunt Rachel ask me this if I were her own daughter?" Emily wondered, pain etched on her face.
The walk to the nearby park was a blur. Emily sat on a bench, surrounded by laughter and children's playful shouts. Her thoughts, however, were somber.
"What have I done to deserve this?" Emily's eyes welled up with tears.
In another part of town, Leo woke up in his opulent penthouse, the city skyline gleaming outside his window. His morning routine was precise: a refreshing bath, a brush through his dark hair, and a selection of exotic fruits for breakfast.
As he dressed, Leo's thoughts turned to Emily. He wouldn't simply barge into her life or force himself on her. No, he needed a calculated plan.
"Jenkins," Leo called out to his assistant, "I require information on Emily's family. Any...vulnerabilities we can assist with."
Jenkins nodded. "Already on it, sir."
Leo's eyes narrowed. "Find out what they need, and we'll provide it. That's how we'll get close to her."
At his office, Leo reviewed the files Jenkins had prepared. His eyes locked onto Emily's aunt, Rachel, and her struggling daughter, Olivia.
"A cancer-stricken sibling," Leo murmured. "This could be our entry point."
With a strategic plan unfolding in his mind, Leo leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the city.
"I'll help you, Emily," he whispered to himself. "And in doing so, I'll claim you as mine."