I couldn't breathe.
Caleb's lips were so close to mine, his hands firm on my waist, holding me in place. His presence was overwhelming, like nothing else in the room existed but him. I could feel the heat of his body, the intensity of his gaze, and the weight of the decision he'd just dropped on me.
Marry him?
I didn't know how to react. Part of me wanted to push him away, to scream that this was crazy. The other part of me—the part that knew how desperate I was—was tempted. My mom needed help, and this man was offering me a lifeline. But at what cost?
"Can I think about it?" I whispered, my lips brushing against his accidentally as I spoke. My heart was pounding so loudly in my chest that I was sure he could hear it.
He didn't let go. In fact, he tightened his grip on my waist, pulling me even closer. His eyes darkened, and I could tell he was fighting the urge to kiss me.
"Sure," he said, his voice low and thick with desire. "One, two, three, four, five… Done. So, deal or no deal?"
I blinked in shock. What? That's it?
"What? That's so short! I… I…"
"You didn't refuse," he said, a smirk playing on his lips, "so I'll take that as a yes."
Before I could protest, his mouth was on mine, claiming me with a kiss so intense it made my knees weak. My head spun, every rational thought flying out the window. He kissed me like he owned me, like he was already certain of my answer. And the worst part? I kissed him back.
It was like I couldn't help myself. The pull between us was too strong, too undeniable. My hands instinctively gripped his shirt, my body leaning into his. For a moment, I forgot about everything—about my mom, about Mr. Rodriguez, about the insanity of his proposal. There was only Caleb, and the way he made me feel.
But then—
"Ahem."
The sound of someone clearing their throat jolted us apart. I turned, red-faced, to see Dr. Myers standing awkwardly in the doorway, her cheeks flushed as she pointed outside.
"I, uh… I have a client waiting," she said, clearly uncomfortable.
"Oh God…" I mumbled, burying my face in Caleb's chest in embarrassment. What had I just done?
Caleb chuckled, unfazed by the interruption. He glanced down at me, his grin wide and smug, clearly enjoying my flustered state. "I understand," he told the doctor, his tone casual despite everything that had just happened. "We'll get out of your hair."
Before I could say anything, he grabbed my hand and dragged me out into the hallway, my mind still reeling from the kiss.
Once we were outside, he turned to me, his expression serious again. "Yes or no?"
I stared at him, my heart still racing from the kiss, my mind a complete mess. But what choice did I have? My mom needed me, and Caleb was offering me something that no one else could.
He was right—I needed him. I needed his money, his influence. I needed a way out of this nightmare, and this was it.
"Yes," I whispered, barely able to believe the word had left my mouth.
He grinned like the cat that got the cream, and before I could process what was happening, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. A pink diamond ring.
My eyes widened as he slipped it onto my finger without a second thought. The cool metal felt foreign and heavy against my skin.
"Whoa," I breathed, staring at the ring in disbelief. "You're very thorough…"
He smirked again, clearly proud of himself. "I like to be prepared."
I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I had just agreed to marry a man I barely knew. A man who had just put a ring on my finger like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Then, he hit me with another bombshell.
"I want to meet your mom."
I blinked up at him, my brain barely keeping up. "What? You want to meet my mom?"
"If we want this to look real, we need to do things right," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "We need to introduce me as your fiancé. And we need to come up with a story, fast."
I felt my stomach twist at the thought of lying to my mom. She was already so sick, so fragile. How could I put this on her? "I don't want to lie to her," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
Caleb's expression softened, but there was still steel in his eyes. "This is necessary, Megan. It's the only way to save her. Trust me. Just leave everything to me, okay?"
I hesitated, but deep down I knew he was right. I didn't have any other options. If this was going to work, I had to go along with it. Even if it meant lying to my mom.
I nodded, my chest tightening with the weight of it all. "Okay."
We walked back to my mom's hospital room together, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't know how I was going to explain this to her. I didn't even know if she would believe me.
When we stepped inside, my mom was resting, her eyes half-closed, but she smiled when she saw me. "Hey, sweetheart," she said softly, her voice weak but warm.
I swallowed hard, glancing at Caleb beside me before stepping forward. "Mom… I have someone I want you to meet."
Her eyes flickered with curiosity as she looked past me, her gaze landing on Caleb. Her smile faltered for a moment, and confusion replaced it.
"This is Caleb," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "My… fiancé."
Her eyes widened in shock, and she struggled to sit up, clearly taken aback. "What? You're getting married? Megan, you never told me you had a boyfriend!"
I glanced at Caleb, who gave me a reassuring nod. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "It all happened so fast, Mom. I didn't want to worry you."
She looked between the two of us, her eyes filled with confusion and concern. "But… Megan, marriage is a big decision. Are you sure about this?"
I bit my lip, glancing at Caleb for support. His hand found mine, giving it a gentle squeeze as he stepped forward. "Mrs. Reid," he said smoothly, his voice calm and reassuring, "I know this is sudden, but I promise you, I'll take good care of your daughter. She means the world to me."
My mom looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she didn't quite believe him. But she didn't argue. She was too tired, too weak to push any further.
I felt a pang of guilt in my chest, but I forced a smile and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "It's going to be okay, Mom," I whispered. "Everything's going to be okay."
I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince her or myself.