Leonard's POV
As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I couldn't pull myself together. I wanted to present it to her, but how do I begin?
If she refuses, I will send her back outside immediately.
I walked past the window, and the wind coming in was indeed very chilly. I changed my mind. "She wouldn't survive outside in this cold." I scratched my head, confused.
The memory of Grandpa's voice hit me again.
"I just want peace, Leonard."
I couldn't get that day out of my head. It had been almost a week since I visited him at home, two days after he was discharged from the hospital for the second time. The doctors said his condition was getting worse. His heart was growing weaker, and he looked weak too. The doctor said it was aortic valve stenosis. He needed surgery. But he refused.
"I've lived a full life," he told me, sipping tea like we were discussing the weather. "I just want to leave in peace."
"No," I said then. "Leave where?" I couldn't understand why he'd be joking so much about his life.
He looked at me with tired eyes. "Then give me a reason to stay."
And then he said it again. The one thing he had been singing in my ears lately.
"Get married. Settle down. That's all I want to see before I go."
He wasn't asking for some fairy-tale romance. He wanted me to love a woman and get married. He wanted to be sure that I wouldn't be alone when he was gone.
"I won't be alone, Grandpa. I still have my mum," I said. Why would he think I'd be alone?
I know my dad passed away years ago, and I'm the only child in the family, but I think I still need time to start my own family.
His request was not bad, though; it was only now difficult because I wondered how to make this happen when the only woman I had loved all my life, Claire, had turned me down multiple times.
Claire and I had bonded so well that she had been my dream for years. I had fallen deeply in love with her.
I had tried everything to make her see how much I loved and cared about her, but unfortunately, she said I was more like a brother to her and nothing else.
I have been hurt ever since then. How can I love someone else? I have no love left for any other woman but Claire, because when you've wanted one person for so long, it's hard to imagine anyone else could fit into that space.
So no, I wasn't looking for love.I was looking for time.
Time to convince Claire to consider my request, to persuade her to say yes to me finally.
But for Grandpa's sake… I needed someone now.
That's where this lady comes in.
She needs a place to stay.I need a wife.A simple deal. One year, nothing more.
In return, she could have the house. I didn't care. I had ten others.
This one was just to hide away for the meantime anyway. I needed somewhere to cool off away from home, because everyone now looked at me like I wanted Grandpa dead.
"Yes, the coffee!" I almost forgot about that.
I went to the kitchen and immediately brewed her a cup of coffee.
When I brought the coffee, she was still sobbing.
She lifted her head, saw me coming, and adjusted in her seat. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying too much.
I still couldn't say anything. I just handed her the cup, moved, and sat down on the sofa directly opposite her.
I leaned back on the sofa, resting my head completely, waiting for her to finish her drink while trying to find the perfect time to speak to her.
I sat there for a while looking at the ceiling, completely lost in thought.
"Uhmm, I think I can help you…" I jerked, only to see her sleeping.
Her cup was on the side table, half empty. Her petite body folded into the 2-seater sofa.
"Hello... hello." I got no response. I wanted to beat myself; I should have spoken up earlier. I sank back into the sofa.
Sleeping was the last thing on my mind; it had been so for some time now.
No night went by without me fantasizing about Claire deeply in love with me, in my arms every night, every day. I imagined her at my door, and when I opened up, she came kissing me fiercely. I wouldn't resist. While we kissed, my hands would run over her delicate skin, feeling the softness of her body and her curves, while she held my face passionately. We'd kiss until we ran out of breath.
These are the kind of thoughts that kept me going back for Claire. I believed it would come through, and I just needed time to make it happen.
I snapped from my thoughts, stood, and paced the living room, looking down at her sleeping form. She looked cold. I thought of getting her a blanket, but I wasn't going to get her all warm and cozy. I needed to speak with her; she had to wake up.
I walked to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. I took a sip, left it on the counter, and walked back to the living room. I wasn't going to wait anymore.
I sat on the armrest of the sofa where she slept. The room was dim. She stirred slightly but didn't wake. Her hand dangled off the side of the sofa.
I cleared my throat, hoping that would get her to wake up, but it didn't.
"Hey." I reached out my hand to touch her, but I held back when her eyes fluttered.
"Hey," I said again, softer this time.
She turned her head and opened her eyes slowly. "What time is it?" Her voice was hoarse.
"Almost five," I replied, leaving to sit opposite her where I had sat earlier.
"In the morning?"
I nodded.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I must've fallen asleep."
"It's fine," I said, adjusting in my seat. "You never told me your name."
"Oh, that's true. It's Sophia," she said quietly, moving her gaze to the floor as if she was ashamed of something.
"Okay, Sophia, I want to talk to you about something important."
Her eyebrows pinched. "What is it?"
I stood up again and paced. My hands were behind my back, like I was pitching a deal in a boardroom. Because that's what this was, a business deal.
"I've thought about your situation," I started. "I understand that you have lost a lot trying to get this house."
She looked down at her fingers.
"I understand," I continued, "that you want this house."
She nodded once, eyes barely meeting mine.
"Well… I have a proposal."
She blinked. "A proposal?"
I inhaled deeply. "Yes. Just between us. One year. You'll pretend to be my wife, legally, in public, to my family."
Her mouth parted slightly, but she said nothing.
"In return," I added, "you can have the house. You will not have to pay me for it. After the year is over, we'll go our separate ways, and the house will be yours. I'll even have the deed transferred into your name." I stood still, waiting for her to say something.
Silence.Long, heavy silence.
She just stared at me.
I watched her expression shift: confusion, shock, disbelief. Then she stood up slowly.
"You want me to… marry you?" she asked, almost in a whisper.
I nodded. "On paper." I threw my hands in the air for a second.
"Why?" she asked, narrowing her brows in confusion.
I turned toward the window, staring out at the quiet street.
"My grandfather is dying," I said. "He refuses to get surgery until he sees me married. Even if it's a lie."
Another pause.
"I'm not asking for love," I added quickly. "This isn't romantic in any way, please," I added quickly. The thought of it was already getting me irritated. "I'm just doing this for my grandpa. I already have someone whom I'm in love with, but she needs some time to come around. My grandpa doesn't have that much time."
"But... why me?" she asked.
I turned back to her. "Because you're here. Because you want this house. Think about it. You've got nothing to lose."
Her eyes darkened. I knew it sounded cruel, but I was just being honest.
"You'll be compensated. More than fairly. You know how much this house cost, don't you?"
She folded her arms, still processing.
Sophia stepped away from me, then turned back slowly.
"So nobody has to know. You're just... buying time until your girlfriend comes around."
Again, I didn't deny it.
She exhaled sharply and ran a hand through her hair.
"This is insane," she whispered.
She looked at the floor, then at me again.
"And if I say no?"
"You're free to leave," I replied. "Right now, I will just find someone else. I have nothing to lose."
Her jaw tightened.
"But if you say yes," I said, taking a step forward, "you get everything as I promised."
She didn't say anything.
She stared at the key in her hand. Then at the walls around her. Then at me.