JOAN’S POV
The next morning, as soon as I arrived inside the mansion, Ms Sullivan approached me. Before I could greet her, she spoke.
“You’ve been summoned by the family” she said “Report to the grand study immediately”
A chill ran down my spine as soon as she said that. The grand study. I’d heard enough whispered stories from Emily and Sarah to know what happens in that room. People have been fired, blacklisted, and worse after meetings in that room, especially when the whole family was involved.
Oh no.
Were they going to fire me?
My mind raced with all the possible reasons they could have for summoning me. With everything going on with my mother, the last thing I could afford was to lose my job. My stomach twisted at the thought.
I made my way to the study with my heart beating loudly in my chest. When I got there, I knocked on the door.
“Come in” I heard Madame Helen say.
I took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside. I had never been here before but it was exactly what I was expecting.
The room was huge and intimidating, filled with lots of shelves. The air was filled with the smell of cigars and cinnamon.
My eyes landed on the three people seated round a long wooden table – Madame Helen, Irene and Sir Derrick.
Madame Helen looked as elegant as ever, radiating her usual air of confidence. Irene was her usual smiling self. And Sir Derrick was just… Sir Derrick, cold and quiet.
The sight of him made me remember what happened yesterday. The kiss…. No.. I shouldn’t be thinking about that now.
I bowed my head “Good morning, Madame. Lady Irene, Sir Derrick”
Irene waved at me “Hi Joan. Good morning”
Sir Derrick ignored me.
“Good morning,” Madame Helen said “Please, have a seat”
I nodded quickly and took a seat at the far end of the table. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure they could hear it. The tension in the room was suffocating.
After a moment of silence, Madame Helen spoke up “Joan, we’ve called you here today because we have a proposition for you.”
My mind raced, but I kept my face as neutral as possible. A proposition? This doesn’t sound like the firing squad I was expecting. Still, I couldn’t let my guard down. I nodded slowly, waiting for her to continue.
“We are aware of the situation with your mother,” she continued, her eyes never leaving mine. “Her illness, the cost of her treatment. We understand that the surgery she needs is quite expensive.”
My breath caught in my throat. How do they know about that? I never told anyone here, never even hinted at it. But of course, people like them have their ways. My heart sank as I wondered if this was how they were going to fire me, by using my mother’s situation against me.
“We would like to offer you a contractual marriage to my son, Derrick.” she said.
For a moment, I was certain I misheard her. My eyes moved to Derrick, searching for some sign that this was a joke, some sort of prank they were playing on me. But his expression remained cold. He stared into space, clenching his jaw tightly.
“A… a marriage?” I whispered “With Sir Derrick?”
“Yes,” she spoke calmly “In exchange, we will cover the full cost of your mother’s surgery and ensure she receives the best care possible. Additionally, you will receive a substantial financial allowance.”
“And by substantial” Irene added “She means a huge allowance. You’re entitled to anything you want – vacations, daily shopping, parties, business ventures. Anything. You name it and it’s yours”
“You’re entitled to receive three million dollars monthly” Madame Helen said “Amongst other benefits and allowances. You’re the wife of a billionaire, after all”
I was stunned, not just by the benefits but by the madness of it all. Marriage? To sir Derrick? The idea was absurd. I’m just a maid, someone who worked here. Sir Derrick is… well, Sir Derrick. Intimidating, powerful, and entirely out of my league. And yet, here they are, offering me a way to save my mother’s life and my life on a silver platter.
“But… why me?” I finally managed to ask “Surely, Sir Derrick has better options. Why would you want to marry someone like me?”
“We have our reasons, Joan. But know that this marriage would be in name only. There would be no expectations of a physical relationship between you and Derrick. You would maintain your independence. You’re free to do whatever you want. The only requirement is that you uphold the appearance of a marriage for the sake of our family’s reputation.”
“You also need to give my brother a child” Irene said.
My eyes widened in surprise “A child? But you said no physical-”
“There are other medical ways” Madame Helen interrupted “We need another heir. But there’s no pressure now. The most important thing is the wedding. We can sort that out later”
I glanced at Sir Derrick, hoping for some reaction, but he remained silent with am unreadable expression.
Irene sighed “Joan, we know this is a lot to take in, but it’s an opportunity that could change your life. Your mother’s life. We wouldn’t have offered this to you if we didn’t believe you were suitable”
My head started to spin with the thought of it all. The offer was tempting, so tempting it almost felt like a trap.
But how can I say no when my mother’s life is on the line? Without the surgery, she’d die. The thought was unbearable. And yet, the idea of marrying Derrick, even in name only, filled me with fear. He was cold, distant, and more than a little frightening. But there’s also something about him that pulls me in, something I can’t quite explain.
I tried to imagine what life would be like married to him, living in this mansion as his wife, even if it’s all just for show. I thought about the other workers and Emily and Sarah, how they would look at me, how they would whisper behind my back. But more than that, I thought about my mother, lying in that hospital bed, her life slipping away with each passing day.
“What would happen after?” I asked. “After the marriage, I mean. How long would this arrangement last?”
Madame Helen exchanged a glance with Derrick before answering. “The marriage would last as long as necessary to maintain appearances but not more than five years. Once five years are over, we will arrange for an amicable separation. And after that, you will be even more compensated. You’ll walk away with ten million dollars extra. You’ll still receive a monthly allowance if you give him a child. You’ll choose wherever you want to live and you and the child will be extremely well taken care of”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. This was all so overwhelming, so much more than I ever expected when I walked into this room. But I couldn’t deny that it’s the answer to all my worries
“I…” I began, my voice shaking. I glanced at Derrick one last time, hoping to see something in his eyes that might give me some reassurance, some indication that this isn’t as terrifying as it felt. But he just stared at the wall with cold expression.
“I agree,” I said “I’ll marry Sir Derrick.”
There was brief moment of silence, and then Madame Helen smiled “Very well, Joan. We’ll make the necessary arrangements. Thanks for agreeing to this”
Irene squealed, clapping her hands “Welcome to the family, Joan.”
Sir Derrick, however, remained silent. He simply nodded. I couldn’t tell if he was pleased, indifferent, or something else entirely. There’s no turning back now.
“Thank you for the opportunity, ma’am” I said, bowing my head.
Madame Helen smiled “No. Thank you”
As I stood to leave, my legs felt shaky, like they might give out at any moment. My life was about to change in ways I never could have imagined, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it. But I didn’t have a choice. I had to do this, for my mother’s sake.
As I stepoed out of the room and closed the door behind me, I just realized what I had gotten myself into.
My mind is a filled with different emotions-fear, uncertainty, and a strange sense of relief.
I have no idea what the future holds, but one thing is certain – my life would never be the same.