Chapter 5

Just two words, but they sent chills down her spine.

"Sorry, what did you just say?" Evelyn blinked, thinking she must've misheard. No way that man just asked her to be his wife, right?

"Be my wife. Whatever you want, I can give it to you." His tone was calm, more like he was proposing a business deal than a marriage.

Okay... she didn't mishear. He's just out of his mind. They didn't even know each other, and he was proposing? Seriously?

Evelyn was completely thrown.

"Sir, I don't know what kind of joke you're trying to pull, but there's no way I'm agreeing to something so ridiculous! I mean, I can't even see your face clearly right now." She flat-out refused, keeping her tone firm.

"Worried I'm too ugly?" he said casually, pressing a button on a remote.

Click. The room lit up instantly.

The sudden brightness made Evelyn squint. It took a second for her eyes to adjust, and then—

Her gaze landed right on his face. And wow.

His hair fell slightly messy over his forehead, casting a cool shadow. That perfectly tailored dark suit hugged his tall frame, highlighting how ridiculously good-looking he was. Long legs crossed, posture relaxed yet regal. And those deep, mysterious eyes? He had the whole ‘cold and untouchable' vibe down pat.

Wait. This insanely attractive guy really just proposed to her?

She couldn't wrap her head around it.

Okay, sure, maybe she did assume he was hiding in the dark because he looked terrible. But clearly, that guess was way off. He wasn't just not-ugly—he was the kind of handsome that made your brain short-circuit.

Now that she could see him clearly, she was even more confused. Why on earth would a man like this, unless he had something seriously wrong, randomly ask her to be his wife?

Hold on... why did he look a little familiar?

Evelyn stared at him for two more seconds, then it clicked.

"You... you're the President!" Her eyes went wide like saucers. She looked at him in pure disbelief.

You've gotta be kidding me. The freaking President of Solandia... just asked for her hand in marriage?

"Yeah." His answer was short and sharp as ever.

What the—?! So it's true?

Evelyn was even more stunned now. A man like this had actually proposed to her? Was she dreaming?

"You... have some kind of condition or something?" she blurted.

Because seriously, what other reason could there be for him to say something that bizarre?

His brows furrowed deeply, clearly not loving her theory. This woman really had no filter.

"Okay, forget I said anything!" she quickly backtracked, noticing his expression turning fiery.

Even if he really did have a condition, it was not her business! He's the President of Solandia for crying out loud. Guys like him probably had a line of socialites begging for a chance to get near him.

"I didn't explain myself clearly earlier," Alexander said, his voice calm again. "What I actually need is for you to be my wife in name only."

"But why me?" Evelyn looked up at him, clearly confused. "Even if you're just looking for a wife in name only, that should be a piece of cake for you, right?"

"Because of my son," Alexander said calmly. "To be honest, he hasn't spoken a single word for a whole year. I've hired world-class psychologists to treat him, but none of them could figure out the root cause. Yet today, after you saved him, he suddenly spoke—and called you ‘Mommy'. His therapist thinks it might be because you made him feel safe, and in his mind, he sees you as his mother."

Wait, did that little guy actually call her "Mommy"?

Evelyn's face darkened in disbelief.

"So just because he said that, you want me to be your wife? That doesn't even make sense!"

"The doctor suggested that since he's attached to you, we might as well let you play the role of his mother—it could really help with his recovery," Alexander explained.

Evelyn recalled the adorable kid she saw earlier outside the airport. Sweet and innocent-looking, it was hard to believe he was struggling with mental health issues.

"But isn't that basically tricking him? I mean, I'm not really his mom. Speaking of which, where is his real mother—"

"She's out of the question," Alexander cut her off before she could finish.

What on earth did the kid's mom do—commit a crime? Evelyn stared at him, full of doubt.

Alexander didn't reply. Instead, he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV in front of them. The screen showed the little boy she had rescued, now sitting quietly among a bunch of kids. He stood out—good-looking, sure—but he didn't fit in at all.

Lots of kids approached him, trying to hang out, but he acted like they weren't even there. He just sat there fiddling with a complex Rubik's Cube.

"His doctor said, if there's no improvement, he might be showing early signs of autism," Alexander said softly.

"Autism?" Evelyn couldn't hide her shock. That cute little ball of sunshine? What a shame if that were true.

"Yes," Alexander looked her straight in the eyes, deadly serious. "That's why I'm asking for your help."

There was something different in his gaze—not the untouchable, all-powerful figure she'd seen on TV, but a father, desperate and sincere.

"I..." Evelyn hesitated hard. She really did like that kid. She wished he could get better. And maybe... being around him could fill the void left by her missing child. But taking on the role of a fake mom? That was a whole other level.

"Help me, and I promise you won't regret it." Alexander spotted the flicker of hesitation in her eyes and clapped his hands once. Immediately, someone opened the door and stepped in, handing her a document.

"Ms. Parker, this is the agreement. If you don't have any objections, please go ahead and sign it," said George Hawkins.

Evelyn skimmed over the contract—the gist of it was simple. She'd move into Alexander's estate and work with him to help his son heal. When the child was deemed mentally healthy and cleared by a psychologist, her job would be done, and she could leave.

After skimming through the contract, she found everything looked pretty standard. There was a clear clause stating she couldn't breathe a word about their deal to anyone—which meant no one would know they were just pretending to be married.

She was going to sleep on it, but her eyes froze on the last line: ten million if everything went as planned.

That figure messed with her head.

With that kind of money, she could hire a top-notch private investigator, even bribe some media outlets to help her find her child. Maybe, just maybe, she'd get lucky.

Thinking about the baby she hadn't even gotten a chance to hold yet, her hand moved like it had a mind of its own—signing her name at the bottom of the contract.

"Great, looking forward to working with you," Alexander said as he glanced at her signature and stood up. He held out a hand to her.

A handshake?

Evelyn stared at that hand—fair, elegant, almost model-like fingers. Something about it made her forget herself, and before she knew it, she reached out as well.

His palm was warm, comforting even.

"Just remember, you can't say a word to my son about the deal. Get some rest, I'll drop by tomorrow." He only held her hand for a brief moment before letting go and reminding her with a calm tone. Then he exited the room.

His seven or eight attendants trailed behind him, and soon, the room fell quiet again.

Still, Evelyn couldn't sleep. The whole situation felt absurd—she'd actually signed a fake-marriage agreement with a man. And not just any man—the freaking president of Solandia!

It weirdly felt like she'd just sold herself off or something.

The more she thought about it, the shakier she felt about the whole thing.

But then the thought of that much cash came back to her—enough to track down the child she carried for more than nine months. And the look of that boy from the video earlier, sitting out of place among the crowd, wouldn't leave her mind. Her chest ached in a way she couldn't explain.

Maybe this wasn't just for her kid—but also doing some good in the process?

That thought was the only thing helping her stay sane about the choice she'd just made.

It wasn't until dawn broke that she finally drifted off into a light sleep.

The next day.

Evelyn woke up and fell back asleep over and over again, just zoning out in bed the entire day.

"Mommy!"

Not long after dinner, as she was barely beginning to stir from another nap, a clear, sweet voice snapped her awake.

She looked up—and there he was. Right at the side of her bed, a tiny boy with big bright eyes and thick lashes, cute like a doll straight out of a catalog.

Wasn't this the same kid she saved yesterday?

Took one glance to recognize him.

"Mommy! Mommy!" The little guy beamed when he saw she was awake, calling her again with so much excitement.

"You're adorable, kiddo, but I'm not your mommy," Evelyn chuckled, momentarily forgetting all about the insane deal she signed last night.

The boy blinked at her with those huge eyes, looking confused—like he was trying to figure something out. Then, out of nowhere, he burst into tears.

"Mommy, are you leaving me again?"