The Agreement

“Marry me?”

The words hung between them like a bolt of lightning.

Regina immediately wished she could grab them out of the air and shove them back into her mouth.

She had only been joking.

At least, she thought she had.

The courthouse hallway suddenly felt too quiet.

Alex stared at her without blinking.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then, to Regina complete shock, Alex asked,

“What if I do?”

Her heart nearly stopped.

“What?”

“What if I marry you?”

Am serious.

The serious look on his face made her stomach twist.

This wasn’t a joke anymore.

Not for either of them.

Regina laughed nervously.

“Okay, that’s not funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

His calm response made her chest tighten.

The billionaire heir folded his arms and studied her.

For the first time since she had met him, she noticed how exhausted he looked.

Not angry.

Not arrogant.

Just tired.

Deeply tired.

Weak.

His assistant, Ethan, looked horrified.

“Sir, please tell me you are not considering this.”

“I am considering it.”

Ethan nearly choked.

“She is a stranger.”

You don’t know her.

You don’t much about her.

Alex glanced at Regina.

“So was the woman who was supposed to marry me today.”

The truth hit hard.

Both of them had come to this courthouse expecting a wedding.

Both had been abandoned.

Both had been humiliated.

Both of them had been gutted.

Both of them are in pained.

Regina swallowed.

“This is crazy.”

“I know.”

“Insane.”

“I know.”

“You don’t even know me.”

Alex nodded.

“That is true.”

“Then why are you considering this?”

Why are you accepting this.

For a moment, he didn’t answer.

His expression darkened.

The confidence disappeared from his face.

Something painful replaced it.

Finally, he said quietly,

“My grandfather is dying.”

I need to make it happy.

I love him so much.

I care about him.

I don’t want anything to happen to him.

I need to do what he wants.

Regina froze.

The words immediately changed everything.

“He has weeks left,” Alex continued. “Maybe less.”

The hallway became silent.

“He built everything my family has. He’s the reason I am where I am today.”

He does a lot of things in my life.

I need to see him happy.

Alex looked away.

“He has one final wish.”

“A wife?”

Alex nodded.

“And grandchildren eventually.”

He wants grandchildren.

A sad smile touched his lips.

“He wants to know I am not going to spend the rest of my life alone.”

He said he want to see me have my own family in his lifetime.

Regina suddenly understood.

This wasn’t about money.

This wasn’t about business.

This was about family.

About a dying man.

About love.

And guilt.

His happiness really matter to me.

Alex took a deep breath.

“I promised him I will get married.”

I promise him I will give him grandchildren.

“What happened to your fiancée?”

His jaw tightened.

“She changed her mind.”

“Today?”

“Thirty minutes before the ceremony.”

Regina winced.

That sounded painfully familiar.

“Mine cheated on me.”

Different story.

Alex gave a humorless laugh.

“Looks like we are both having a terrible day.”

“That’s one way to describe it.”

For the first time, they shared a genuine smile.

A small one.

But real.

They moved to a quieter waiting area inside the courthouse.

The crowd had started to disappear.

The whispers had finally faded.

Regina sat across from Alex.

Neither knew what to do next.

Ethan remained nearby, looking like he was witnessing a disaster unfold in slow motion.

“Sir,” Ethan said carefully, “with respect, this is reckless.”

“Probably.”

“Very reckless.”

“Definitely.”

“Then don’t do it.”

Alex leaned back.

“What would you suggest?”

“Find someone else.”

Someone you know.

Someone you know very well.

Her whereabouts.

Where you can find her to.

“Today?”

Ethan opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Good point.

Alex looked at Regina.

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Why would you even suggest marrying me?”

Regina looked down at her hands.

Because she was hurt.

Because she was angry.

Because she didn’t want Collins to destroy her completely.

But saying that out loud felt embarrassing.

Finally she admitted,

“I was upset.”

“That’s honest.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Alex nodded.

“Fair.”

Silence followed.

Then Alex surprised her.

“Would you have gone through with your wedding?”

“Yes.”

“Even after everything?”

She looked up.

“I loved him.”

I really love him.

I can do anything for him.

The words felt bitter now.

“I thought he loved me too.”

Alex understood that pain.

She could see it in his eyes.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Two strangers.

Two broken hearts.

Sitting across from each other.

Trying to understand how their lives had fallen apart in a single day.

Trying to understand the bad day they both have.

An hour later, Alex received a phone call.

The moment he saw the caller ID, his face changed.

“Grandfather.”

He answered immediately.

“Hello?”

Regina watched as emotion filled his eyes.

The elderly man on the other end sounded weak.

Even from a distance, she could hear it.

“Alex?”

“Yes, Grandpa.”

“Did the wedding happen?”

The question landed like a stone.

Alex closed his eyes.

“No.”

A painful silence followed.

“I’m sorry.”

Regina’s chest tightened.

The disappointment in the old man’s voice was heartbreaking.

“I understand,” the elderly man said softly.

“Grandpa”

“No, it’s okay.”

Alex looked devastated.

“It’s not okay.”

Another cough echoed through the phone.

Long.

Painful.

Weak.

Regina felt tears sting her eyes.

The old man sounded so fragile.

Alex stood up and walked toward the window.

“Don’t talk like this.”

The old man chuckled weakly.

“I’m an old man, Alex. Reality doesn’t scare me.”

“It scares me.”

The confession slipped out before he could stop it.

Regina saw his shoulders tense.

Saw the fear he was trying so hard to hide.

The pain is going through.

The fear of losing someone he loved.

When the call finally ended, Alex remained standing silently.

For a long moment, nobody spoke.

Then he turned around.

His eyes met Regina

And suddenly she knew.

He had made a decision.

Alex slowly walked back toward her.

Ethan immediately stood.

“Sir?”

Alex ignored him.

His gaze remained fixed on Regina.

Steady.

Certain.

Determined.

“Regina.”

Her heart began racing.

“Yes?”

He took a deep breath.

Then sat across from her once more.

“I have a proposal.”

Ethan groaned.

“Oh no.”

Alex continued anyway.

“This would be a legal marriage.”

Regina pulse quickened.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

His voice was calm.

Firm.

Certain.

“We marry for one year.”

She stared.

“One year?”

“One year.”

“And then?”

“If we both want out, we divorce.”

The room spun