“About two years now,” she answered. “I’ve been looking after these plants since the original landscaping was put in.” Nick nodded, his mind already running through the numbers of his new plan.
Alice had exactly what Tiffany lacked: authenticity. Every gesture was simple, devoid of ego, yet carried a certain quiet dignity. She was the perfect candidate. Over the next few days, Nick found reasons to spend more time in the garden. Their brief conversations about perennials and soil acidity slowly turned into personal talk, and he soon learned the details of her life.
It turned out Alice was an only child, working double shifts to pay for her mother’s specialized medical treatments. She worked tirelessly to keep her family afloat and never once complained about the hand she’d been dealt. One evening, as Alice was packing up her tools, Nick decided it was time to move. “Alice, I’d like to discuss a serious business proposition with you,” he began, his voice firm despite a rare flicker of hesitation. “I’m listening, Mr. Sullivan,” she said.
Nick took a breath and laid it out. “I intend to get married.” He watched her eyes widen in confusion. “To me?” she asked, letting out a short, skeptical laugh as if waiting for the punchline. “Exactly,” Nick confirmed. “But this wouldn’t be a traditional marriage in the usual sense.”
He explained the arrangement with cold logic. Alice would be his legal wife on paper, maintaining the appearance of a happy life to help him save face and move past Tiffany’s shadow. In exchange, he would cover every cent of her mother’s medical bills and provide a lump sum of $250,000. “That’s not right,” Alice said, crossing her arms. “You’re trying to use someone’s life as a weapon for a grudge.”
“Life is complicated, Alice,” Nick countered, keeping his cool. “I need to restore my standing, and you need the means to save your mother. It’s a mutually beneficial agreement.” “It’s a deal without a soul,” she shot back, her gaze hardening. Nick realized she wouldn’t be an easy sell. She had a moral compass, but he also knew she was desperate.
That night, he had his assistant send over a folder containing her mother’s latest medical prognosis along with a formal draft of the contract. The next day, Alice came to his study. “You have a heart of stone,” she said, looking him in the eye. “But I don’t have the right to sacrifice my mother’s health for my own pride. I’ll do it, but remember: I’m doing this for her, not for you.”
Nick nodded, feeling the familiar rush of a closed deal. “This will work out for both of us, believe me.” She gave a hollow laugh. “Trust is a bit outside the scope of this contract, don’t you think?” Once the papers were signed, the wheels were in motion. Nick was convinced he was in total control. Alice, meanwhile, felt a deep sense of dread, caught between relief for her mother and fear of the world she was about to enter.
As she went back to her tools one last time, she had a feeling she had stepped into a story much larger than she realized. Nick watched her from his office window. She was the perfect piece for his chessboard. What he didn’t realize was that by trying to rig the game, he was opening a door to changes that his spreadsheets couldn’t predict.
The ballroom was a sea of black ties and designer gowns, filled with the low hum of Chicago’s elite. Nick Sullivan had personally overseen every detail of the evening. The catering, the decor, the atmosphere—it was all designed to make a statement. This wasn’t just a party; it was a declaration. He was back, and this time, he had a companion who had everyone talking.
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