The next morning, Camila received a call from Jessica. "Can you come by the office today? I have something important to discuss."
Curiosity piqued, Camila agreed and arrived at Jessica's office, her heart pounding with anticipation. The office was sleek and modern, a stark contrast to her own cramped living space. Jessica was seated at her desk, her expression serious as Camila entered.
"Thank you for coming, Camila," Jessica said, gesturing for her to sit. "I know you've been going through a lot lately."
Camila nodded, her stomach twisting. "It's been tough, but we're managing."
Jessica leaned forward, her voice lowering. "I have a proposition for you. It might sound strange, but hear me out." She paused, gauging Camila's reaction. "Richard, my nephew who's the manager of marco enterprises, is in a bit of a bind. His father is pressuring him to settle down and start a family. He needs someone to pretend to be his wife for a short period ."
Camila blinked, taken aback. "Pretend to be his wife? What do you mean?"
Jessica explained the situation: "Richard's father wants him to marry soon. The arrangement would be strictly business, no intimacy, no sex, no strings attached. In return, Richard would provide Camila with a substantial sum of money, enough to cover Anna's surgery.
As Jessica spoke, Camila's mind raced. The offer was tempting, but it felt wrong. "I don't know, Jessica. It just seems… complicated."
"I understand your hesitation," Jessica replied, her tone softening. "But think about Anna. This could save her life."
The weight of Jessica's words hung in the air. Camila's heart ached at the thought of her sister suffering, and the idea of a solution, however unconventional, was hard to ignore. "What if Richard doesn't want to go through with it? What if it gets messy?"
Jessica smiled gently. "I assure you, Richard is a good man. He's just as desperate to make this work as you are to help Anna. You'd be doing each other a favor."
But then Jessica added, "There's one more thing. Richard's father also wants him to have children soon, which means you would need to be a surrogate as part of the arrangement."
The revelation hit Camila like a punch to the gut. Surrogacy? The thought of carrying a child for someone else was overwhelming. She felt a whirlwind of emotions and fear, confusion, and a flicker of hope. Could she really go through with this? The stakes were higher than ever.
"Do you know what $300,000 is", Jessica said suddenly increasing the tempo of her voice, "do you expect him to give such fortune just for an arranged marriage, Camila you are just like a daughter to me that's why I brought this offer to you, there are many girls I could give this offer and they will embrace it with so much gratitude, but I've seen the way you have been struggling and cared for your sister that's why I placed it on your plater"
A rollercoaster of emotions where running through Camila's mind, she was speechless and looked so lost.
"Camila" Jessica said while banging the table to draw back her attention, "I will leave you to sleep on it and by tomorrow I should get a response from you.
"You can go back to your duty and don't tell anyone, I mean no single soul about this. Okay?".
As she left the office, her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She walked through the bustling streets, the sounds of the city fading into the background as she wrestled with the decision before her. Could she really pretend to be someone's wife and bear a child for them? The thought felt surreal, yet the stakes were higher than ever.
That evening, as she returned home, she found Anna sitting on the couch, a hopeful smile on her face. "How did it go, Cami?"
Camila hesitated, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. "It was… interesting," she replied, trying to keep her tone light.
Anna's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Interesting? What does that mean?"
Camila took a deep breath, her heart racing. "Jessica has a proposal for me. It involves helping someone out, but it's complicated."
Anna leaned forward, her expression shifting to concern. "What kind of proposal?"
Camila hesitated, unsure of how to explain. "It's about a guy named Richard, he's the manager of marco's enterprise and son to the CEO. He needs someone to pretend to be his wife for a while, and in return, he would help us with the medical bills."
Anna's eyes widened. "That sounds… unusual. Are you sure about this?"
"I don't know, Anna. It's a lot to think about," Camila admitted, running a hand through her hair. "And there's more. If I do this, I might have to be a surrogate for him."
Anna's expression turned serious. "A surrogate? Cami, that's a huge decision. Have you thought about what that means?"
"I know," Camila replied, her voice trembling. "But if it means saving your life, I don't know if I can say no."
The room fell silent as they both contemplated the gravity of the situation. Anna's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I don't want you to do something you're uncomfortable with. I can't let you sacrifice so much for me."
Camila shook her head, her heart aching. "It's not just about the money, Anna. It's about you. I would do anything to help you."
"No don't do it Cami, you don't have to sacrifice this much for me, we can find another way of getting this money" Anna said as hot tears were dropping on her feet.
"I have to agree with this deal Anna, this is the fastest way we can make such an amount of money. What if this is the only way we are opportune to have?,is this how it will pass us by? Camila asked, screaming a little bit over her normal voice.
"Why don't you listen to me, we aren't even full blood sisters, why are you this concerned about me" Anna screamed while sitting on the floor in their living room.
Camila was in disbelief, she didn't expect such words from Anna. "Yes we aren't from the same mother, but we are from the same father, before dad died he left you under my care,and I promised him I will look over till our hairs turn grey".
"Your mother died of cancer because there wasn't enough money for her treatment, and I won't be alive to allow the same to happen to you, if you don't take me as your full sister, I Camila Madison take you as my full flesh and blood" Camila said while wiping her eyes with her clothes.
Before Camila could say another word, her phone buzzed again. It was a message from Jessica: "Richard wants to meet you tomorrow. He's serious about this."
The words sent a chill down Camila's spine. She glanced at Anna, who was still feeling so sober. Anna leaned forward and gave Cami a tight hug. "I'm so sorry for speaking to you so rudely, I'm sorry for calling you a half sister" Anna said.
"Just trust the process, I believe everything will work out for our good," Cami said while patting Anna's back
As the weight of the decision loomed over her, Camila felt a sense of urgency. Tomorrow would change everything, and she had to decide if she was willing to take that leap of faith.
But as she looked into Anna's hopeful eyes, she knew one thing for certain: whatever happened next, the stakes had never been higher.