The hospital corridor felt colder than usual.
Anaya sat quietly on a narrow bench, her eyes fixed on the paper in her hands. She had read the same line over and over again, yet it still didn't make sense.
Total amount : ₹ 5,00,000
It looked like just a number... but to her, it was everything.
A feet away, nurses walked past, machines beeped softly, and life continued like nothing had changed. But for Anaya, everything had.
Just yesterday, her biggest worry was managing her college assignments and part-time job. Today, she was trying to figure out how to save her father's life.
"Anaya."
She looked up quickly. The doctor stood in front of her, his expression seems serious.
"We can't delay the surgery anymore," he said gently. "you need to arrange the payment as soon as possible."
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"How much time do I have?" she finally asked.
The doctor hesitated for a moment. "Not more than a day".
A day. ( she said in a fumled way)
Anaya nodded slowly, even though her mind had already gone blank. she watched him walk away, the sound of his footsteps fading into the noise of the hospital.
For a few seconds, she just sat there, unmoving.
Then she let out a quiet breath and leaned back against the wall.
She had tried everything.
Her savings were gone. The small pieces of jewellery which her mother left behind had already been sold. Relatives had their own problems. Friends could only offer sympathy.
There was nothing left.
Her phone vibrated in her hand, breaking the silence.
She glanced at the screen.
Unknown number.
Normally, she would have ignored it. But right now, she didn't have the luxury to ignore anything.
She answered.
"Hello?"
"Anaya Sharma''
The voice on the other end was calm, deep, and completely unfamiliar.
"Yes, who is this?"
"I heard you're in need of money."
Her grip on the phone tightened onstantly.
"Who told you that?" she asked, her voice cautious now.
"That's not important ," the man replied. "What matters is that I can help you".
Anaya frowned, her heart starting to beat a little faster.
"Help me? How?"
There was a brief pause, as if he was choosing his words carefully.
Then he said it.
"I want you to marry me."
For a moment, Anaya thought she had misheard.
"I'm sorry... what?"
"You heard me'" he said, his tone unchanged. "Marriage. In exchange, your problem will be take care of."
A short, disbelieving laugh escaped her.
"This isn't funny,'' she said." If this is some kind of prank -"
" I don't waste time on jokes."
The calmness in his voice made her uneasy.
Anaya stood up from the bench, her eyes scanning the corridor as if she might find the man standing somewhere nearby.
"Why, me?" she asked.
"You'll know after you agree."
"That doesn't make any sense," she replied immediately. "you expect me to marry a stranger without even knowing who you are?"
"You don't have many options."
The words were simple, but they hit hard.
Anaya clenched her jaw. she hated that he was right.
Still, something about this felt wrong.
"I'm not agreeing to anything like this," she said firmly.
"Check your bank account."
Her steps froze.
"...what?"
"Check it," he repeated.
With slightly shaking hands, she pulled the phone away and opened her banking app.
For a second, the screen didn't register.
Then it did.
Her breath caught.
The balance had changed.
₹5,00,000.
Already tranferred.
"This... this isn't possible," she whispered.
"Now we can talk properly," the man said.
Anaya felt her heart pounding in her chest.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice softer now.
"Because I need something", he replied. "And which you can give it to me"
She swallowed.
"And if refuse?"
There was silence for a moment.
Then -
"You won't".
The confidence in his voice sent a chill down her spine.
The call ended.
Anaya slowly lowered the phone, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn't control.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't safe.
But the money was real.
And her father needed that surgery.
She looked toward the hospital room where he lay unconscious.
Her eyes filled with tears, but she quickly blinked them away.
This wasn't the time to break down.
It was time to decide.
And deep inside, she already knew -
This wasn't just an offer.
It was a turning point.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CHAPTER -1 ENDED
TO BE CONTINUE...