Having No Hope

"Read it carefully and make your decision, " Lucas said in a calm tone.

"What the hell is this?" Lillian demanded. "You're offering me a marriage contract? Why? We don't even know each other!"

"You need your father's debt to be paid off," Lucas pointed out. "I need a wife for six months. We're in a win-win situation here."

"Six months?" Lillian echoed. She was shocked. What was this man thinking? Was marriage a joke to him?

"It's your wish," Lucas shrugged. "If you want me to forgive your father's debts, then you can go ahead and agree to this contract. In return, you'll be my wife for six months. After that, you are free to do whatever you want."

Lillian was normally a calm person but this man was infuriating her. The way he was offering her the contract, it was as if he was discussing a business deal. But to her, marriage was a lifetime commitment with someone she would fall in love with.

How could she throw away her dreams for a cold hearted criminal like him?

"You're sick!" she whispered. "How can you think of offering me this? You're reducing me to a cheap person with no dignity!"

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Two million dollars," he pointed out. "Your father owes me two million dollars. If you go to the hospital right now, you'll see what my men did to him. It was lucky for him that I needed a temporary bride and you happened to jump right into my lap. Otherwise, my men were determined to kill him off."

His dangerous threat was looming in his voice, making Lillian shiver with fear. How could he be so nonchalant to other people's misery?

The man in front of her was a notorious criminal and a killer who was enjoying every minute of inflicting torture on her. She felt her throat being constricted as if invisible tentacles had erupted out of Lucas Hao and slowly gripped her neck, throttling her. He was watching her with sadistic amusement, his face impassive but his heart blackened by his actions.

"Why me…" she whispered. Her voice was shaking in fear and anger. She was afraid of this man who was manipulating her life but was also angry at herself for failing to help her loved ones.

Lucas was uninterested in the small talk. He wanted results and only Lillian could provide them.

"It's your choice, Lillian Cheng," he said clearly. "Either sign it and free your dad from his debts. Or let him rot in my dungeons. It's up to you. If you want your decision to be quicker…"

He leaned forward, his dark eyes hinting a dangerous gleam.

"You can go to the National Hospital and check it out for yourself," he said. "I'll give you twenty four hours. Tomorrow at 9:30 AM, I'll be here, waiting for you. If you arrive by then, it means you'll take up my offer. If you're not here, then your father will be punished. Go and think over what you should be doing."

Lillian's heart trembled at his words. What did Lucas do to her father?

She did not waste another minute and sprinted off. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she ran towards the giant gates which flew open. Lillian quickly hailed a taxi and got into it.

"National Hospital!" she told him. "Quickly!"

The taxi sped off, disappearing from view. Lucas stood at the window, watching her leave. He stood there for a long time, not moving from his place.

A little while later, Thomas approached his boss.

"Erm, sir?" He called Lucas. "Why did you lie to her about her dad's debts? The men had been taken care of. And this…"

He glanced at the marriage contract which was lying on the table.

"Why are you offering her a marriage contract?" he queried. "You barely know her! She might be a spy for our rivals-"

"She's neither," Lucas said firmly. "I didn't lie to her. Technically, the loan was made using my name so I am her creditor and she had to either pay me back or suffer the consequences."

Thomas was not so sure about his boss' reasoning. He knew that Alex was still out there and had sent a threatening message to Lucas. No one knew what Alex told him but Lucas had asked Thomas to prepare the marriage documents after he received Alex's threat. It was baffling to Thomas that Lucas was suddenly interested in getting married.

"Make preparations for tomorrow," Lucas went on. "She'll need a dress and also, purchase clothes for her. She'll need them while she's staying here."

Lucas' face was turned away because he was still staring outside. Thomas was only confused by his boss' newfound interest to get married. There were hundreds of other women, better and even richer than Lillian Cheng who would be thrilled to marry Lucas. Several mafia lords had offered their daughters to Lucas and there were a few socialites who were also interested in him.

But Lucas chose someone completely ordinary. Why?

No matter how Thomas looked at it, he was only getting more confused. Was it really because of Alex's threat? He wondered.

He did not ask anything else but bowed and left the room, ready to execute the orders. Lucas slowly turned away from the window and walked towards the table. He poured himself a glass of wine and sat on the couch, staring into nothingness. His eyes were glassy as he robotically sipped the wine. Several memories were popping into his head, making his blood go cold.

….

The little girl was trying to reach for the leaf stuck on the window but she was too short to reach it. A boy was standing at the door, watching the girl try several times to catch the leaf.

He was staring at her with emotionless eyes as if his insides were dead. The girl's efforts were futile but she was determined to catch the pretty leaf as if her life depended on it. Why does she try so much? He wondered.

"Ugh!" she grunted as she tried to reach for the leaf. Just a little more...she told herself. Just a little-

Suddenly, someone picked the leaf. Startled, the girl spun around to see the tall boy holding the leaf in his hands.

"That's mine!" she claimed. "Give it to me!"

"Why do you want this thing so much?" he asked in a deadpan tone. The girl did not reply but was trying her best to take it from his hand. She was desperate to take the leaf, jumping up and down to grab it.

"Give it to me!" she begged. "Please!"

The boy rolled his eyes and handed it to her. "Are you an idiot?" he scoffed. "Taking an useless leaf for yourself."

"It's for my wish!" she claimed. "I'm collecting the leaves of Spring!"

"Wishes don't come true," the boy prophesied. "They're nothing more than mere fantasies."

The girl stared at the leaf in her hand. To his surprise, she gave him a wide smile.

"My wish will," she said, feeling very confident. "I know it will. If this leaf won't make it come true, I'll use another. I'll use hundreds of thousands of leaves! But I'll make my wish come true!"

She was happily walking away, content with catching the leaf but the boy grabbed her arm. The girl turned around to face him.

"What's your wish?" he asked. "Why are you trying so hard to make it come true?"

The girl thought for a while, pondering his question.

"My wish…" she began. "My wish is that one day, you and I will live on the hills. We'll live so high up, that no one can reach us! It'll just be you and me. Together and forever!"

A spark of life flashed in his dull eyes upon hearing her words. Despite their circumstances, she could smile so freely and think of achieving the impossible.

"It's a false hope," he mused.

"Still better than having no hope," the girl said in a sad tone.