Chapter Text
Hank looked out the window of the moving car pondering the unexpected turn his life took. Just few weeks ago he was a successful doctor working in a prestigious hospital with plenty of money in his bank account and engaged to a beautiful woman who he loved dearly. Now, he was unemployed, broke, and engaged to a man he has never met before and yet was going to marry in two weeks.
It all started five weeks ago at Brooklyn Mercy Hospital when he made a judgment call, or a mistake as the hospital administrator called it, that resulted in saving the life of a young man and the death of a billionaire hospital trustee. His life went downhill after that. He was fired from his job, the family of the dead of man; the Gardners, filed malpractice lawsuits against him that cost all his money. They also pulled strings and have him blackballed from all New York top hospitals. An even without their influence no medical institution would hire him. Nikki, getting fed up with the situation, broke up the engagement. And just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse the Gardners went after his medical license. He was jobless, broken hearted, penniless and facing the frightening fact of not being able to practice medicine anymore. It was then that he received a mysterious visitor.
***
Hank was lying on his bed staring vacantly at the ceiling. The state licensing board would make the decision tomorrow. It was almost certain he would lose his medical license. He wasn’t able to afford a good lawyer to fight the appeal. He didn’t move when he heard the doorbell ringing; he didn’t want to see anyone. But the caller, whoever it was, wouldn’t give up so he sighed and got up. He was expecting Evan so it was a complete surprise when a man he’s never seen before was standing in front of the door. The man looked him with icy blue eyes asking in an accented English if he may come in to which Hank replied,
“Who are you?”
“Someone with a proposal for you Dr. Lawson”
Hank frowned
“What kind of a proposal?”
“The kind that would guarantee that you would stay “Dr. Lawson” after the licensing board decision tomorrow”
Hank was taken aback by that reply. He stared at the man for several seconds before he finally invited him in.
The apartment was a mess but the unknown man didn’t seem to mind as he removed empty pizza boxes and sat on a chair. Hank did the same and waited for the man to speak.
The man started to talk right away.
“I have a friend; a very wealthy friend. He inherited the money from his father but there was a clause in the will; if my friend died unmarried or childless the money would be divided between multiple cousins. All the family members were wealthy so there was no fear of foul play. Yet recently several attempts has been made on his life. We’re not completely sure who’s responsible for these attacks but we’re fairly certain it’s one of the family. So we assumed that one of the potential heirs is in trouble and needs money. Investigating all of them would take weeks if not months, so we decided to buy some time”
Hank had hard time absorbing all of these information. He couldn’t understand who the “we” the man kept referring to. It sounded like police force or criminal organization.
The man seemed to read his mind because he said next.
“My friend is a very private person. He doesn’t like the interference of strangers into his affair; he has his own means of investigation”
Hank was still bewildered
“I still don’t understand what all of these has to do with me?”
“You see, to buy some time my friend death should not benefit the responsible party and to do that, according to the will, my friend should either be married or have a child. The second option needs at least nine months while the first could be achieved immediately”
The man paused and looked significantly at Hank. Hank blinked for several seconds before he exclaimed.
“You can’t possibly mean…”
“Yes, I’m asking you to marry my friend Dr. Lawson. It would be only on paper and for limited time; six months at most. We’ll draw a legal contract, you can have a lawyer of your choice looks at it. If you agree the trouble with the state licensing board would be dealt with and you could name any amount of money you want to start a new life”
“Why me of all people? How did you even heard of me and my troubles?”
“It has to be someone trustworthy, honest and couldn’t be bribed. Believe me Dr. Lawson that’s not easy to find in people. I was assigned to find that person and I found you. Your recent troubles vouch for your integrity.”
“But still…”
“And you’re also a doctor”
“What that has to do with anything?”
“I can arrange for my friend protection from firearms, bombs, etc. but I might not notice subtle attacks. A doctor in the house would be helpful in that regard. As I said finding trustworthy people are hard so a spouse doctor was the best solution”
Hank was confused and overwhelmed by all that he heard. The man seemed to sense his anxiety because he said next.
“I understand this is not an ordinary or easy thing to do. I only ask you to think about it. I’ll contact you after two days. I’m sorry but that all the time I could spare.”
The man put his card on the table and left.
Hank picked up the card; it had a number and a name.
Dmitry Vasilyev.
***
Hank couldn’t sleep that night thinking over what the man said. He couldn’t deny that accepting the deal would solve all his problems but also couldn’t help feeling something was wrong about the situation; something other than the obvious. Could he really do that? Marry a stranger to save his future even if it was a fake marriage. Yet, he argued with himself, he would help the other man, and helping others was his life calling. He completely understood what the other man implied; that by agreeing to the deal he would be in danger, the attention of the attackers would switch to him. All these thoughts kept swirling in his mind till he finally was able to fall asleep.
The next morning he called the number on the card telling Dmitry Vasilyev that he’d accept the proposal.