Chapter 2 Unexpected Match

After speaking, Samuel walked over to Selena. He extended a hand and greeted her, "Hi, I'm Samuel Carter. Would you consider going on a date with me? "If we get married, I'll hand over my entire salary to you. I don't smoke, drink, or gamble. Meanwhile, I pride myself on having good morals. After work, I'll come straight home to help with the chores. Whether or not to have kids will always be your decision, and I'll treat your parents like my own." Every word he said seemed designed to oppose Adam. Adam snapped in frustration, "Who the hell are you?" "Just someone here for a blind date," Samuel replied calmly. "Ms. Clarke is here for my date!" Adam was clearly annoyed by Samuel's intrusion. Ignoring Adam completely, Samuel handed Selena a folder. "Here's my profile. Would you like to chat somewhere else?" Selena glanced at the folder and realized Samuel had signed up with the same dating agency as her. She had also overheard his earlier conversation with his match. So, it didn't take long for her to piece things together—they were both stuck with unsuitable dates. She had been matched with an oddball, and he'd gotten a gold digger. She didn't mind giving Samuel a chance. After all, her goal with these blind dates was to quickly find someone decent and compatible to marry. So, she nodded and said, "Sure." "Hey, Ms. Clarke. Don't you think you're being a little rude? We're still on a blind date! If you're not happy with the wedding gift, we can talk it over. I mean, I could even add your name to the property deed! Still, you'd have to help with the mortgage payments," Adam said, clearly unwilling to let it go. "No, thanks. I'm not planning to have kids after marriage," Selena refused. As she approached the counter, Adam called out from behind, "Since this blind date's a bust, you can't expect me to pay for your coffee!" "I wasn't planning on it." Selena glanced back at him before heading to the counter to scan her payment. But before she could, Samuel stepped in ahead of her, saying, "I got it." After paying, he turned to Selena and said, "Let's go." With that, they went to another café nearby. Once they were seated, Samuel ordered coffee. Selena handed him a folder with her personal details. "Thanks for stepping in back there. To be honest, my dad is really sick, and he probably doesn't have much time left. I've been going on blind dates to put his mind at ease. Also, I guess it's time for me to settle down anyway." Samuel nodded in understanding. Then, he shared his side, saying, "I'm here because I genuinely want to get married." He had been in a six-year relationship, but his girlfriend, Olivia Brooks, had left the country without even discussing it with him. That kind of goodbye was what he hated most. Now, he didn't care who his bride would be. If he could walk away from a six-year relationship, he could also start a new one in just six minutes. Selena said, "The burden on my family will be quite heavy. My dad is sick, and my younger brother is still in a school for the deaf. Even if we get married, I'll still need to take care of them. But don't worry, I won't touch your salary." She knew blind dates weren't about love, but it was important to put everything on the table. Samuel nodded thoughtfully. "Please don't hesitate to use my salary. Like I said, when we're married, your family will be mine too. If everything is okay with you, we can register our marriage whenever you're ready. But for now, maybe we can add each other on WhatsApp first?" He didn't know Selena very well yet, but he could tell she was someone who cared deeply for her family. Apart from her good values, she was strong enough to take on the responsibility of looking after her dad and brother. A woman like that wouldn't be a bad choice, and he was willing to take the risk of marrying her. "Alright," Selena said. Then, she pulled out her phone and added Samuel's WhatsApp. There was no need to be shy about it. After all, this was what blind dates were about—two strangers checking if they were a good match and talking about marriage right away. Moreover, she was here with the intention of getting married. Just as they finished adding each other's WhatsApp, Selena received a message from Lucas. It read, "Lena, I've arranged Dad's discharge from the hospital." She felt a wave of panic, her fingers shook as she typed back. "His condition is so serious. How can you discharge him?" Lucas was born deaf, so he was unable to speak too. However, he was very smart and had been attending a school for the deaf for years. As a result, he became quick at typing and highly skilled in sign language. Lucas replied, "He insists on being discharged. Lena, can we just let him have his way?" Selena could almost picture his helpless expression from his last words. Gregory and Lucas had always believed they were a burden to her. Just last month, Lucas had even gone home with his backpack, unwilling to continue his schooling. Selena dialed Gregory's number with a heavy heart. Gregory picked up the phone quickly. His tone was calm and warm, but the illness had slowed his speech. He said, "Lena, what's wrong? I'm the one asking to be discharged, don't blame Lucas." "Dad, can you just stay in the hospital?" Selena pleaded. Since Samuel was still with her, she did her best to hold back her tears. But she couldn't help herself and ended up crying anyway.