Her Accidental Husband

Chapter 4 Luck Amid Despair

Lily woke slowly, her body aching all over as if she’d been run over by a truck. The bright hospital lights above made her squint, and the sterile white walls seemed too cold, too unfamiliar. She tried to move but felt a dull soreness in her arm and knee. Confused, she scanned the room, trying to piece together where she was and how she got there.

A folded piece of paper caught her eye on the bedside table. With effort, she reached for it and unfolded the note. The neat, careful handwriting read:

Sorry. I’ll take full responsibility. Please contact me when you wake up.
 — Adam

The name made her pause. Adam. She tried to remember, but her mind was foggy, memories tangled like threads she couldn’t grasp. Despite the haze, something about the note gave her a faint sense of comfort, and she carefully slipped it into her coat pocket.

She sat quietly for a moment, the reality settling slowly. She was alone, hurt, and completely adrift.

After a short rest, Lily decided she needed water. Carefully, she swung her legs off the bed and stood, wincing as her bruised limbs protested. She shuffled down the sterile corridor to the hospital’s small café, bought a bottle of water, and stepped outside into the brisk late afternoon air.

The cool breeze felt refreshing against her flushed cheeks. She wandered at first, trying to collect her thoughts. That’s when her eyes caught a brightly coloured poster plastered on a lamppost nearby.

Lottery: Grand Prize — Luxury Villa Half-Year Experience Voucher

The poster showed a stunning villa bathed in sunlight. Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed an elegant interior, and beyond, a sprawling garden that looked like something from a magazine. The villa seemed like a palace compared to anywhere Lily had ever lived. Her heart clenched as she imagined what it might be like to escape to a place like that, even for just six months.

She stared at the poster, feeling a strange mixture of hope and disbelief. Her life had spiralled downward faster than she could have imagined — jobless, homeless, and heartbroken. And yet here was a chance, a slim one, to grasp something beautiful.

Things can’t get any worse, she thought bitterly. Might as well try.

Lily took out her phone, fingers trembling slightly, and carefully entered the details to enter the lottery. The form was straightforward — name, age, contact details — and before long, she was done.

With a sigh, she pocketed her phone and glanced once more at the glossy photo of the villa, letting herself daydream for a moment about what life there might be like. A brief respite from the cold, from the loneliness, from everything she was running from.

The next morning, Lily woke to her phone ringing. She groaned as she reached for it. The number was unfamiliar but official-sounding. With a shaky breath, she answered.

“Congratulations, Miss Evans,” the woman’s voice was brisk and professional. “I am calling on behalf of Luxmore Estates to inform you that you have won the grand prize in our lottery. A six-month experience voucher for our luxury villa.”

Lily froze, her heartbeat thudding loudly in her ears. The villa from the poster—the dream she had dared to imagine—was suddenly within reach.

“Is this real?”

“Of course. However,” the woman added quickly, “there are strict conditions to claim the prize. The voucher is valid only for a newlywed couple, married less than five months, and neither party can own property in their name.”

Lily’s breath caught. The words echoed painfully in her mind.

Newlywed couple.
 Married less than five months.
 No property.

The conditions made her chest tighten. She had no husband anymore. Just days ago, she had torn off her engagement ring and fled from the man she’d once planned her life with, the man who had shattered her trust and left her heart in pieces.

Where was she going to find a newlywed husband now?

Later that morning, a soft knock at the door interrupted her restless thoughts. A middle-aged doctor entered with a clipboard, his expression professional but gentle.

“Good morning, Miss Evans,” he said kindly. “How are you feeling today?”

Lily managed a weak nod, trying not to betray the storm inside.

The doctor glanced over her file. “Your scans show minor abrasions on your arm and knee, nothing serious, but we recommend you stay under observation for another day or two, just to be sure.”

Lily swallowed hard, anxiety curling in her stomach. “I—I don’t think I can,” she murmured, avoiding his gaze.

He paused. “May I ask why?”

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m afraid... if my ex, or my mother, or anyone from home finds out where I am, they’ll come looking for me. I’m not ready for that.”

The doctor’s brows furrowed in concern, but he nodded slowly. “I understand. But it’s important you take care of yourself.”

Just then, the nurse appeared with a bill in her hand. The doctor looked at it and said, “Miss Evans, I should let you know—your medical bill has already been paid in full.”

Lily blinked in surprise. “By... whom?”

The doctor hesitated briefly, then said, “A Mr. Adam Wright, who was present when you were brought in.”

Lily’s heart skipped. Adam. The man from the note.

She struggled to process the kindness in the midst of her chaos. For a moment, she allowed herself to feel gratitude, before panic reclaimed its hold.

“I have to leave,” she said firmly, pushing herself up from the bed despite the ache. “I’m sorry, but I can’t stay.”

The doctor sighed but didn’t push further. “Very well, but please come back immediately if you feel worse.”

With shaky legs, Lily gathered her belongings, slipping the note and winning ticket securely into her coat pocket. As she stepped out of the hospital, the cold air bit at her cheeks, but it felt like freedom — for now.