A contract for two: An Ashwood's bride

At the center of the Remington's living room sat Talon Ashwood, calm, composed and utterly in control.

Across him sat Scarlet Remington, pen poised above the contract, while she read it with excitement in her eyes. Her glamorous ruby red dress clung to her like a second skin, her nails manicured to match. Her parents, the Remington's, Mr Alfred and his wife Dolores sat beside her with wide smiles. Their eyes, proud and eager.

This was it, the deal that would tie the Remington's to the Ashwood's. Both their families and stocks.

Two lawyers sat on each side representing the families and overseeing the documents. Talon tugged on his straight black tie impatiently. This contract was a mere formality, this marriage, a necessity.

His father had made that much clear, if he scored himself a wife before the stroke of midnight, then he would get the one thing he needed.

Scarlet twirled the pen gracefully between her fingers, a smirk on her face as her signature on the paper began to dry.

"I am done with my part" she announced, handing the pen over to Talon.

His gloved hand reached for the pen, and in the process his wrist bumped against the stack of papers on the table. A single sheet slipped, fluttering to the floor.

He followed the paper's descent, but when his gaze lifted again, it didn't return to Scarlet or the lawyer trying to pick the paper up.

It landed elsewhere.

Hanging on the wall above where the paper landed, was a portrait. Vintage-like and within a square frame.

His brows furrowed slightly and his dark eyes roamed over the unfamiliar face in the portrait.

His voice when he asked was calm, neutral, direct.

"Who is that?" He asked.

Scarlet gripped the table nervously, exchanging a glance with her mother who shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"My other daughter," Mr Alfred responded before any words could be exchanged.

"You have another daughter?" Talon asked, the surprise obvious in his tone. He had done business with them for years and yet he didn't know. And besides, Scarlet's identity to the public was that of an only child.

Mrs Dolores cleared her throat, her fingers straightening the silk of her dress.

"Yes, Scarlet's twin sister. But she prefers not to be involved in social or official affairs. She is.....different"

Talon didn't look away from the portrait. His gaze was assessing and unreadable. Without hesitation, he spoke.

"Call her down"

Scarlet blinked caught off guard, Mr Alfred shifted forward in his seat.

"I assure you that she-"

"Call. Her. Down"

He wasn't asking them for their permission to request for her presence. And they understood.

A wave of tense silence filled the room and then, Mrs Dolores snapped her finger at a housemaid who hurried up the polished staircase, her steps quick and urgent.

Scarlet huffed, her fingers tightening around the pen in annoyance.

Before she could start muttering complaints, soft footsteps echoed from the hallway above.

Halo Remington.

She hesitated at the top of the stairs when she realized that her parents were not alone. She was clothed in a plain oversized white dress, dark hair pulled back in an unruly manner by a stained yellow scrunchie. She radiated nothing like the polished aura of her sister.

She looked like she didn't even belong in this house.

Talon met her empty gaze and slightly widened doe eyes. Something unspoken passed between them and she bowed her head to avoid holding eye contact longer than necessary.

She descended slowly, her fingers trailing along the banister. When she reached the bottom, Mr Alfred, her father, gave her a quick glance before turning back to Talon.

She didn't miss the unease in her father's eyes though.

"Well then, you requested for Halo and here she is. Anything else Mr Ashwood?"

Talon dug his fingers under the stack of papers and pulled out a fresh unsigned contract. He removed a pen from the breast pocket of his suit and penned his signature down on the paper. In quick work, he stood up from his position and approached Halo who stepped backwards with caution.

With a stretch of his arm, he extended the contract and pen in front of her.

"Sign it"

The words landed like a grenade in the living room, leading to the abrupt standing up of Mr Alfred, Mrs Dolores, and a shocked Scarlet. No, Talon couldn't be serious.

"Huh?" Halo whispered, barely understanding the situation at hand. Sign it, what exactly was he telling her to...

She focused her gaze and read the paper in his hands. It was an agreement, a contract for a business proposal involving marriage. In return for a mega investment, the continuation of their business line and a five percent increase of the shares the Remington's already had in Talon's business chains, Scarlet would agree to be legally married off to the man before her. Binding the two families together and putting the Remington's on a higher scale map than they already were.

Halo understood that much, but what she didn't understand now was why the decision now rested in her hands and not Scarlet's.

"Why are you asking me to sign it?" she asked. In the background he could hear the confused murmurs of her parents and that of Scarlet. Even the lawyers were taken aback.

Too bad. He had already made up his mind. He knew who his bride was going to be and if she didn't sign those papers. Then everything he put in line to give the Remington's would be gone, and he was sure that they wouldn't want that.

His lips curved into a tight line as he turned around to address them.

"I put it to you that if she doesn't sign it, the deal is off". With one direct glance at Mr Alfred he continued. "I am sure you know what that would mean to your family's reputation. And finances"

Halo bit the inner flesh of cheeks making her dimples pop out.

Finances?.

Was her family going bankrupt?.