CHAPTER 8: CONTRACT FROM HELL

That morning, she went to his office together with her parents as agreed.

His office was the neatest and cleanest space she had ever seen. 

Space! 

That was the simple trick that accentuated the elegance of the room. Four items only. A massive oak cabinet on one end of room, a row of four office arm chairs on the opposite end, a single blue sofa with a Chinese-style coffee table infront of it and his desk sprawled wide and carved at both ends around his chair. The desk had only a stack of papers on one end, a neat pile of yellow files on the other and a silver laptop at the center. 

When they walked in, there he stood, by the window. His back was turned to them as he stared at the city below.

The only other person in the room was a gorgeous young lady dressed in a dark blue suit seated on one of the four arm chairs. On her laps she balanced what appeared to be a type-writer.

"You can have a seat," she said without any warmth in her voice. It was toned like a command.

"Thank you," Mr. Galavan mumbled as they made to sit on the sofa.

"Please don't sit there!" The words were almost shouted. "That's for Mr. Rowland's distinguished guests only."

Emma froze mid-bend, straightened up and stared at the woman.

'Distinguished guests, you say,' she thought. 

"You may occupy these," the woman motioned to the arm chairs beside her. 

They obeyed.

All the while, Mr. Rowland had not glanced back over his shoulder, let alone said a word. Emma leaned back in her seat as she checked out his spotless, smooth suit. He too was donned in blue like the lady who had received them.

'Is he ignoring us on purpose?' Emma thought. 

To try and divert the awkwardness of the silence, she busied herself admiring the room. 'He sure has taste, I'll give him that,' she thought.

Just then the door burst open. Footsteps pounded as a gentleman in a black suit exploded in. He carried a briefcase of the same colour. When Emma saw the other person he came with, her stomach turned. Rocking a Gucci designer outfit, manicured nails, and a luxurious handbag, Clara strutted in like she owned the place.

"Good Morning cousin," she said loudly. Then modelled across the room, dramatically removed her gold rimmed designer glasses and kissed Mr. Rowland on the cheek.

Although he had finally turned around, he still hadn't acknowledged Emma's presence.

"Let's get this over with. I have more important business to attend to." 

He slowly undid his coat button with just the tip of three fingers and sank in his seat. 

He gave a slight nod at the man with the briefcase.

"We can begin. You can call me Klaus. I'm Mr. Rowland's lawyer. Mr. Rowland has trusted me to read the terms." The man said reaching into his briefcase. 

He flipped open a black leather folder on the desk. "The marriage contract is effective immediately upon signature. An NDA prevents disclosure."

'A secret marriage? Why?' Emma wondered. Her eyes narrowed and she glanced at her father.

"Cousin, maybe tell your lawyer to consider our artist and speak more...simpler," Clara said.

"An NDA means you shall not disclose the terms of this contract to a third party," the lawyer said.

"Someone else...third party means anyone else who's not..." Clara said.

"I know what third party means," Emma said through her teeth.

"You are never to reveal to anyone that you are married to Mr. Rowland. Your marriage to him will be a secret only known to family." Klaus said to Emma.

"Skip the minor clauses. I'm sure they can take their time to go through the entire contract. Let's focus on the critical ones," Rowland said.

The lawyer half-nodded, half-bowed. "Yes, Sir." 

"And Klaus." Mr. Rowland gestured a hand towards the open file on the table. "Simplify the legal terms for the benefit of the other party."

"Yes, Sir."

The lawyer glanced at his open file and continued. "Critical ones. Simplifed. Clause 4." He looked at Emma. "This union exists for business purposes only. As such, the wife agrees not to get emotionally attached..."

'I won't,' Emma thought.

"...or expect affection from her husband."

'I won't do that either,' she thought.

"Clause 5. The wife agrees to fulfill wifely duties at all times as required by her husband. This includes but is not limited to sex, submission and emotional support."

He flipped a page.

"Next. The wife consents to obey her husband without question. Failure to do this will result into a breach of contract and penalties related."

Emma shook her head.

"Clause 7."

"Oh, finally the interesting parts," Clara said.

"The husband, Mr. Rowland Montero, retains the right to maintain and engage in romantic or sexual relationships outside this marriage. The wife agrees never to complain publicly or otherwise, never to take any legal action against her husband and never to engage in jealousy under such circumstances."

Emma's mouth gaped open in disbelief. "You expect me to sign this humiliation? To voluntarily accept that you can have others while am bound to you?"

The lawyer opened his mouth to speak then stopped and said nothing. Clara crossed her legs and a hint of a smile flashed across her lips.

Only the ticking of the clock and the humming of the air conditioner filled the room.

"Do you think I'm worthless? That my heart doesn't matter?"

Mr. Rowland sat poised, like nothing bothered him.

Emma stared at the open file with disgust. 

Then she stood. "I will not sign it."

Her mother gasped. "Emma!"

Her father's palms went to his face.

Clara leaned back looking amused. "Oh, this is getting interesting."