Chapter 4

Ayana:

The walk home was incredibly longer than every normal day. This time around, I could feel the sorrow shaking my very being as my crowded head refused to process the shimmering light in the distance until the motorcycle raved past me.

" If you want to die, don't let me be the murderer bitch!" The biker shouted as he revved past me, his words enough to jolt me out of my reverie for a minute, but not enough to keep me grounded.

I had lost all feelings of communication and care until I stepped into the house and the air felt....wrong.

Then her whimpering followed.

" Mum?!" I called out as I trashed through the curtains that now laid sprawled on the floor and the broken flower vase as I made my way to the kitchen where my mum was crouched, holding onto Janelle as she sobbed.

A small glass shard stuck out of janelle's arm like a sore thumb, the little piece the cause of the whimpering as my mum tried t pull it out again.

I did not need to ask what happened. It was as clear as day what they had gone through.

" He gave me till the end of the week so why the hell did he come back?!" I yelled, my eyes threatening to give way for tears but I held it back in, because I couldn’t afford to let my family see me cry.

" He said he just wanted to assert his dominance. We are fine though, I promise. It's just a few broken glasses" my mum said but she was never a good liar.

The little stain of blood underneath her arms was more than enough proof.

" I will find a way out of this I promise"

" Have you found something yet?" She asked.

That hope in her eyes broke me. She so desperately wanted us to be fine.

" Not yet, but I will figure something out" I said, clenching my teeth in embarrassment.

She hoisted Janelle to her feet, the glass now laying bloody on the floor as she made for the unequipped first aid box in the kitchen.

We worked silently, cleaning up the wounds with minimal body language, each head occupied with words that did not need to be said.

I helped them crawl into bed, my heart aching at my inadequacy and my head burning.

" You have done so much for us, I will understand if you don't have the strength to this too. It's fine" my mum said.

She was right. Ever since my father died, I could not stop, I had worked, cried and prayed.

I was not about to stop now.

" Go to bed mum. I will get the money" i promised.

When I left the room, I let the tears finally fall.

In that moment, whatever shred of pride or hope I had left diminished and I knew what I had to do.

I dialed his number, waiting for him anxiously to pick up the call.

Hopefully he had not realized what sort of ridiculous idea this was and decided not to go through with it again.

It was late, too late. I had never called him by this time before. But these were desperate times. I had to.

" It's late. You could not wait for me to get some shut eye and return back to the office tomorrow?" His husky voice said, enough to send me drooling if I did not have a dying sister and mother in my hands.

" I will marry you" I said simply.

~~~

I had seen this sketchy man a few times in the past. The first time was when a man has bashed Mr Ruan's car and braged about beating him up. Mr Ruan had sent him to the hospital for three weeks and made him pay legal charges for emotional damage and property repair.

Now, this man, Mr Ruan's lawyer sat in front of us with those sketchy eyes of his darting around.

" If it's fine by both parties I will start reading out the context of the contract now".

" Go on" Mr Ruan said.

I sat at the edge of the seat, my body pressed firmly onto the edge of the chair as I stared at the both of them.

He cleared his throat, hands gripping the documeng tightly until his hand print appeared on the beautiful leather.

" The first clause states that both parties are to remain married for thirteen months and after that, they can decide to remain married, or break up. Is that fine with everyone?"

Thirteen months....I was signing away thirteen months of my life away to this child hearted man.

Ruan stared at me, lips pressed in a tight frown.

I gulped.

" I agree"

The man nodded, continuing.

" That's good. The next class states that there will be no termination of the contract. If you sign it, you will be in it for 13 months no matter what. Also, you will publicly be acknowledged as husband and wife, you have no right to not treat him as your husband when in public.

This contract comes with full protection of your family and you, there is a clause that states that testing limits of sexual intercourse will not be expected except it's consensual. You both have no right to prey on each other's personal life and this contract is more or less a job, just with you bearing the title"

I almost let out a gasp of relief as he read it out.

It was almost too easy. I did not need to have sex with him and all we had to do was smile and stay pretty for the camera while we were outside.

" Is that all?" I asked.

" You have anything to add to it?" Mr Ruan asked.

I didn't. I racked my brain, wanting to find an excuse to not marry him, maybe a clause in the contract or a view I did not check.

" I think she wants to view the contract herself. Hand It over to her" he said.

The leather was soft and buttery in my fingers as I perused the contract carefully.

There was no hidden clauses, just blank as day, the huge gap waiting for my signature.

But did I want this even if it is temporary?

Ruan is nothing like the man I dreamed of. Yes, he was so fucking handsome and his features were enough to get any straight thinking girl aroused.

But he was a flirt, brutally narcissistic, cold and unbearing. He was nothing I wanted in a man.

" Would you like more time to think perhaps?" The lawyer asked.

" I don't have more time to give her. It's either she signs it now or she leaves"

There it was. That cocky character that I hated.

" If I sign this, I will get protection for my mum and sister and you will pay the debt immediately?"

" I'm a man of my words, you don't have to bother about that."

" I can assure you there is no hidden clause in this, be rest assured about that".

I nodded subtly.

He was not what I wanted.

But I did not have a choice.

My hands quivered as I picked up the pen, signing the contract.