THE CONTRACT.

Jessica knew something was wrong when the elevator didn’t stop on the 3rd floor.

The numbers climbed past the lobby,past the executive offices,and every floor she was allowed to exist. She stared at her reflection in the mirror doors,pale face, borrowed heels, Summer’s lipstick still smeared crooked from shaking hands.

“Why didn’t the elevator stop? Where is it taking me?” she asked herself as she continued to press the exit button aggressively.

She wasn’t supposed to go up that far. The elevator chimed. And the doors slid open in silence.

 No reception desk, no  assistance, just a long hallway drowned in marble and glass, ending at a pair of black double doors guarded by two men who didn’t look like security so much as a warning.

One man walked up to her. 

“Miss Cooke,come with me please.” “Who are you and where is this place?” “ Miss Cooke,please come with me Mr. Lewis is waiting”.Jessica walked behind him as she looked around nervously,asking no questions. Jessica was led to John’s  secret meeting room. As they reached the door, Jessica opened her mouth to speak,but the man pushed the door open and ushered her to go inside.

Her throat tightened. “Listen, I… I think there’s been a mistake. I’m not—”

“The lawyer is waiting.”

Her pulse stuttered.

Jessica looked around the unfamiliar room. Why is  she there and why is Mr.Lewis in the room he’s supposed to be at the wedding venue or maybe getting ready. Had something happened?

Behind the wooden carved desk stood John. He looked straight at Jessica. He looked calm and definitely didn’t look like a man who was trying to avoid being  humiliated. 

Beside him sat a man in a gray suit flipping through a thick stack of papers.

“Have a seat,” he said softly .

He threw the papers in front of her. “ sign it or else your mother dies tonight”

“What— is this?” 

“It’s a contract Miss Cooke you will be replacing your best friend Summer in the next hour” the lawyer  replied.

“Where’s summer? I can’t marry Mr.Lewis.”

A hush fell over the room.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice Miss Cooke, it’s either you sign the contract and walk down the aisle to Mr.Lewis, or you else, you will face the consequences” the lawyer replied. Her stomach twisted. “But—- you can simply call off the wedding”. “I’m afraid that’s not an option either” John smirked.

John stepped closer. Each movement was precise, deliberate. He stopped just short of touching her. “ do you think I’m a fool? Do you think I’m going to risk my reputation because of your best friend’s carelessness? You must sign the contract and replace her in the next hour or else…”

“ or else what? You can’t just replace her like a broken chair! She must be around, she can’t just vanish.”

“You have no right to talk to me like that” his gaze flickered “I can replace anyone who threatens my empire”

The lawyer tapped the contract. “You’ll assume Summer Stewart’s position. The wedding must proceed as planned”

Jessica shook her head violently. “This is insane. I’m not signing that.”

John nodded once.

The lawyer reached into his briefcase and turned a tablet toward her.

The screen lit up. It looked like a hospital.

White sheets, sounds of machines humming, and a  woman sleeping under thin blankets.

Jessica’s knees buckled.

“Mom—” she stuttered. The camera’s angleshifted. There were two men in black suit and sunglasses stood on both sides of the bed and one at the nurses’ station. 

John walked slowly towards her. Your mum is under my protection now,if you refuse to sign the contract she sleeps forever tonight.”

“You don’t get to protect her!” Jessica snapped. “She didn’t ask for this!”

“No,” he agreed softly. “You did.”

Her heartbeat roared in her ears. “If I walk out that door—”

“She disappears,” he finished.

John didn’t raise his  voice or look angry. But his tone gave Jessica a cold chill she had never felt in her life.

John’s words felt like a promise.

Jessica stared at her mother’s sleeping face, the tubes connecting to her body and her fragile skin. The woman who’d worked two jobs to keep her fed. The woman who never complained. The woman who thought her daughter was safe.

Her chest caved in.

“You’re a monster,” she whispered.

John didn’t deny it.

He simply held out a pen.”the decision is yours”.

Her fingers wouldn’t move.

Her mind screamed run run run—but the image of the hospital room burned into her skull. Jessica stretched out her arm and collected the pen. Tears swelled up in her eyes as she signed.

The scratch of ink across the paper sounded like a gunshot. Each hand movement felt like she was being stabbed. “Done, here you go!” John checked his watch.

“Good,” he said.

Jessica wiped her tears with the back of her hand, shaking. “When can I see my mother?”She asked 

“The glam team will be here any moment make sure you are on your best behaviour do not act suspicious and no one must know about what happened here”.

“I need time please” “ you don’t have time” he said. 

His gaze swept over her for the last time as he walked out the room.

                    *2 minutes later*  

The glam team stormed in the room. Makeup box,3 different wedding dresses, heels. It felt like a dream she wanted to wake up from.

So much chaos in one room. “Mrs. Lewis. We are here to get you ready for your wedding. We don't have enough time to work with so please co-operate.”

“Mrs. Lewis?”She whispered. The name closed around her throat like a collar. 

They dragged her around like an object. The hairstylist on her head, make -up artist on her face so many things happening all at once. “Mrs.Lewis your dress is ready please get dressed we will be outside if you need help”

 The doors slammed shut behind her, then she realised she had just signed her life away her freedom and her future. “Jessica you can do this, you are doing this to save your mom.” she whispered to herself.She finally gathered the courage to put on her wedding gown.” It felt like a lifetime punishment but at least she was saving her mother’s life.” Her phone buzzed on the table. A message from an unknown number.”who could this be she asked as she picked up her phone”

A photo loaded slowly. 

The caption read” just taught I should remind you”.