How am I going to explain to Sarah? I'm worried about how to tell my sister about the billionaire and the contract marriage. I don't want to lie to her. What should I do?
The loss of our father had hit my sister hard, and I felt powerless to help her. It was like there was an invisible barrier between us, and I couldn't figure out how to break through it. My sister had always been the sensitive one, while I was more resilient and independent. I knew that our different reactions to the loss were partly responsible for the distance between us, but I didn't know how to fix it. I just wanted to make things right again, but I didn't know how.
My driver was already standing in front of my house.
"Good morning, Miss Jones!" He was always so chipper, and it was refreshing. I smiled and said.
"Good morning, Elijah. It's great to see you!"
We chatted about the weather and other mundane topics.
When we got to a Chinese restaurant, I noticed that he'd pulled up to the front door.
"We are here, Miss Jones"
Finally, the drive felt like eternity.
"Oh, thank you"
"I will be right there when you are done"
He pointed his finger at the park. I nodded and left while he zoomed off. I approached the Chinese restaurant and saw a man in black suit outside.
"Please, follow me, Ms. Jones"
He said.
Oh, great! This guy that I have never seen in my life also knows my name. I followed him as he led me through the restaurant. The walls were decorated with beautiful paintings of Chinese landscapes, and the floor was a rich, dark mahogany. The air smelled of sweet and savory spices, with a hint of fresh ginger. Come to think of it, I have never tasted Chinese food, maybe I will today. At the back of the restaurant. The man opened the door to a private dining room.
A black woman in a navy pants-suit and a sleek black bob was already seated. She looked at the door.
"Samantha Jones?" She smiled.
"Yes, sorry I kept you waiting" I smiled back.
She stood up to shake me, I reciprocated.
"No, it's fine. I'm just glad I wasn't late, I wouldn't want to be on Mr. Williams bad side by delaying his bride"
I don't know if I should smile to that or not.
She laughed and we sat.
"Anyway, I'm Charlotte Jackson and I will be your attorney. Let's get started"
She brought out her laptop.
"Mr. Williams hired my firm to be your outside counsel to assist you in the contract negotiations, have you seen the contract yet?"
"No"
"No? It should have been sent to you"
She said as she typed quickly on her laptop and turned the screen to my face. I peered at the document, twenty-five pages? Nah.
"There is no way I'm going to understand this"
I politely said.
"That's why I'm here"
She smiled, she turned the laptop back to her face.
"Are you aware that the duration of this marriage is a year and six months, after, you'd divorce?"
What? Why is he getting married if he wants to get divorced after a year and six months? This is fishy...
"No"
I replied.
"Well, now you are aware"
"May I ask a question?"
"Yes, you are free Ms. Jones"
"Why is he getting married if he wants to get divorced after a year and six months? And why contract? I want to be sure of what I'm getting myself into"
"Mr. Williams is from an extremely wealthy family and is a complex person that no one can understand so I don't know the reason but I can assure you he's not a bad person and nothing will happen to you, it will be in the contract, if anything happens to you, he would face some laws so you have nothing to worry about. I'm with you"
How the hell is she so reassuring?
"Ok"
I nodded.
"Let's move on"
She typed on her laptop and turn it to me. I looked at the page.
"It's says in Section thirteen-C that if you decide you want to leave the marriage before the duration is complete or break any contract terms or have an affair, there's a whole list--- you'd pay it all back"
"Pay it all back?"
"Yes, you have to read it so you can understand better
Also, you'd be paid every month , like seven figures every month"
What? Every month?
"Every month?"
"Yes, Ms. Jones. And..."
"And? If he's rich and from a wealthy family, why is he buying a bride and why me? he must be awful"
"No, no, no, He's not. I assure you he's not"
"What happens if he breaks the marriage before the duration is complete?"
"He will pay a certain amount, it's in the contract so you have nothing to worry"
"It's just...it's just crazy and seems to good to be true"
She leaned forward.
"Crazy is an understatement, Ms. Jones, I understand. I'm your attorney, I know I shouldn't take Mr. Williams side but trust me, I've worked with him before, nothing bad will happen"
"What about my sister?"
"Your sister? It doesn't say much here. Mr. Williams doesn't appear to be doing much for your sister, there's money of course but you won't get any of it if the marriage doesn't last. It says here that Mr. Williams will be offering room, financial assistance to any of your dependents"
Her eyes on the laptop.
I took a deep breath.
"I'm okay with the terms, but I have a condition"
"Go ahead"
"My sister has to live with me"
"Umm... It doesn't say here that you can live with her"
"What? I can't live with her? I can't leave my sister alone"
"She's a young adult but I'm going to talk to his lawyer. That's the only condition you have?"
"Yes"
"Ok, I will send a copy of the reviewed contract to you, then you sign and send"
I nodded. She stood up.
"Have a lovely day, Ms. Jones"
" Thank you"
I left the restaurant with a heavy heart without even trying any Chinese dish, I was torn between staying with my sister and getting out of my current situation. I was worried about leaving her alone, but I also knew I couldn't keep living like this. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"I was ordered to bring you and your sister to the cabin," Elijah told me as I approached the car.
"Why?" I asked.
Elijah hesitated, then said, "I'm not authorized to answer that question. I'm sorry."
Oh Perfect, how am I going to convince Sarah?
------------
"You home?"
I slammed the door. There was no reply.
"Pack your things, we are going somewhere, just pack useful things"
"Not interested"
I halted my steps. Her eyes on her phone
"What? I'm not asking you to, I'm telling you to pack your bags, we are going somewhere"
"Where?"
"It's a long story, just pack few things"
"Did you finally seduced an old rich man? The guy outside with a nice car, new clothes, new heels, they look expensive, what a wonderful and brilliant sister I have"
She slowly clapped and approached me.
"What?"
"I'm not stupid and I'm not interested in whatever you are into, I won't follow you to that..."
I slapped her cause I couldn't even take what she was saying anymore.
"I'm your older sister! learn to talk to me"
"Yes yes yes, whatever. I'm not interested in whatever dirty you got yourself into"
She adjusted her hair.
" If only you know. I don't have the time now, just pack your things or you know what, don't pack anything"
"I'm sure I didn't stutter, I said I'm not going with you, just leave like dad and mom left us" a tear fell from her eyes.
I don't know what to say to her right now. I'm so pissed and seeing her cry breaks my heart.
"I don't want to ever be apart from you, I promise you it's a better life and not a rich old man. I promise you will understand why I made this choice, are you proud of your sister stripping?"
I held her face between my hands as tears fell down.
"No, I..."
"With this, I'm going to stop it and you will have a better life"
She hugged me.
"Why do we have to go through these things? Why did dad die?"
"Life isn't fair dear"
I tightened the hug.
"The man outside is waiting, let's go" I said.
She released herself from the hug.
"Ok"
"Let me grab a few important things"
She came out minutes later and we left.
As we entered the cabin, I looked at Sarah, I could tell by the look on her face that she loved the cabin as much as I did. Her eyes were bright, and a smile played at the corners of her mouth. We entered and the ladies I saw from last time were there. A lady who I assumed based on her outfit is the chief housekeeper approached us, smiling."Welcome, Ms. Jones," she said, her voice warm and friendly. "Megan, show the other Ms. Jones around"She faced Sarah."Are you going to be fine?"I looked at her."Are you kidding? I'm not a kid"She smiled as she followed Megan. The chief housekeeper introduced herself. "I'm Beth," she said. "I'll be your point of contact for any questions or needs you might have during your stay.""Thank you," I said. "It's nice to meet you, Beth.""The pleasure is all mine," she said. "I know this is all a bit overwhelming, so I'll try to make your stay as comfortable as possible." She turned to my sister. "Follow me, Ms. Jones"Beth led me up the stairs an
The time had passed quickly, and now it was the day of meeting his family. I still didn't feel prepared, but there was no going back now. I had spent the last two days with Beth, learning all I could about the family and the life I was about to enter into. But no matter how much I learned, I couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty. Was I making the right decision? As I sat there, lost in thought, the door to my room opened and Beth walked in, followed by a woman I'd never seen before. "Ms. Jones, this is Jasmine," Beth said, smiling warmly. "She's going to help you get ready for tonight." "I'll leave you two to get started," Beth said, turning to leave the room. "I'll check back in a little while." The door closed behind her, and I turned my attention to the woman standing before me. "Hi," she said, holding out her hand. "I'm Jasmine Harris, and I'm here to help you get ready for tonight." I took her hand and shook it, trying to smile and seem relaxed, even though I was nervous an
"Aren't you a little dressed up for a family dinner?" George said to her as she took her seat next to him. "You should focus on your son, tell him to change his wardrobe, all I see is suits, suits, suits" She replied. With the way she replied, my guess, she's the third wife, she looks so young, did she marry him because of his money or are they really in love? "Whatever" She ended her argument with George and faced Carlton who was seated with me on the other side of the table. "Carlton, don't you want to say hi? You are making look like an evil stepmother" He smiled, fake smile, it didn't reach his eyes, his body language was tense. "Samantha, meet Laura Williams, my father's wife, Laura, meet my fiancée, Samantha Jones" I smiled at her, waiting for her to say something. "When is the food going to get here? George, you need to replace them, they are always slow" She didn't look at me and ignored the introduction making it look like I was completely invisible. That went well
CARLTON"Carlton, come to my study," Father called out as he left the room. I followed him, closing the door softly behind me."Have a seat," he said, motioning to the chair beside him."I'm fine, Dad. My fiancée is waiting, and you know how your wife can get," I replied calmly."It won't take long," he insisted, already settled in his seat. I took a deep breath and sat down."After you're officially married, you'll have your right to become my heir. I don't need to know why you changed your mind or what happened between you and your brother. Just remember, our company was built on peace and trust, not on blood. If I pass it on to either of you, I don't want any blood stains on it." He adjusted his glasses, eyeing me with a hint of concern. I clasped my hands together, "You have my word," I promised, eager to move past the conversation about Alexander.As he dismissed me with a wave of his hand, I rose from my seat and made my way out of the room. But just as I stepped into the hall
SAMANTHAAs we entered the car, I could feel the tension between us. I was still reeling from what had happened, and I didn't know how to act around him. I wanted to ask him what was going on, but I didn't know how to start the conversation. And then, of course, Laura walked in at the worst possible moment. It was like she had a radar for these things, always showing up at the most inopportune times.The whole ride home, I was consumed by a mix of emotions. I was angry at Carlton for kissing me and then acting like it was nothing. As I sat there, trying to process my thoughts and feelings, my mind kept replaying the kiss over and over again. I could still feel his lips on mine, the way he had pulled me close to him, the way my body had responded. I felt ashamed of myself. I felt like I was just a pawn in some game, that I was just a bride for hire. I felt like I had no control over my own life, and I hated that feeling. I was trapped. The car halted in front of the cabin, I alighted.
"What?! No way in hell am I letting my sister go to school in another country, no way!" I exploded, shooting up from my seat in frustration."Please, have a seat, Ms. Jones," Carlton said calmly, gesturing for me to sit back down. Reluctantly, I complied, though my defiance still lingered in the air. "That wasn't part of our deal," I argued, crossing my arms in frustration. "I never agreed to that.""It was indeed part of our agreement," Carlton countered evenly. "And I've thought long and hard about it. I don't want her here, and I'm willing to continue sponsoring her education even after our contract ends. The school I've chosen is top-notch.""But she knows no one in New York," I protested weakly."I need your answer now so arrangements can be made," Carlton pressed, his tone firm.Sighing heavily, I sank back into the chair, torn between my protective instincts and the generous opportunity he was offering. It was a lot to process, and I couldn't deny the weight of the decision res
The big day is finally here, and a famous makeup artist named Lily Parker did my makeup, making me look stunning. Jasmine styled my hair into an elegant updo and kept hyping me, wishing she was as lucky as me. Little did she know, marrying someone who was always busy and distant wasn't easy. I know it's a contract marriage, but at least we should communicate better. He barely talked to me unless it was necessary. The last time I saw him was when we picked out my wedding dress. We are going to appear as a beautiful couple today, ugh.Slipping into my wedding dress, I couldn't help but admire myself in the mirror. Jasmine, my hairstylist, kept hyping me up, commenting on how breathtaking I looked. As I fastened the dress, I noticed the heels that matched perfectly, undoubtedly chosen by Carlton while I was in the dressing room. They felt different from the ones I wore at the sultry siren; they were sleek, with delicate straps and a shimmering finish, adding an extra touch of elegance to
CARLTON I couldn't wait for the evening to be over. Laura, my father's wife, suggested throwing a party for our partners at the penthouse, and of course, Father agreed. Before the festivities began, I gave a brief speech to thank our partners for attending the wedding. Then, I started greeting everyone personally. "Mr. Williams, congratulations," Micheal Larsen, one of the company's shareholders, called out to me. "Thank you," I replied, shaking his outstretched hand with a forced smile. "I must say, your wife is very beautiful. You have a great taste. I guess I'm the only bachelor left in the city," he remarked with a smirk. "I doubt that. Thank you for coming," I responded politely, eager to end the conversation and escape the night's discomfort. Suddenly, I felt someone take my hand. I turned to see my supposed bride. Her dress, a stunning shade of blue, reminded me of the first dress I bought for Laura, the one she wore on our first date, it looked exactly the same. Anger