Sign my life away

REIGN’S POV

Fate must be playing a huge joke on me. This must be some sort of attempt at easing the boredom that marked every facet of my monotonous life. If that was it, then this is the right moment for whoever is in charge to cut the damn camera and tell me it was a prank.

Fiancee back in 30 days? How the fuck was I supposed to do that?

“ What do you mean? ” I choked out.

“ I believe my words were clear enough. Why? You don't want to do it? ” he asked, a smirk taking over his features. The more he made me disgruntled, the more satisfied he looked. I was starting to think he was a sadist.

“ How am I supposed to do that? ” I resisted the urge to scream. “ If you can't convince her to take you back, then what could I possibly do? This is like an impossible task. ”

“ Everything you are worried about right now— ” he paused before continuing, “--is really none of my business. I gave you options. You are free to choose whichever one you think is convenient. ”

I wanted to cry so bad. Never could I have imagined myself in a situation like this. Sure, my life was not perfect, it was in fact riddled with holes but at least I made myself delusionally happy everyday. This was turning my whole life around, not in the way I expected and definitely not the way I like.

If I could turn back the hands of time, I would never have gone to that garden.

“ What do you want me to do? ” I asked, sniffing. I could have kept arguing, defending my actions and not backing down but the sharp glint in his eyes warned me not to mistake the smirks and amusement he seemed to feel for leniency. He could kill me if he wanted to.

Ivan laughed. “ You know, you are like a ball. Round, easy and enjoyable to play around with. You really shouldn't have messed with me. ”

Yes, I regret it too. I mused, deciding to ignore the degrading comparison. If I continued to take everything he said to heart, I'd have a heart attack before I leave.

“ Now there are rules you have to follow during these thirty days before we go our separate ways and hopefully, which would be better for you anyway, never meet again. ” Ivan started, returning to his seat while I remained in my spot. “ They are uncompromising regardless of how you feel about them. Your opinions don't matter here. ”

Breathe, Reign, breathe.

“ Rule No. 1. Throughout these thirty days, you'd be staying with me, ” he said.

“ What? ” I screamed, not bothering to muffle my voice, “ that's ridiculous. ”

“ Not as ridiculous as a reporter releasing a story without verifying its accuracy. ”

That shut me up.

“ Fine, I know I was wrong but still staying with you is too far-fetched. I can do whatever you want me to do from the comforts of my home and still give you the results you want. ” I tried to reason with him.

“ But I don't want you to be comfortable. ” He grinned.

Lord, save me.

“ You would stay with me, no questions asked and you have to report to me every evening at 10pm. ” he said.

I groaned inwardly, wondering how long his rules were going to be.

“ And lastly, for these 30 days, you stay devoted to the task given you, that is, no external engagement. ” He rounded up.

“ You can't be for real. You know I have a job. How am I supposed to leave that for this? ” I screeched.

“ It's not like you were good at the job anyway. Besides, you won't have a job anymore if you continue to piss me off. ” he threatened, all traces of amusement disappearing from his face.

I moved backwards and sat down once again, knowing fully well that my legs could not hold me up any longer. Regret was not a feeling I was alien to, in fact it was one of the emotions I had felt the most in my life. A lot of my actions had left me regretting and wishing I could turn back time but never was there anything like this.

If I refused to do it, I was going to lose my job and get ridiculed. If I didn't do it, I was still going to lose my job but at least no one would know about my lack of judgement and foresight. This was the literal meaning of getting caught between a rock and a hard place.

The loud bang of something hitting the table had me looking up and pushing all my thoughts to the back of my mind. I eyed the document that was now on the table before glancing at Ivan in question.

“ Sign the contract, ” he ordered.

I sighed and picked the agreement up, cursing whatever luck that made me cross paths with this demon of a man. I read through, noting that the agreement contained all the rules he already mentioned to me. I wondered why he could not just take my word for it. It does not have to be legally binding.

Pulling out the pen that I always carried with me everywhere from my breast pocket, I signed away my freedom for the next month. I dropped the contract, reeling from the realization that this man now held the key to my life or death in his hands.

“ Good. ” Ivan said and stood up. My eyes followed his figure, hating him and hating myself even more for finding him attractive. Personality was more important to me than looks and Ivan’s personality was bottom barrel rotten.

“ Why? Do you expect me to write you a letter before you follow? ” He asked sarcastically. I stood up, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. He was the sassiest person I had ever met.

“ Why do I have to follow you? ” I questioned as we went out of the room, wondering why I could not just go home and pack.

“ Have you forgotten what you just signed? ” He asked, looking at me like he did not expect me to be so stupid.

“ I know I am expected to stay with you but it is not right away, is it? ”

“ You expect me to let you go for a day or two? ” His eyebrows raised in question.

“ I mean…yes….at least to pack, say goodbye to my old life or something. ” I shrugged.

He smirked. “ I don't think you know what it is you've gotten yourself into. I don't trust you enough to let you leave on your own. ”

I sighed and got into the elevator with him. “ Then my things? ”

“ Would be taken care of. ” He said, giving a sign that the conversation was over. The rest of the ride down the elevator was silent and it gave me enough time to stew in my thoughts. I had turned back the hands of time a thousand times in my head and each time, I made a different choice.

I would have gone into the garden as usual and I knew I would have seen him still, but instead of bringing out my damn camera, I would have just turned around and left. Instead of seeing juicy news from the situation, I should have just been envious that my own love life was non-existent while a man had the time to keep two-pretty-women by his side.

The elevator door opened and he stepped out, pulling me away from my thoughts. I was almost jogging, trying to keep up with this demon's long strides. If he noticed my struggle, he did not seem to care. He finally stopped when he got to the lobby desk and I almost snorted when the receptionist started smiling and batting her lashes. I had read about this lots of times in romance novels hidden safely in my apartment but this was the first time I was witnessing it. Why do they do this though? They never get the attention they are looking for at the end of the day.

Before Ivan could say a word, another man that I had never seen before joined him and I watched on as he gave the latter instructions. It looks like that was all I was doing when I was with him. Watching and listening, never speaking. Never meant to be heard because my opinion held no value. Nothing new though, that was the wall barricading my whole existence.

Once he was done, I followed him to the parking lot and I almost whistled at the black shiny car he was obviously heading to. I recognized the car as a Mercedes Benz based on the logo but not knowing exactly what type it was as I did not know much about cars, not like I had enough money to buy something as fancy as this.

He entered and I wondered if I was supposed to sit in front or beside him. While I was debating, the man at the lobby arrived and raised his eyebrows in question?

“ Is there a problem? Why are you outside? ” He asked. He seemed nicer and I sighed in relief. I would hate to have to deal with another grumpy man.

“ I am not sure where to sit. ” I admitted, my cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

He laughed. “ Just get in with him at the back. He won't bite. ”

“ Yeah, I won't be so sure about that. ” I muttered under my breath. I nodded at the man in thanks and reluctantly entered the car and sat at the other side of Ivan. I pushed myself into the door as much as I could, wishing to be anywhere else but here.

“ Where to? ” The other man asked. I really needed to find out his name so I could stop referring to him as that.

“ Home. ” Ivan told him, making himself busy on his phone.

I placed my head on the car window, sighing. I wondered what the next thirty days had in store for me. I had never met Melanie Anderson before. I had simply seen her from afar. Yet I was supposed to make that same woman accept this demon of a man. She was lucky to have been able to get away from him.

The ride home passed in a blur, perhaps because I was lost in my thoughts. My attention was grabbed when the man, whose name I still did not know, drove past huge gates that housed a big ass driveway. We drove for a while before a building came into view.

Home? This was a freaking mansion. Despite how in awe I was, I refused to show it, knowing how egotistic Ivan was. I got out of the car and followed him, stopping to thank the man before running after Ivan. There was an engine in his legs, I swear.

If I thought the outside was magnificent, then the inside was out of this world. The aesthetic of the house was dark and modern, an avid representation of Ivan's personality. I was afraid to touch anything because it looked expensive. I felt deja vu at that moment as I remember the extravagant appearance of the hotel when I had seen him the first time.

“ We would have our meetings there. ” Ivan said, interrupting my ogling session. I looked away from the expensive chandelier I was gaping at and turned my attention to the sidebar Ivan was pointing at. It was filled with different types of liquor. I guess he liked to drink whenever he wanted. There were also two bar stools in front of it.

“ When….” I started

He walked away. While I was still talking.

That asshole.