CHAPTER 3: Marriage under Contract

Samantha’s POV

The last night’s incident didn’t give me the time to sleep long. I cannot forget his frozen touch and most of all… his smell. I really think that his scent is very somewhat familiar. That perfume he was wearing was very rare. To think that I’m in the fashion industry and I have encountered a lot of elite when I’m dealing with them and me, I had never, ever smell something like that till my entire career.

“Good morning my gorgeous lady!” A thin but very loud voice filled my office early this morning.

“What did you want,” I responded using my robotic voice.

Come on, I don’t feel any energy at all. I was like, very disappointed in something or anything.

“What’s with that energy love?” She pouted.

I scanned her outfit for today and all these radiant colors reflected in my eyes. From her pink Hermes bag to her Chanel peach dress and her white boots with her glittery headband. Her lipstick and makeup are vibrant as well, rather glowing.

 Is she trying to be Ariana Grande for today’s look? Cause if she does, she perfectly nailed it.  

I just gave her my neutral face and shrugged.

“If you came here to tell me about the guy you exchange your coitus with last night. I’m telling you in advance I’m not interested. If you’re going to borrow money again please pay the one, I lend to you last week.”

“That’s pretty harsh, I hate you!” she said with a shebang on her tone. Pretty barbie doll-like. Don’t like it. “I’m just here to listen to what happened last night,” she added.

I stop and I felt my heart race in an unknown battle of who’s faster are going to be the best winner of speed heartbeat when they heard the word MAN. A sensational feeling was born again. Poppycock!

“Omo, what’s that look? I can sense that it is about a guy!” she excitedly shouted. Her voice is irritating to hear, gods.

“Finally, after five years beasty, you had your dream! To love and be loved.” Then she suddenly stands up and dances with her open arms wide. Crazy.

It’s just me or hearts are really forming in her eyes. Horrible. Love is not in my vocabulary, I already deleted it a million times.

Then the door suddenly opened. The first thing I noticed was him. His face.

Oh dear, tell me this is not happening!

Later after our mind-blowing staring contest that meltdown through my spine. That is the moment I finally notice my children Sava and Sevi on his side.  

Edward’s POV

My white Doctors coat had stains of blood on it.

“Is this the man that you replace my son with?!” I glared at him, “This bold and stingy man over my precious, smart, handsome, talented, and loving baby boy?”

“Grandpa stop it!” A man runs towards us and holds back this old man’s arm trying to strike me once again.

For an old man like him, he's quite a bit strong.

“David what is this?!” Sam asked the man who looks like my age. Shock is all over her face. Not surprising because even, I don’t know what’s happening.

“He saw it my coco melon.” My coco what? That is cheesy endearment dude.

“Saw what? Look Mr. Scott I can see your problem here but we can talk about it in a nice manner,” she said trying to calm the old man down.

“Manner is in your foot, lady! How dare you have an intimate relationship with someone when we’re already planning your engagement! You’re a bitch!”

He kicked one of the couches, “That’s it I’m pulling off our families-share out of this company!” A sudden facial change she had after we heard the statement.

“You’re pulling your share off because of the reason that I had an intimate relationship with someone?” She stomps her feet. It’s cute, she’s like a child.

“Oh really, what is this?” she’s groaning beautifully. If this is the way she’s angry I might say that she’s becoming more gorgeous in my eye.

She looked at David and gestured her hand, telling him to speak and told something.

“Where in reality he is the one who cheated on me,” she said her statement almost murmuring and greeting her teeth.

“When this is all about an accusation, David tells him the truth!”

“What truth David?”

“Ah… I’m… ah,” he’s nervous. I can see him trembling his thighs.

“He’s the one doing a wrong thing. I saw him yesterday fucking with one of my models. Right, David?!”

Sam felt large animosity towards David, anyone can see it through her eyes.

“Tell me now Mr. Scott, whose woman will be going to marry a womanizer like him!” She’s delivered it sarcastically.

So, this man is a womanizer, looks good his handsome though.

“Is that true David?! You’d promise me that you’ll change. You son of a bitch!” The man soon runs to David and I don’t know where he gets that bat but his holding it. One thing is for sure his holding it now while running trying to strike his grandson. A very energetic old man.

At this moment, this office probably looks like a real mess.

Honestly, I was holding back my laughter inside.

“But Sam also did a wrong thing Pops!” He said while dodging, “You saw it right?”

 “She saw what you also did Sam,” David added looking at her. “Don’t make it sounds like I was the one who's always wrong.” He seems serious.

“What? What did I do?!”

She’s innocent to what he’s talking about, her gestures and facial expressions say it all. David must tell her now.

“The live scandal you’ve made yesterday!” He finally said it. Wait, what?! Does that mean he’s also pointing at me?

What, let me sum this up. This guy in his youth is the man she’s in a relationship with and this grandpa is right here to confront her, and I being here had been punched because they think that she’s cheating together with me. Seriously?  

So, if ever, their relationship will be ruined at this moment. Good, she’s single again.

Wait, what?! This is not the thing I must think right now, gods.

“It is on the goddamn internet Sam; everyone knows about it. Look the famous DV’s owner in her position of CEO which is engaged with ME was seen in footage of a scandal with another man.”

“HUH!” she shouted in a very deafening way.

I am here standing for a long time now, so I guess my purpose is to join the conversation as well.

“First of all, she is not engaged with you, she turns you down…,” I rebutted, they did not let me finish my talking when they cut me off already.

“You don’t have a say in this!” The three of them shouted in unison.

“Wow.” The only word escapes my mouth after their diversity.

I’m the psychologist here I studied a person's behavior and I certainly know that it is the time for me to join in. They rebutted me so what I am going to do now? An audience or a witness, bruh.

I mean, every time I had my reasons to tell people, they immediately rebutted me first before I could tell them my point. Good lord had some justice for me.

Indeed, I know that this is how people treat intelligent ones, by turning their ears deaf. Scared to hear words that may come out from a smart person when they speak so, they stop them immediately. Thank God I was born brilliant. 

“I think it’s our time for us, dude to get out.”

David whispered in my ear while his hands are on my shoulders. Sam and his grandfather are having a loud talk. We did the thing as he said.

After a while, 10:45 is already the time. I look at my wrist and notice that the time is passing by and we're just wasting it standing here. It’s almost an hour before we get outside. I decided to open the door and ask Sam to formally have my leave.

As I open the door there are the words I exactly heard,

“Then I guess we need to plan the marriage then!”

Heading home with blunt energy becomes a new feeling for me. I felt that I did not accomplish anything this day. Or this is a thing that I’m disappointed with.

My gut as a Doctor of behaviorism told me the answer. It was because of her marriage. But my brain or perhaps my heart constantly denied it.

“Hi!” The guard of our building smiled at me after he greeted me.

“I will be guessing what happens to your day,” he said after.

“Go ahead,” I said with a light face.

“You got a problem…,” his words are delivered in a way that is teasing me.

“I’ve always had a problem.” I retorted.

“But not with a woman.” I can see that his taunting me more.

“What are you saying? I and my girlfriend are good.” I already want to take a step to move forward, but as I heard the next words, he said my foot was left midway in the air.

“Not with her, with another one.”

I made a fake loud laugh that stops in every ‘ha’ sound. “You know Pops, I just better go.”

Without further redo, I walk fast leaving him behind. Were closed since it’s been a long time since I stayed in here and every time I got out or go in, we always had small talk. Though I cannot get his assumption on this one.

How can he tell that I’m bothered by a woman, is he a psychiatrist now or something? Damn.

“I heard that there is a mafia boss that visit our hotel today.” The girl said to her companion.

As I am inside this elevator my mind is full of thought, a wedding is bothering my mind. If they are going to be married then I guess her children were not with David or maybe it is with him and they are just tying the knot late. He is a womanizer as she said earlier.

But nothing on her children's physical appearance is resembling David. They are not genetically related; any stranger could guess that early after seeing them. I was just wondering to whose is the father of her children is.

Maybe I came late. No. Wrong thought again. Fuck!

The two girls look at me with big circled eyed. Maybe I said my word out loud or I made a sound. I can’t remember since I was bothered with thoughts. This is awkward.

I soon heard the sound of the elevator and got out immediately.

“Did I leave my door open this morning?”   

“No, you’re not.”

A big deep voice filled my ears. An intimidating aura was behind my back.

“Hi, dad.” When I turn my back, I saw Miles's father. I guess he is the one that the two girls are taking inside the elevator.

“You are 1-hour and36 minutes late after you out of work. Where did you go?” His eyes can kill me just by staring.

I take a gulp before answering, “I pass by my research facility.”

“Get inside.”

I followed him after he entered my own dorm.

I saw my girlfriend sitting on the couch and playing with her cats while her mother is in my kitchen bar cooking. I can already smell her pasta's aroma all over the room.  

“Hi, my handsome Doctor! I made you my signature dish,” she said that while smiling widely.

“Thank you, mom,” I responded bluntly.   

“Ow, you seem so tired,” her energy changed. I felt bad. I just can’t help myself from thinking about the worst thing that could probably go after this.

“Let’s have our dinner then,” Miles said while she gets the bag on my shoulder and place it at the top of the table in my living room.

Were sitting and eating dinner with a touch of pressure all over the place. The pasta is good but I can’t enjoy it and that’s what made it suck.

“You two did a mistake didn’t you.” He finally started it.

In unison, we both put down our forks. Me and Miles.

“Miles my daughter hooks up with a man in a bar, you hook up with a girl right here. How good the both of you?” He says that while wiping the napkin on his mouth. I just bowed my head. Mines a misunderstanding her is not.

“Liam, I want to know. Is that true?” Miles's mother said it while she holds my right hand at the top of our dining table.

“The video or scandal that everyone calls it is a complete misunderstanding. Due to the angle and view of the phone's camera, it looks malicious when we are actually not doing any malicious acts within each other.”

“Tell me more.”

“Dad! do you actually believe him?” She made a loud sound on the table with her hands landing on it.

“You did not have the right to question my thinking Miles. Perhaps you also want to go back to Italy with me after I cancel all your cards, do you?” His voice is giving us an eerie vibe. Good Lord, please get me out of this.  

“That woman inside my dorm during that night is a complete stranger. She trespasses my room. She slid down when I confront her that’s why we're close to each other. That phone accidentally recorded it live. I wouldn’t want or even think to do a thing that I know will piss you off Dad.” After, I looked at him meaningfully.

“Good.” He stands up already. “I thought you already forgot our deal. But to remind you in case you had any bad thoughts I would tell you again. Your dad is in our hands.”

I don’t know how many gulps I did after he leave the door together with his wife. One thing is clear. I’m troubled.

“I’m living here with you,” she said.