Contract Papers

Ariana POV

My heartbeat raised when the door opened, and he entered, locking the door behind him. I wanted to see him but didn’t find the courage to steal a glance at him, so I waited for him to approach me, but he ambled by me with a file in his hand. I felt a bang on my heart, and despite that, I waited. He put that file on the table and walked into the walk-in closet. I didn’t know what he would say or do. He married me really or just to help him. He would consider me his wife or just a stranger that we were.

I thought a lot of things and vague thoughts were running through my brain when the door of the walk-in closet opened and he emerged.

I was so desperate to see him I found the courage to glance at him and took a glimpse of his toned body. He had a muscular chest with six-pack abs, water was drifting from his body and the view was mouth-watering. He dried his hair and upper body with a towel while his lower body was covered with sweatpants, and I found him sexy. Indeed, he was handsome and the dream boy of every girl, but why did he marry me? The answer to this question was still unknown to me.

I was ogling at him shamelessly when he caught me red-handed and I shifted my gaze from his sexy well toned body to my lap.

“Change your gown because nothing is going to happen,” he clamored in his husky voice and I glanced at him in disbelief. Was he serious? That was the thought in my head. I also didn’t want something between us, but then why my heart ached at his comment.

“What? Stop staring at me and change your dress,” he uttered, more like an order. His voice was commanding, like he was some kind of prince and I was his slave.

“What?” he croaked his eyebrow at me. I didn’t know why, but I stayed on the bed, still like a statue, staring at him. However, drying his hair with the towel, he approached me and leaned on the bed, almost hovering over me. My heart missed a beat.

His lips curved into a mischievous smirk, and I shifted my gaze from his face to the side. He was handsome, but from near he was breathtaking. I could hear my heart that was pounding harder because of the proximity.

However, he did worse. He put both his hands on my sides and his lips inch away from mine. I could feel his breath fanning my lips. My heart was on the edge of bursting, but what he said next stopped the rhythm.

“I think you want me to undress you,” he spoke more like an insult to me.

I felt embarrassed by his statement and pushed him. He shifted aside, and I ran to the walk-in closet.

However, I heard his chuckle behind me which broke my heart, and a pool of tears formed in my eyes.

But I immediately wiped it off. I couldn’t cry for this person. We got married just to help each other. That’s it.

In the walk-in closet, I searched for clothes and found a tee-shirt and shorts. I didn’t know if it was for me or not, but I changed into them.

After changing and washing my face, I moved out. He was on the couch with some files in hand.

“Come here. There are some things that we should discuss beforehand.” His voice has a touch of strangeness.

Good, he should be like this, so I’d never think about something for us.

Thinking about this, I approached him and sat on the couch beside him. I was taping my fingers in nervousness when he broke the ice.

“So I want to clear some things, and the first one is you’re just my last-minute bride. I mean, you replaced someone in this marriage ceremony today, but that doesn’t mean you can replace her in all things.”

I looked at him with the thought, why would I try to take someone’s place?

“I marry you just to return your favor,” I spoke immediately to save my self-esteem.

“Good, then sign on these papers.”

“What is in it?”

“It’s a marriage contract.” He uttered leisurely.

“Marriage contract.” I frowned because why was this marriage contract when we had already married?

“It’s a marriage contract for five years. According to this contract, you’re with me for just five years. After that, you’re free to go.”

“Free to go where?” I asked in disbelief. He married me just for some year. What about my emotions and feelings?

“Anywhere you want to go. If you want something, in return, you can tell me anything about a house here or foreign, car, bank balance, and a blank cheque.”

I smiled sarcastically. For me, these things were never a priority, but why did his talks hurt me? After all, he was just a stranger to me.

“What about other things?” I asked, thinking about the effect of his proximity to me.

“Which things?”

“Husband and wife related,” I whispered. My voice was low, but he heard it.

“We’re not husband and wife, so there won’t be anything like that between us. We are just strangers to each other.” His voice was crisp, like his facade.

“What if in these years you try to force me?” I asked him to clear my thoughts.

He laughed, and I glanced at him. He looked more handsome while smiling. I admired him. How foolish I was? Because his next words broke my heart.

“You’re not my type, and I won’t be interested in you.” He uttered those harsh words, leaning on my face.

I felt a bang on my heart. His words hurt me a lot.

“What if I became your type?” I gathered the courage to ask him.

“No, you won’t be. Not now and not forever,” he said, straightening his posture and I felt a slap on my cheek because of embarrassment at his words. Tears glistened in my eyes, but I hid them, looking down at the papers.

I took a pen and signed on to them without thinking more because that much insult and embarrassment was enough for me.

“Alright, I don’t have any problem because I marry you just to return the favor, so it’s fine for me,” I spoke to save myself some self-respect that I still had.

“Great,” He smiled, taking the file from me and his smile struck me this time not because he looked handsome but because he was so cruel to his words. Anyhow, he was right. We were strangers, so I shouldn't feel this way.

After that, I moved to the bed to rest. However, he clamored, ambling towards it.

“This bed is mine, so you can’t sleep here.”

“Oh! Where I will sleep then.” I asked, standing on my feet.

“Anywhere in this room but not on my bed.” He pointed his finger at his bed. I nodded and walked towards the couch, but his shoulder touched mine, and I almost lost balance and fell, but he caught me and saved me from falling.

“One more thing, stay away from me and my things. You’re my wife just for the outside world, but here in my room, we’re strangers, and please don’t irritate me from anything because I can’t tolerate irritated things along with irritated people.”

He spit some more words on my face and made me stand on my feet with a sudden pull and moved to his bed. I stood there for a moment, then retired to the couch.

I laid on it and felt more comfortable than my room in the Aunt’s home. With the name of Aunt, all the things from morning flashed in front of my eyes.

Tears formed in my eyes and fell on my cheeks. I didn’t wipe them or stop them. I just cried silently over the treatment I got from Aunt. How could she do something like this to me? I’m like Ainsley, but she sold me. How could she be so cruel when I didn’t give her any chance to hate me? I did everything that she told me to do. Then how could she despise me this much?

I didn’t know if marrying him was right or wrong, but he was the one who saved me and asked me to marry him, and also he was the one to embarrass me with his words.

He also despised me. Why has no one liked me ever? I just wanted some love, pure love, but here everyone hated me. Why? Was I this much worse that I didn't even deserve a fucking love of a single person?

Please, God help me. I knew nothing about the people living here, not even the person in this room except for his name, Ryan. Help me and give me the courage to fight with evil, and please save me from that old man along with Aunt and please God, send Dad to me, please.

With the prayers and crying, I didn't know when sleep engulfed me in its comfort.