Chapter 4 Under Duress

Zach saw my prone form on the ground, but he didn't stop his mother. Instead, he frowned in distaste and said, "Don't waste your time talking to her. Just make her sign this contract."

Sign what? I pushed through the pain and opened my eyes only to see Lina taking out a document from her bag. It read, 'Prenuptial Agreement.'

Lina hurled the papers into my face. The sharp edges cut my forehead and left a red line across it.

Lina put her hands on her hips and acted like she had all the power over my fate. "If my son weren't so eager to marry you for your face, women like you would never be fit to join my family! You'll sign this agreement whether you like it or not!"

My right hand was still working. So, I picked up the agreement with that lone shaky hand.

The first clause stated that I would give Lina all my premarital possessions for safekeeping. The second said in black and white that I must do all chores. I was not to hire a housekeeper or even complain about the workload.

The third said that I must bear a child for them within a year. If I were to give no children at all, Zach had the right to get a divorce without paying me a dime, while I'd have to pay them 5 million for wasting their time.

The fourth explicitly wrote that my parents were not allowed in their house, in case their stench of poverty lingered.

Zach came over and looked down at me imperiously. "This is for our own good, Jessica. Women are gold diggers. I can't be sure you actually love me and not my money unless you sign this."

He spoke as if he were doing me a great favor. Everything was happening so fast that I could only gape at his audacity. "Sign this, and I'll pay for the meal. Also, I'll give you 2,000 every month. No one in Imperia's elite circle is as generous as I am. You should be honored!"

I stared at the smug Zach, who thought the world revolved around him, and felt disgusted. I tore the papers up and hurled the pieces back in his face.

"Screw you! I'm not marrying you even if that's the last thing I do!"

Zach's face fell immediately. He raised his hand but eventually held back the urge to hit me. "So, you want to do this the hard way, huh?" He clenched his teeth and stepped back. "You can handle this, Mom."

Lina sneered and took out a small box of red ink pad. "Have the guards pin her down, Clark. No one's leaving until the papers are stamped!"

The manager shot his guards a look. Two burly men stepped forth and pushed my shoulders down. I struggled and thrashed against their brutish grip, but my dislocated hand was useless. It definitely didn't help that the bodyguard had already pinned my one good hand to my back.

"Let go! This is against the law!" I shrieked until my throat was almost raw.

Lina held the ink and a backup agreement. She approached me and gripped my thumb, forcing me to stamp the ink.

"My family's words are law in this circle! My husband just signed a billion-dollar deal! Even the police chief has to bow to his power! You're just a nobody. Who do you think you are to go against my wishes?"

Her crimson, venomous nails wrapped themselves around me like bloodthirsty little snakes. I fought against her punishing hold as hard as I could, but she ripped my nails out instead.

The pain I was feeling from my dislocated wrist and the air brushing against my raw nailbeds made me shiver.

"My father will destroy you. My family will…" My vision was blurry as I gasped through my angry, pained tears.

Zach was holding up his phone, recording a video of my terrible state. "Look at the camera and smile, Jessica. This will prove that you signed this willingly. You won't be able to do anything to us even if you take this to court."