Caught in a Trap

Chapter 3: Caught in a Trap

Samantha’s POV…

“Be my wife for six months, and I will give you all you ever wish for.”

Again, he dismissed my questions like they were nothing but a passing breeze.

“I know everything about you, Samantha,” he changed the topic so quickly it unsettled me. “Everything you don’t even know about yourself.”

I stared at him, my eyes widening in shock.

“I can rewrite your story and give you a brand-new life if you let me,” he added casually.

I sat up, struggling to balance the storm of thoughts racing through my mind.

“I…”

No matter how hard I tried, the words refused to leave my lips.

“Answer me, Samantha,” he said firmly. “I need to know where you stand. Once you agree, we sign a contract, and that’s it.”

His words snapped something loose inside me. I let out a hollow chuckle and slowly turned to him.

“I bet you’re nothing but a good-for-nothing stalker,” I said bitterly. “Tell me…why do you know so much about me? Do you even know if I’m married? If I have kids?”

I scoffed in disbelief, the thoughts spilling out faster than I could control them.

“I’ve seen this madness in movies. In novels. But never in real life,” I hissed. “I may be poor, but I’m not stupid. Contract bride indeed” I glared at him.

“I want you to open this door so I can get out of this damn car and never come near me again. Because if you do, I’ll drench you in acid.” if looks could kill, he would’ve been dead already. I was stunned by his audacity.

His sudden chuckle caught me off guard.

“If you truly want to leave, I won’t stop you, Samantha ,” he said calmly. “But don’t come begging when you’re about to die of sickness.”

He smirked. “And remember, your landlord won’t take you back.”

I froze at his revelation. The weight of his words sank in slowly.

“You know about that?” I asked after a long moment, disbelief coating my voice.

“You think I’d approach you without knowing everything?” he chuckled. “I told you, I know more about you than you know about yourself.” A shiver ran down my spine.

“Samantha, you need me, and I need you,” he continued. “That’s all that matters right now. The ball is in your court. Will you make this work or not?”

He tapped the driver’s seat, and his bodyguard handed him a file.

“To prove I’m not here to play games,” he said, passing it to me, “this is the contract.”

I shot him a sharp glare before taking the document.

“Go through it and tell me if you’re fine with the rules,” he said calmly.

For a moment I hesitated before taking the document from him. “I’m not even agreeing to this yet,” I snapped, rolling my eyes as I opened the sealed document.

A six-month contract between Samantha Williams and Adrian Wolfe, the first page read.

I paused in disbelief seeing my name boldly written in the contract clause. He knows me this well? “You even know my full name?” I muttered, but he said nothing.

Seeing he wasn’t ready to provide an answer, I slowly returned my attention to the document, my face still bearing the shock.

Contract Terms:

1. This marriage shall last for a period of six (6) months from the date of signing.

2. Both parties agree that no emotional attachment or romantic feelings shall develop during the contract period.

3. Physical intimacy is permitted only by mutual consent and shall not imply emotional involvement.

4. Both parties must present themselves as a loving married couple in public and at all official events.

5. Neither party shall interfere in the other’s personal life beyond what is required by this contract.

6. The wife shall reside in the husband’s residence for the duration of the marriage.

7. Any form of jealousy, possessiveness, or emotional demands is strictly prohibited.

8. The details of this contract and marriage must remain strictly confidential from the public and media.

9. Violation of any rule will result in immediate termination of the contract and financial penalties.

10. Upon expiration of the contract, both parties shall separate peacefully with no further obligations, unless otherwise stated.

“Who even gives someone these kinds of rules…”

The words died in my throat when my eyes landed on the amount listed below.

Mr. Adrian Drew shall offer Miss Samantha Williams a sum of $500 million for a six-month marriage, along with additional benefits.

I blinked in disbelief, not once, not twice but the figures remained the same.

When that didn’t work, I pinched myself. Still, the numbers remained. I must be dreaming.

I looked up at him, then back at the contract.

Then back at him again. I repeated the motion until I was convinced that I am not in some sort of dream.

“This couldn’t be real” I finally spluttered.

“You’re offering me five hundred million dollars to be your wife?” I glanced at him, expecting an urgent answer.

It still wasn’t adding up, no matter how hard I tried to understand it.

“Yes, Samantha. Five hundred million dollars will be yours once you sign this contract and become my wife,” he assured me.

“But what about your family? What do they have to say about this?” I asked, my thoughts racing. “I don’t even know much about you. How am I supposed to be sure you’ll actually give me the money?”

“That’s not an issue, Samantha,” he replied calmly. “All you have to do is sign the contract. That’s all I want. Don’t ask questions. Don’t be scared of anything. Just do what needs to be done, and that’s it.”

I sensed urgency in his tone, and it unsettled me. Why was he the one rushing? Shouldn’t I be the one hesitating? And why me out of all the women in the world?

I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Why me?” I demanded. “Why did you pick me of all people?”

And for the first time, he was the one freezing. It was as though I had asked the deadliest question in the world.

His gaze dropped instantly, and his lips trembled despite his effort to stay composed. Panic flickered across his face, and in that moment, I sensed there was more to this than he was willing to admit.

Still, I wasn’t ready to walk away. I wouldn’t turn down this offer for anything in the world.

I have nothing to lose like I have said earlier. Walking out of here is me walking into my own dorm, into greater poverty, into depression and I wasn’t ready to do that.

I remembered, I have prayed for a miracle in the club and maybe my prayer has finally come to pass.

I have no money left, not a single pin left in my account. I can’t even boast of a job as no one was willing to hire me into their company and deep down I wonder why. Or maybe because I couldn’t even complete my education and I had no experience or skills.

I have managed to do manual jobs but it haven’t been favorable. It’s either I don’t get paid at the end or they pay very little. I have been struggling all my life, and if an opportunity presents itself to turn my life around for good, why wouldn’t I take it. I have nothing to lose anyways.

I have lost everything that every mattered to me. My parents and the family business. What more could I lose? Myself?

At this point I didn’t care about what happens to me. Everything about this man is screaming danger but poverty is more dangerous. Further more, his offer is going to change my life for good, and I don’t care if I end up dead, as long as I don’t die in poverty.

I turned to him, my mind settled, “Don’t bother answering,” I said firmly. “Just transfer the money to my account, and I’ll sign the contract, just like you want.”

As my words rolled out, I saw it immediately, his panic on his face melted into relief.

“Why did you argue so much if you were going to agree anyway?” he muttered, sinking back into his seat.

“Enter your details into this phone,” he said, handing it to me.

I did as instructed.

Before I could even pull my own phone out of my bag, I heard the familiar notification chime.

“Sent,” he said calmly.

I wasn’t ready to believe him that easily, but staring at my phone, and my breath caught.

$500,000,000 sat boldly in my account, as if it were nothing.

An amount I had never imagined I would see in my lifetime.

“It’s time to do your part,” Adrian said, snapping me out of my daze.

I nodded and signed the contract without hesitation.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” he said, a smirk curling his lips. “See? That was simple, Riley.”

“Now that the contract is signed and sealed, we move straight into business.”

I didn’t think much of his words, until he suddenly clapped his hands. Before I could react, the bodyguard seated behind us snatched my phone away.

“That’s the first rule, Samantha,” Adrian said coldly. “You no longer have the right to communicate with anyone from this moment onward. And that shouldn’t be a problem….”

His eyes locked onto mine. “—since you have no family. You’re an orphan.”