THE BULLY’s CONTRACT

Elena’s povThe Mirror was a liar. It told me I was too much. Too much curve, too much soft flesh, too much of a burden. But the scale in my stepmothers dressing room was the real judge, blinking its red numbers like a warning light whenever I stepped on it. “Twenty pounds, Elena” Beatrice hissed,looming over me like a vulture. “ I’ve spent three weeks starving you, and you still look like a common milkmaid. How am I supposed to present you to Julian Silverton looking like…. this?”“It doesn’t matter how I look, he’s buying a contract not a wife.” I whispered with cracked voice. “He’s buying the Silverton legacy’s reputation because for some reason your dumb father had to owe such an unreasonable amount of money and use you as collateral before he kicked the bucket,” Sienna said tauntingly. She pinched the skin on my arm, hard “Look at you. You’re going to walk down that aisle and everyone will wonder if the Great Julian Silverton has finally lost his mind or his eyesight.”I flin

Elena’s pov The lights of the press conference were hotter than I imagined. I stood on a podium in the Silverton Plaza, my head aching from flashbulbs and roars of a hundred voices. Julian had his arm draped around my shoulders, a performance of affection that felt like a chokehold. “Mr Silverton! Over here!” a reporter shouted. “ is it true this was a whirlwind romance? Or is this a strategic move for the board vote?”Julia leaned into the microphone, his voice smooth and charming. “Elena and I found each other through a shared passion for the environment. Her work amongst plant science is something the Silverton Foundation is proud to support. He lied with the grace of a professional. It made me sick. “Mrs Silverton!” Another reporter yelled. “Some are calling you the Billionaire’s Curvy Consort.’ How do you feel about being a body positivity icon for the elite? I froze. Curvy Consort. The words were meant to be kind, but they felt like a mockery. The sea of thin women in the

Before I could turn to leave, The elevator doors opened. Standing there was a man in a sharp red suit, he looked like a personal body guard. He looked at me with pity.“Mr Julian,” He said. “There’s a problem. Mr Arthur is on his way here to see your wife.”“What wife?” I snapped without thinking twice. “Oh the one he was feeding strawberries? Or the one he ridicules at every slightest chance.” I turned to look at him.He stared at me with an annoying smile that sent Shivers down my spine.The room was almost empty now but I could still feel the weight of eyes that rested on me.He ignored me like I said nothing and walked over to me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me close in a way that made my body hit his bare chest.He looked at my dirt streaked face and my stained linen.“Fix her,” he commanded Mrs. Gable. “Scrub the smell of jealousy and brush off as much shame you can find on her. Put her in something that doesn’t scream POVERTY. You have ten minutes.”“Okay sir” Mrs Gable nod