Chapter Seven

ANNA

He just asked me to sign a contract and work for him. I don't know anything about this man and I started to feel I made a great mistake by agreeing to replace Daisy on her wedding day.

I was starting to see Daisy could have used me as a bulletproof to avoid an aggressive man. He's been blowing up since he found out, he wasn't having any of my excuses.

I cursed at my mother inside of me, I would not be stuck with this total stranger not agreed to be a fake bride if she hadn't filled me as a guarantor and fled.

Daniel is an intelligent man, no doubt about that. He already knew I wouldn't have a choice.

He found out I had a debt dangling around my neck, he knew why I did this fake bride thing. He was trying so hard to make me regret my decision and punish me for it.

I haven't been able to reach Daisy or Pamela, if I want to make things easier for myself, I need to concur with this man. I have been through a lot of things ever since my mother left and I learnt everything is time-bound. Whatever he decides to do with me, I will survive it so far I am breathing. I'm the only one who can comfort myself, I'd not let this weigh me down.

I felt scared but ready to confront what was coming my way. My face must have sold me off because he kept pinning me with more points.

"What is the contract about?", I asked.

In a sharp and firm tone, "Due to the circumstances behind our meeting, I can't trust you enough to keep your words. I need to keep you in check", he answered.

I felt like a dagger was pushed through my heart, I've never been more understood. I tried to keep myself from tearing up.

His look showed dark emotions, he didn't care if his words were heavy.

"What's the content of the contract?" I asked like I wasn't bothered. He answered, "We will both write one ourselves right now, I will have it legalized in a proper document later".

He went ahead to his in-house office to get a piece of paper and a pen, together with a ruler.

"I will write mine first, and then you'll write yours. We will amend what needs to be amended".

"Do you agree?" he asked as he ruled out a line on the paper.

I stuttered, "I.. I.. "

"Of course, you agree," he said without hesitation and gave me a half smile.

I watched him scribble down some words, he passed me the paper, the rules were ridiculous. I found it funny that I read it out loud.

I read with a fake smile, "You can only get the option to divorce after a year, you must move in with me immediately, you must follow me to official outings and act accordingly as my wife".

I continued, "You need my permission before doing anything in one year to avoid tainting my image", I scoffed.

He wrote quite a few which I doubt I'd remember. I knew I had to succumb to his rules which is why I didn't bother to read it all.

Daniel gave me the pen to write mine, it took me less than one minute.

"Do not hurt me?"

"Yes".

I was happy doing my part-time job and also schooling. The least I wanted for myself was to be happy and void of any form of pain.

His mouth twitched, "Alright. I will have the proper process done", he responded.

He stared long and hard at me for about a minute, his eyes scary, making me wonder what he was about to start doing with me. He turned his face sharply and left the room.

THE NEXT DAY

I heard a deep voice in my sleep, maybe I was dreaming, "Do I have to wake you up? Little miss!" the voice loud and clear now. I jumped up from my bed and saw Daniel standing by the door.

"Good mor… ", he cut me short instead.

"Freshen up and meet me downstairs in 15 minutes", and he turned to leave.

I checked the time and it was only a few minutes to 7 am. I quickly ran to the bathroom to do all I needed to do. I opened a large wardrobe in the corner of the room and to my surprise, I saw all my clothes in the drawer part of the wardrobe and new clothes dangling from the hangers. They were all my sizes, I wasn't expecting less from someone as rich as Daniel.

I slipped into a loose silk short dress, my nipples pointed in them and my butt jiggled. I wasn't in my right mind to care about looking like that in front of Daniel. I have to start preparing myself for living with this dreadful man.

I went down the stairs, he was seated on the first chair, dressed in a dark ocean-collared shirt that slightly revealed his biceps and chest build. His dark brown hair was shiny, parted and neatly packed to the back with a few strands falling to his eyebrow.

I walked to the table, pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Eat", he commanded as he raised his head, put his phone away and picked up his cutleries.

I looked at the plate, the food was trench toast and a glass of fresh pineapple juice.

"I would have preferred bacon", I murmured as low as I could but he heard me, his ears must be sharp.

"You could tell Ray your food preferences when he comes back", he replied in a slightly loud tone for me to hear.

I would not have thought he'd give me an option like that, it at least gave me ease of mind.

We ate our food silently, I finished all that was on my plate to avoid wasting the food, I didn't want to make him angry.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin just after he dropped his glass of juice.

He clenched his jaw, "Do you know Daisy would be travelling out of the country?" he asked.