Chapter 5 - A Cruel Contract Baby

"Ugh. My head..." The strong smell of alcohol wafted as I opened my eyes on a scorching morning. I couldn't recall getting drunk last night, so why was I in this bed?

"Wait... Last night, Mattheo and I..." My eyes widened in shock at my completely exposed body. The events of last night came flooding back; I had slept with a man who looked exactly like Mattheo!

"Mattheo!" I screamed, seeing my husband standing outside the bar room, about to leave me.

"Wait for me! Last night, you slept with me! Don't you remember?" I yelled, running towards him with just a thin blanket covering my body.

He stopped at the edge of the stairs, his eyes glaring at me with coldness, completely different from when he had touched me last night.

"I don't remember," he retorted sharply and indifferently. "And even if I slept with a woman last night, it was Natalia. Not you. Have you forgotten we're divorced? There's no way I would sleep with you."

"No! You slept with me! How can you forget? Last night, you brought me here!" I cried out. "Look! Your kiss marks are on my neck. I'm not lying!"

Other patrons in the bar looked uncomfortably at me, seeing me screaming like a lunatic while Mattheo paid no attention to me.

From a distance, I watched him leave the bar, holding hands with a woman. It was Natalia. And they left me as if they didn't know me.

My heart shattered once again. Why was this happening to me? We weren't divorced yet, so what was wrong with sleeping with my husband?

And I distinctly remember Mattheo sleeping with me! How could he think I was Natalia!?

"Belle. What are you doing here?"

A familiar voice, Luke Davis, called out to me as I cried alone on the floor. I didn't know how he knew I was in this bar; I couldn't even think anymore out of tired.

"You're cold," he said, seeing my naked body covered only in a thin blanket. "Come on, get into my car. I'll take you home."

He offered me a ride home, but his hand ended up touching my naked body.

"Let go, don't touch me," I snapped harshly, not liking it. "Mattheo may have left me, but I'm still his wife. We're not officially divorced yet. You have no right to touch me."

But Luke Davis didn't heed my rejection. He pulled the thin blanket off my body, leaving me naked in front of everyone.

"You're crazy! Stop it!" I struggled and hit his face, and kicked him, but it had no effect.

Luke Davis seemed drunk and unaware of his actions. With madness, he unzipped his pants and attempted to assault me.

"You disgusting man!"

**Thud!**

"Argh!"

Just before I was about to be assaulted, Luke Davis's body was thrown violently by someone's punch.

"Mattheo..." I couldn't believe it, Mattheo came back to save me. He wasn't with Natalia, and he punched Luke Davis just before he could touch me.

**Thud!**

"Argh!"

Mattheo continued to mercilessly beat Luke Davis until the bar security had to intervene and separate them.

His emotions didn't end there. He forcibly grabbed my hand and dragged me into his car. With my body in disarray, he took me to our old home.

"M-Mattheo... You've kicked me out, I can't come back to this house," I refused, as he forced me to enter.

"Either you enter, or I'll break your legs. Make up your mind," he threatened seriously. His eyes said he wouldn't hesitate to break my legs if I disobeyed his command.

I had never seen him this angry in my entire life.

"Listen. Are you pregnant with that bastard's child?" he suddenly asked.

"Of course not! I'm pregnant with your child!" I replied, screaming and disappointed. How could he still think I was cheating with another man!? I was tired of all this!

"It doesn't matter. Whether it's my child or not, I don't care," he growled. "What matters is, that baby will be mine. You're still obligated to make my company successful, according to our marriage contract. But since you failed, consider that baby as your replacement."

"Mattheo... How can you be so cruel?" Tears of disbelief fell from my eyes. "This baby is yours! How can you treat it like merchandise!?"

"I don't care!" he snapped. "Until that baby is born, you belong to me. So stop meeting that damn man! I won't allow my property to be touched by another human!"

"Here. Sign this agreement." He threw me a handwritten letter. "A new contract in our marriage. When the baby is born, it will be mine. And you're not allowed to see it. Just like your body, it's mine until this contract is over."

“How ... How could you, Mattheo ...” I cried on that piece of paper. Everything happened so fast, and I couldn't even say anything.

My life was not long, and our baby became a tool that would separate me from Mattheo. What went wrong? Where did I go wrong? Was this karma because I loved him so much? Why did everything happen so terribly that I felt like I couldn't live anymore?

"President Mattheo! Congratulations on your wife's pregnancy!"

My breath caught. I looked back to see who had just spoken. A guest, Mattheo's business colleague, came to our house carrying many gifts.

In the living room, Mattheo and Natalia welcomed the business guest. They talked about the pregnancy, the successor to the company, and the first child. But strangely, they thought Natalia was pregnant.

Yet, I was the one pregnant with Mattheo's child! They were lying!

"My wife is pregnant. We hope for a son, to continue our family business," Mattheo proudly said. He caressed Natalia's flat belly as if she were pregnant.

"Amazing! We pray for your happiness, President!" the guest congratulated.

I couldn't take it anymore. I immediately got up and ran away from the first floor.

Mattheo was outrageous! He forced me to sign that new contract so that he could lie to everyone that Natalia was pregnant with his child!

When in fact, I was the one pregnant here! And he forced me to give up this baby so that he could live happily with Natalia! I couldn't believe he was so cruel!

"You're cruel, Mattheo! Cruel! Cruel! Cruel!"

As I ran away, I cried alone under the cloudy sky. The clouds poured heavy rain as if mourning my fate.

'I'm sorry, my dear. I'm sorry.' I could only hug my belly and apologize to my baby. I closed my eyes hoping this was just a dream. But apparently, I could never wake up from this nightmare.

_____________

[One Week Later]

[The Grand Sinclair Family Mansion]

"Congratulations on your wedding! President Mattheo Sinclair and Mrs. Natalia!"

**Claps! Claps! Claps!**

"We look forward to the birth of your first child!"

A full day of celebration for the inauguration of Mattheo and Natalia's wedding went on, and even by midnight, the lively party showed no signs of ending.

According to the contract I was forced to sign, I could only leave with Mattheo's permission. So, on this day of celebration, I could only hide in my room and be alone because I couldn't bear to see their wedding party.

**Knock. Knock. Knock.**

"Excuse me. Master Mattheo wants you to be in his room now." A servant entered my room, interrupting my tears.

"For what? Isn't this their wedding night?" I asked, puzzled.

"That's Master Mattheo's order," the servant replied as if unwilling to bother with my complaints.

I couldn't protest either way. My body had become his puppet, so I reluctantly walked to his room while wiping away my tears.

"Mattheo? Are you calling for me?" I asked, knocking on his bridal chamber door.

"Come in." He replied from inside with a very soft voice, making it unbearable for me to open his door and step inside.

"M-Mattheo!" My voice screamed in surprise, finding him suddenly embracing me with his naked body.

Not only that, I felt something hard between his legs! He got erection! But why was he calling for me? He should be calling for Natalia!

"H-Hey, just let go of me," I pleaded, trying to remain calm and pushing his body away. "It's your wedding night. You shouldn't be touching me like this."

"Belle... Belle..." He murmured, calling my name as if dreaming of me. "I want you. I'm sorry for everything. I lied to you, I did this because someone forced me... It's all because..."

He didn't continue his words, which only made me more curious. Was someone forcing him to divorce me?

"F-Forced? What do you mean?" I asked unintentionally. "Are you drunk? Wait a moment, I'll find Natalia right now—"

It was too late. Mattheo had already forced me onto his bed and started undressing me.

His eyes were red and hazy. He seemed out of his right mind. He must be drunk! But I couldn't be here!

The last time we were both drunk, he slept with me and left me in the morning. I didn't want that to happen! I didn't want him to blame me and think I was Natalia!