Contract

Sheila's POV

"I don't understand." I said to André, clearly confused by the information he just gave me.

"My sources have searched all the facilities in Russia, where your boyfriend could possibly be and they found nothing." André said, leaning back on his seat.

We were currently in a place that seemed to be his home office. We were seated opposite each other with a huge desk separating us.

"For someone who is allegedly innocent, your boyfriend sure knows how to hide." He said, looking pointedly at me.

"Anybody would be hiding if they were told someone like El Narco was after them." I suddenly said back to him without thinking.

He raised one of his eyebrow at me.

"So you admit." He said, leaning forward on the desk to look at me. I looked away from his intense gaze.

"Why do I have a nagging feeling that you're way more involved in this than you claim?" He asked me.

"Because I'm acting in the defense of someone I love?" I snapped.

"Dylan has been the first and only boyfriend I've ever had. We've been looking out for each other since day one. So, no! I can't see myself not defending him."

"He was arrested and taken away by cops, right before my eyes. I know he's been framed for whatever reasons." I said.

"Mmm... Is that so?" André stroked his bearded chin, appearing to be in deep thought.

"Well, the absence of Dylan has made you a suspect to El Narco and he won't stop until he gets his money back." He told me.

"I would know because he also happens to be somewhat of a business partner."

I gulped at his statement. "Business partner" with El Narco, a drug dealer? Is André in any way a drug dealer too? Or perhaps a drug addict?

"He can be very... very extreme, when it comes to getting back what he's lost." André continued.

"I remember how he once made a man pay for stealing from him."

"How?" I asked, feeling my curiosity and fear rise to the same level.

"He burnt down the man's house, with his wife and two girls. He made the man watch and beg for mercy....for just twenty grands." André said, looking pointedly at me. I couldn't stop myself from gasping in disbelief, even when I've heard this same story before.

"How..much.." I tried to ask.

"Your boyfriend stole cocaine and cash that were worth a total of seven million dollars... allegedly though." He answered, rendering me totally speechless.

"I have people still looking for him, but it's going to take a while." He told me.

"Why am I even in this mess? We were both contented with our normal lives. I was content with my average, everyday life. I didn't have any reason to steal... and I don't still do." I lamented to myself.

"But here you are. Let me remind you that you also dragged me into this too. El Narco won't be too happy to hear that I've been harboring the same person he's been looking for." He stated, making me sigh in defeat.

He was right about me dragging him into my own mess but if he really saw me like that, why hasn't he turned me over to El Narco? Why was he going through all these trouble for me? Is there something in it for him? What exactly is he up to?

"Sign those." He ordered, slipping some papers over to me. I just looked on in confusion.

"What are they?" I asked but got no response from him.

After a while of looking at each other, I decided to read the content of the papers in front of me. A frown immediately formed on my face as I made sense of it. I looked up to see André, calmly regarding me and waiting for me to sign.

"I can't sign these." I shook my head, pushing the papers back to him.

"Why not? Don't you want to be out of this mess?"

"But how exactly is a marriage contract to you, going to help?" I was almost raising my voice, much to my surprise.

"That's left for me to decide." He calmly said.

"All you need to do is to sign the damn papers and be my wife for a period of time. You need protection from El Narco and my daughter...well she needs a sort of mother figure in her life."

"...and I've come to understand that she has taken a liking to you, which isn't very common of Madeline." He continued after a long pause. Now I see why he's going through all the trouble for me.

"Of course we're not mandated to do anything that couples do. No sex and all but in the eyes of the public, you'll be Mrs. Wolfe." He stated, making me frown at the thought.

To marry André Wolfe? Doesn't he have his personal harem of hot models to pick from?

"How long is this marriage supposed to last for?" I asked, still having so many thoughts rushing through my head. I put more emphasis on the word "marriage".

"Till your boyfriend is found and the whole issue with El Narco is sorted out...it's all in the damn papers." He said in an annoyed tone.

Looking at André now, I could see his desperation to find a mother for Madeline and I wasn't sure I could live up to that title. Mother? I didn't even get to know mine. I know I've always dreamt of having children of my own with Dylan, but this? This was kinda too much. However, if I wanted to come out of this mess in one piece, I needed to do exactly as he has instructed. He seems to know how to deal with issues like this and I'll have to trust him. Afterall, I did run to him on that fateful, rainy night. I didn't know him then but for some reason, it felt like he wouldn't let them get me.

"Your wife in the eyes of the public, you say?" I suddenly asked him again.

"Yes. You're going to follow me to events, smile for photos by paparazzi and maybe even run a small portion of my business to make things more believable. Once we're together behind closed doors though, you don't need to do anything much." He explained.

"So.. like a pretend wife?" I enquired, to which he just nodded. I could definitely work with that.

Although things might get a little complicated if Dylan were to see me on TV, getting married to a renowned billionaire. He has a special kind of hate for billionaires and wealthy people in general, considering the fact that they are the major reason behind him being an orphan. Ever since I've known him, he'd grit his teeth and clench his fist in fury, whenever he sees any wealthy person on the TV or magazine. He just can't stand them. Seeing his girlfriend suddenly being married to a billionaire, would definitely hit him hard but would be better than being burnt to death by a notorious drug dealer though. I don't want to be burnt to death.

I suddenly took in a deep breath, grabbed a nearby pen and signed over the designated areas on the papers. Although he tried to hide it, I saw André heave a sigh of relief, once I was done signing. What was that for?

"Now what?" I asked, folding my hands and suddenly feeling self conscious. I couldn't help the feeling like I'd just signed away something very important to me.

"Get ready, we'll be visiting one of my nightclubs in town tonight. There's something that needs to be done." He replied, looking through the papers.

"Your nightclubs? You own nightclubs?" I asked in awe. Should I even be surprised?

"Amongst many other businesses...some of which you may not like." He said, standing abruptly from his seat.

"A dress will be sent to your room before the day goes dark. You may leave now." The blue eyed man before me said, turning his bare back to me.

Am I really married to André Wolfe? A man I don't really know?