Chapter Three

Surveillance is down, I've lost their position...Protect the live room, they mustn't stop our transmission

This is red alert, kill on sight, these men are soldiers...Do anything you can, it's a hostile takeover

                                —Hostile Takeover

                                    Mark B and Blade

Lindsey's POV

"And that's just one of your many offences..."

I felt cold sweat run down my back as I stood rooted to the ground, unable to look away.

Jail? There was no way he said jail. I couldn't go to jail. I had my mother and her health to worry about, who would take care of her if I was gone? Not to mention the unrelenting forces of my evil stepmother and the demonic spawn she called a daughter who put our lives in danger on a daily basis. How was she supposed to cope with that on her own? Who was going to protect her from all that if I was gone? Ugh! I really didn't think this through.

"You wouldn't." I said desperately trying to keep out the quiver in my voice.

"Of course I would Miss James and do you know why? It's because I'm Ethan Carter. I own half of this city and the other half belongs to my family so I believe I can. Not to mention you were the one who let's see, drugged me, then if we were to properly term it... sexually assaulted me and took pictures of the said act and let's not forget you then decided to blackmail me for the grand sum of one million dollars. So as you can see miss James, the odds aren't exactly in your favour." He said while letting go of my hand.

My legs gave way and I fell to the ground with a thud. I mentally pictured my life in prison with no way of reaching mum. I swear that I  could almost see them torture my mum to an inch of her life on a daily basis with no way of her escaping. No! I can't let anything happen to her most especially because of my foolish mistake.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of what I could do to get myself out of the situation but came up blank...I was screwed.

"You don't have anything to add to what I've said miss James?" He said with a cruel laugh.

What a bastard...

Seeing no way out, I clenched my fists and decided to beg him.

"Mr Carter will you please forgive me? I believe I have made a mistake. I would have never done any of this if u didn't need the money." I said kneeling at his feet.

"So now your begging Miss James, where has all your previous bravado gone to now hmm?"

"I was wrong. How about we come to a compromise of sorts? You forget this ever happened and I'll disappear from your life."

"Are you negotiating with me?" He said, his voice growing lower. Was he getting angrier?

"No? I wouldn't-"

"Well if it's a negotiation you want...marry me." He said, interrupting me.

"What?" I whispered, wondering if I had misheard him.

"I believe you heard me correctly the first time... I want you to marry me."

"I'm sorry are you joking?" I asked, unable to believe what I had heard.

"I don't tell jokes, Miss James. I meant what I said. I've been looking for someone to get Nicole and my mother off my back for quite some time now and you happen to fit the bill perfectly. I want us to go into a err...contract marriage of sorts. Be rest assured that if you become my wife, I will take care of all your expenses plus we will also be living together so there will be no need to look for accommodation elsewhere. If you have someone in your life, you will have to cast them aside for a full year until after our divorce. I do not codone extramarital affairs so do be sure to remember that." He said with no trace of humor on his face what so ever.

I stared up at him in shock. I was rendered completely speechless...this definitely wasn't what I had imagined when I had asked him to come to a compromise.

"Marriage? Excuse me but that's not what I-"

"Or on the other hand should you decide that marrying me wouldn't be in your best interests then you are more than welcome to meet me at court but I'll have to warn you, I definitely won't go easy on you." He says interrupting me again

"Not to mention that it'll be your word against mine so do think it over carefully. If your thinking about running away then I'd advise you not to waste your energy as it'll take me little to no work to find you. So now...what will it be Miss James?" He said throwing the words I had uttered just a few minutes back at me.

He looked down at me, smirking before walking to the bathroom and closes the door, leaving me on the ground. He opens the door a few seconds later and pokes his head out the side to say

"Oh and one more thing should you accept my offer you will have to work as my secretary and personal assistant. I'll be expecting your answer at eight am sharp, monday morning. I'm sure you know your way to Empire buildings right? He said and closes the door again without waiting for my reply.

I continued kneeling for a few minutes on the ground, waiting to see if he'd open the door again for the third time. Seeing that he wasn't going to be come out anytime soon, I gathered my stuff haphazardly and ran out of the room without looking back like the devil himself was chasing me.