A contract

(ACCALIA'S POV)

My eyes traveled to where Don sat, He was dressed in a dark suit, with a crisp white shirt and a silk tie. His shoes are shined to a mirror-like finish, and he's wearing a gold watch on his wrist. His expression is unreadable, but there's a hint of a smirk on his lips. His eyes are cold and calculating, and he exudes an aura of power and control. He sits back on the couch, one leg crossed casually over the other as if he owns the room. Everything about him screams danger and authority, his gaze holding empty emotions in them, I was confused, I had a hazy memory of him at the bar but he was the one as his strong cologne filled the entire room,

Clarissa pasted a fake smile on her face as she approached me.

“What's going on?” I managed to whisper to her.

“What do you mean what's going on? He came for you.” Her voice rang like a bell in my head, as I looked at everyone in the room.

“You all have got to be joking, right?” I asked but Dad only smiled as he stared at me,and I immediately cringed as he said.

“You never told me you had a fiance? How bad of you, Lia” As funny as it sounded I was still lost, did I perhaps miss something?

“Fiance? What fiance?” I asked as I looked at Don, he had on a stern expression on his face but i could already read through his mind.

I paused for a bit, then threw my glance at him once again. “Can I speak to you? In private?”

Clarissa's face squeezed into a frown, “Why? Where are you taking him to?”

“It's none of your business.” I snapped almost immediately and Dad raised his brows at me in slight annoyance but I was not remorseful, his wife was definitely doing too much and it was getting quite awkward and embarrassing for me.

I turned to Don's direction, “Can I speak to you, please? In private?” I said emphasizing the word ‘Private.'

He stared at me with a cold expression on bus features then abruptly stood up and he walked towards me. I stood confused momentarily as I was lost into his deep pretty blue eyes.

“What?” He asked and smirked, he then gestured with his hands. “Lead the way." He said to me.

My Senses immediately came back as I turned towards my room, I did not trust Clarissa, she had a bad habit of always eavesdropping on my conversations.

We entered my room shortly, there was nothing spectacular or extreme about the decor, it was clean and uncluttered, with white walls and light wood flooring. There was a medium sized bed in the middle, with a white duvet and simple, pale blue sheets. My dresser with a few neatly folded clothes on top, and a small mirror hangs on the wall. There's a reading lamp next to the bed, and a small vase of fresh flowers on the dresser. The window was open, letting in a soft breeze and the sound of birdsong.

“You leave your windows Open?” He suddenly asked, I rolled my eyes and took a seat on my bed.

“I didn't know I was going to spend the night out.” I snapped. I noticed how calmly he took in his breaths as his eyes surveyed my room.

I looked at him intently before asking, “What do you think you're doing?” I asked but to my surprise, he seemed to be confused by my question.

“What do you think I am doing?” He threw the question back at me.

“No, not that? I mean coming here to ask for my hand in marriage." I responded and rolled my eyes in a matter of fact manner.

He scoffed, “Did the alcohol from last night wipe off the little crumbs of memories from last night?” He asked as his features darkened a bit.

“What?”

“You asked me to come marry you. And here I am.” He stated uninterestedly.

“That was the alcohol speaking. I didn't plan on doing that” I almost cried, what if he couldn't pay the debts?

“Your debts are paid.” He said like he had just read my mind, who the hell was this man?

“What do you mean by my debts being paid?" I asked, still confused.

He breaths came out with a groan and I felt my knees weaken at the sounds. He folded his hands at his back like he was some kind of old man and he faced the opened window.

“I did some research on you and I found nothing interesting about you.”

“What?” I blurted out as my cheeks turned crimson red in embarrassment.

He stared at me with a proud look on his face, "I am the one and only Don Donato. I don't think there's any secret I do not know about. For example, I know you have a birthmark beneath your left breast.” He stated without shame.

I wrapped my hands around my chest and cried out, “You pervert!”

He scoffed then said, "Pumpkin, you should learn to choose your words around me, Ms. Russio.”

“Or you're going to do what exactly?” I puffed out my cheeks and asked with confidence, he was so full of himself, how the hell did I end up talking to a person like him, well I could only blame it all on the alcohol.

He threw a file in my direction and the stack of paper landed on the floor with a thud. What was written in the papers? I bent down and picked it up. As I straightened up and my eyes ran through it, I could see that it was a contract, written in dense, legal language. The contract stated that it was between me and Don and it outlined the terms of my employment.

I skimmed through it quickly, not paying too much attention to the details, my heart was pounding in my chest. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it said, but I couldn't stop myself from reading. It appeared to be like some kind of contract of servitude, with impossible terms and an inescapable commitment.

My hands started to shake, and I felt a sense of dread, But then I realized that it was probably all just in my imagination, yeah, my imagination was running wild. I wasn't going to be held captive by Don, and there was no contract in front of me, it was just his way of ensuring I don't run away after he clears the debts. I was safe, and this was just a game of pretend. I took in a deep breath and shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

“A contract?” I asked to confirm.

“Yes, you have to sign that.” He replied nonchalantly.

I looked at him with a suspicious look, “We’re just in a pretend marriage, why do we need a contract?”

He looked at me with his sharp glare, “I trust no one. And since you would be married to me. I am doing you a favor, not the other way around.”

I rolled my eyes, as he handed me a pen, “You sound pretty childish.” I took the pen from him and I put down my signature.

“Fine there, you see? We're married now.” I said handing over the paper to him as he smirked in return.