Chapter 3: The Contract

Sitting across the charcoal table, Adele tried to calm her stress by fudging her finger.

“How the hell do you think I will expect this proposal?” Adele thundered.

“There is no need to shout, Miss Adele. We are giving you an option. This way, you can save your farm and shop,” the bank manager drawled. Adele took a sharp breath. The options given by the manager were not official but could help her save the only thing that belonged to her father.

After a long silence, she looked at them. “Fine, I want to meet him.” She sighed as she rubbed her red eyes. They left the room quietly.

She could not figure out how to pay the debt for the last eight sleepless nights. The money she got stolen by her step-brother. But here, sitting in this air-conditioned office, the bank manager came up with an alternative.

He told her to meet with a person in business ready to help her, but she had to accept his few conditions. Adele didn’t understand this shallow situation. But at last, she had to give it a chance. She picked a piece of lint from her sleeve, thinking of what would show up through that entrance. The door made a creek sound; her eyes landed on the gate when she saw Mr. Vincent enter the room. She furrowed and tried to recognize this face.

“Mr. Vincent,” she whispered.

The bank manager smiled at them.

“You guys can talk.”

 The manager turns to face Adele, “I hope you agree with Mr. Vincent’s conditions, Miss Adele,” 

Mr. Vincent settled himself across this long table. “There is a red file.” he asserted.

“I know you need money. And I could help you,” Mr. Vincent came straight to the point. She listened to him keenly. “The only thing you need to do is to sign those papers,” he pointed towards the red file.

“What’s that?” She opened the file.

“It’s a marriage contract. I am going to save your farm and shop. All you need to do is marry my boss.” He boasted. Adele wrinkled her brows, looking at him.

“Marriage?” That was not the thing she expected from him.

“Yes, marry him. All the details are already in the file.”

“Please go through it, and we will settle our deal,” he plucked at the cuff of his shirt.

She gulped the lump in her dry throat. She opened the file and started reading it.

“I may not keep any relationship from my past life?” 

“What do you mean, I have to present myself in front of him every night? It’s insane,” she argued.

“And what is this? He could have my body anytime he wants, and I may not oppose? Is this humanity or what? Am I selling my body to a brothel?” She added.

Mr. Vincent jerked against the rolling chair.

“Miss Adele, I have been told to give you these papers, and I am not here to clear your doubts, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for another man to speak between husband and wife. Besides, after you sign those papers, you could save your home and family.” he arched his brow.

Adele slammed her palm on the table and pushed the file away.

This man is insane. He wanted her to sign these papers and about the terms. 

“I am not his wife, YET. And if he wants these conditions to be fulfilled, he has to come by himself; I will not sign these papers,”

Adele picked up her bag as she walked towards the exit.

“Miss Adele, my boss works differently from others. I would suggest you sign those papers if you want to save your father’s last memories. It’s a good deal,” Mr. Vincent speculated.

Adele turned towards him as her nose flared with anger.

“Other than that, my boss will take care of your family, too.”

“Mr. Vincent, it’s not a deal. It’s called maneuvering your power and money; I don’t understand what’s in this for you and your boss.” Adele ruffed.

She moved out, staring at the bank manager.

“Miss Adele, before you leave, I want to remind you. The bank will seal your shop and farm tomorrow evening. And after that, we have to vendue your house.” The manager smirked.

Adele’s eyes filled with tears.

“It means you are going to put my home for auction to recover your debt money,” she cleared his sentence.

He nodded and extended a napkin towards her.

“I am sorry, but that is how the bank works. I tried to help you, but you kicked my offer.” the cunning manager looked towards the boardroom from where she came out.

With no words, she left the bank and came to her truck.

Sitting in her truck, looking at her father’s picture, she busted into tears.

“Daddy, tell me, what should I do?”

While crying, she saw her brother running through the streets while goons tried to catch him. She lost every hope in her life.

She went to the shop, where Blaise was eagerly waiting for her.

“Did they spare us sometime?” She asked. Adele busted into tears and told her about Mr. Vincent’s proposal.

“What?”

“I don’t know what to do?” It flattered Adele as she wiped her tears.

“This is impossible.” “The banker told me he would come for my home after this,” 

“I don’t know what to do?”

*******

Adele came home after an exhausting day.

As she entered the house, she saw goons pressing a knife on her mother’s neck while Mike was bleeding from his head.

Before she could react, somebody pulled her inside and slammed her to the floor.

He slapped her hard.

“Here is the bitch,” the man hovered himself over her slight frame.

She tried to drag herself away, but he pulled her up.

“Listen to me, you little cunt. Your brother stole my money, and I need it back.” He licked her neck.

She hissed in pain as the blood came from her lips. 

“I want my money back.” “Otherwise, I will serve you to my clients to recover my money. I am sure you will make good money with your tight pussy,”

he smirked, looking at her with his one stone eye.

She nodded her head.

“Ok, I will return your money,” she muttered.

He threw her on the floor.

“I will come back tomorrow. Get ready with my money. Either I will take money, or I will take you,”

he sniffed her skin, making her feel vulnerable.

He left the house with his sycophant friends.

She came running towards Mike, looking at his unconscious body; she busted into tears.

“Adele, please save my son. Please, he is my only hope.”

Her mother begged her, taking Mike’s head in her lap.

Adele thought her mom would cuddle her, but all she wanted was her help to save his son’s life.

Adele nodded her head as she pressed her lips together.

“I will, mom,”

The words escaped from her mouth.

“Please, save my son.”

*******

~ADELE~

Call me unfortunate or a jinx.

My father left me because he loved my sister; he didn’t think about me before leaving me alone. My mom wanted to save her only child. She doesn’t care about me. If I don’t pay the money tomorrow, the monster will take me.

I came to my room and threw the bag on the bed.

Something fell on the ground, and my eyes landed on the red file. The only solution for all of my problems enveloped in that red file.

I opened it and read all the papers. Even though I was reading the thing inside, my mind could process nothing. I understood nothing. 

All I could see was I could save everything from it.

“But I have to give myself up,” I asked.

Nobody wants you; an immediate answer came to my mind.

I closed my eyes as the last tear fell on my hand.

“Ok,”

At least by giving up myself, I could save my dad’s property.

I signed the contract. The next moment, I called Mr. Vincent.

“Mr. Vincent, I signed the contract. Tell me what I need to do next?”

“Tomorrow is your wedding.” He replied.

“But what about my farm and house?”

“Don’t worry; you will get your papers tomorrow.”

“I have one more favor. Could you please pay the money my brother stole from one of the drug dealers?”

Mr. Vincent was silent for a moment.

“Done,”

“See you tomorrow, in the court,”

He hung up the phone.