Agreement Papers

Since childhood, I realized that I was different from my siblings. I was outspoken, independent, and mostly did things on my own, even as a toddler. My mother said I didn’t even fuss about a wet diaper—I would take care of myself, changing into a new one.

So, even though I was the youngest, they never gave me the attention a child should receive. The moment I understood that I shouldn't expect it, I stopped expecting it altogether.

But one thing I made clear to them—I made my own decisions. My elder sister, Jenny, became a professor at a prestigious university because she didn’t like business. My brother, Sam, chose medicine for the same reason. My second sister, Anne, well, decided to pursue her master’s degree.

My parents were disappointed because they wanted them to take over the family business. They devoted all their time to them, hoping they would follow their path. But when I decided to study business, my father finally paid attention to me, praising my ability to handle clients.

I didn’t care. I knew I would succeed even without them in the picture. In the world I lived in, the only person whose opinions and suggestions could truly dominate was Knox.

" Here it is!"

Knox placed the document on the table, the cold paper sliding toward me like a silent threat. His face was unreadable, his posture unnervingly relaxed—but I wasn’t fooled.

I reached for it, my fingers barely brushing the edge before I hesitated. Something in my chest twisted, a pulse of unease I couldn’t name.

"An agreement for surrogacy?" I asked, assuming it would be nothing more than legal jargon.

But when my gaze landed on the bold title, my breath hitched. My grip faltered, the paper nearly slipping from my fingers.

Marriage Agreement.

The words blurred for a moment before snapping back into sharp focus, cutting through me like glass.

I lifted my eyes, scanning the room, searching for some indication that this was a sick joke. My heartbeat roared in my ears.

"What… is this?" My voice came out lower than intended, uneven, as if my own body couldn’t decide whether to scream or laugh in disbelief.

"This is what it is," Knox said, his tone resolute—but he wasn’t looking at me. His gaze flickered toward the table, his hands tightening into fists.

My stomach churned. It felt wrong. Like they were playing with my emotions, and no one had the decency to look me in the eye while they did it.

Across from me, Sarah sat comfortably, her posture eerily at ease. Too at ease.

"Is this some kind of joke?" I grabbed the document again, my hands shaking as I read the first few paragraphs. My gut twisted, my brain refusing to process the full extent of what was being asked of me.

Then it clicked.

"You want me to sign this marriage certificate just to ensure the baby is legitimately born? You want me to marry Knox—in his fiancée’s place?"

A heavy silence settled over the room. And then—they nodded.

Like this was nothing.

Like this wasn’t completely insane.

A bitter laugh slipped past my lips before I could stop it. "Gosh," I muttered, running a hand down my face. "How does your brain actually work?" I turned toward Sarah, my voice laced with disbelief. "You were just crying about your fiancé cheating on you, and now you’re watching him marry his best friend? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Sarah only smiled. Wide. Too wide. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"I’m fine with it," she said, her voice disturbingly cheerful. "As long as you give Knox a baby. I can wait for you two to get divorced after a few years."

The air in the room turned suffocating.

I wasn’t stupid. This wasn’t about surrogacy. The way everyone shifted in their seats, the flickers of unease, the way they avoided looking at me directly—something wasn’t right.

I placed the paper down slowly, deliberately, before leaning back in my chair. "This isn’t the real reason, is it?" My voice was calm, too calm. "Sarah suddenly saying she wants to break off the engagement. This marriage agreement appearing out of nowhere. Her enthusiasm for me to take her fiancé when she spent years terrified I’d steal him." I let my gaze drift across the table, taking in the silent exchanges between them. "There’s a hole in this situation."

The reaction was instant. My mother rubbed her forehead, Knox’s jaw tightened, and Anne averted her gaze. Sarah and Knox's parents agitated like some criminals.

Guilt. Hesitation. Avoidance.

"Come on," I scoffed. "Just be straightforward. Someone here is against surrogacy, right? But you still need a kid who’s legitimate. That’s what this is about, isn’t it?" My voice turned colder, sharper. "I’m done being left out of decisions that affect my entire life."

A tense beat passed before my mother finally exhaled.

"That’s right," she admitted. "Knox’s grandparents hate the idea of an heir being born through surrogacy. Since Sarah’s egg wouldn’t be used, they refuse to accept a child born this way."

My brows twitched upward. "And who the hell cares about their opinion?"

The room went dead silent.

I should have buried my mouth before those words slipped out. But still—

"Whatever," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Let’s just get down to business. This whole back-and-forth just to get the truth out of you is exhausting. You didn't respect me from the beginning. Now it doesn't matter!"

I picked up the document again, scanning it more carefully. "So, all I have to do is sign this marriage certificate, get pregnant through artificial insemination, and carry the child. Then, once it’s born, we finalize our divorce and apply for shared custody."

No one spoke. They were just sitting like they forgot how to breathe.

"Practically, you’re forcing me to pretend to be a married woman when I’m against marriage in the first place. That’s messed up."

But what was even more messed up—

Was the fact that I wanted to marry Knox. Not like this. Not like some transaction.

"What’s your answer?" Knox’s voice was quiet but heavy.

I lifted my gaze, meeting his for the first time since reading the contract.

"What do you think you would have done if you were in my place?" I asked, my voice void of emotion.

Knox didn’t even hesitate. "I would have helped you. If it was your dream."

A bitter chuckle left my lips. "That’s funny," I murmured, shaking my head. "Because you just destroyed my dream yesterday for your personal gain."

The air turned suffocating.

A heavy silence hung between us before my family—excluding Sarah—turned their heads toward me, their expressions suddenly shifting.

"What happened?" Anne’s voice was sharp. "What did he do to you?"

" Knox! What did you do to her?" They started questioning all together like they used to do when we were close enough before this bullshit. However, right now,

Their concern was sudden. Unnatural.

They hadn’t cared about my feelings five minutes ago—so why were they suddenly overprotective?

Knox frowned, looking genuinely confused. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just stopped you from going on a business trip. Your father is handling it."

I sighed, standing up. "Never mind. Give me a few days to think. This is a huge deal for me."

"Violet!"

Knox shot to his feet, his hands trembling slightly. "How about having a drink? Just the two of us."

I glanced at him, the distance between us feeling more like a chasm.

"Is your fiancée okay with that?" My voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Please don’t worry about me!" Sarah chirped, standing up with that same unsettling smile. "I apologize for everything. Feel free to clear the air!"

I turned to her, my expression unreadable. Although at first I thought she was some sort of narcissistic or... Hypocrite.. Now I had an uncertain feeling like she was... Fake?

Then, I sighed, looking at Knox. "I’ll drive."