Filled with unwanted thoughts and great fears, I went home. Mother came and I looked at her, "What happened Dear? Are you alright?" She asked, tensed. I tilt my head and left for my room saying, "It was.. fine"

I close the door behind me and lock the door. I leaned on it and fell on the ground. I hid my face in my knees and began to cry. He held supreme power over everyone, I am just an ant he can easily sway with the wind. I understood what it felt like to be overwhelmed, to have a feeling of being vanquished.

I don't want to marry that revolting guy. I don't want to become his toy forever. I don't want it... but...

I want to give my mother a house, I want to treat Eugene in a better hospital so that he can recover. I want to give my mother a luxurious life. I want to fulfil all the dreams I held dear in my heart but I can't do this by marrying him...

****

Days flew by and before I knew it, one week will be over tomorrow. Thinking about it over and over again, I've got no choice but to comply. For mother's and Eugene's sake, I have to...

Still, to clear some uncertainties, I decided to talk to Mother, I knocked and entered her room. She smiled and I laid on her laps,

"Mother..." I called her name softly. She hummed and I said, "Tomorrow, I have to tell whether I want to marry him or not..."

"Wasn't he supposed to decide that?" She asked.

"He.. gave me a week to think.." I took a deep breath and began to say,

"He will give me everything I desire in return for two things..." I took a pause and spoke up again, "Loyalty and Satisfaction... No affection, No love..." I sat up and asked,

"What should I do mother?"

Mother hugged me and looked at me, her eyes show a glint of desperation to tell me something but it vanish the instant I notice it as she began to say,

"Listen, Sophie, I leave the decision to you but remember dear, Instead of having an illicit relation, he is willing to give you his name and a respectable relation of husband and wife rather than a plaything which he can throw anytime. He will give you what you want and there's nothing wrong to be in an intercourse relationship with your husband... The rest is up to you whether you want to spark the flares of love in his heart or not.."

I blinked and remained motionless. After coming back to my senses I gave her a nod and left for my room.

Love? Him? Like hell, I would. But I was left with no choice, I have to marry him, no matter how much I don't want to.

The next day, My heart began to pulsate rapidly as I was being lost in the midst of dread and anxiety. By each second, I felt my heart being stopped. My hands and feet are cold. I was having lunch with my mother and my phone rang. I picked it up and my breath hitched when I heard the voice,

"What have you decided?" My heart skipped a beat at his deep voice. I dug my nails in my palm to calm myself and said in a faint tone,

"I agree." I can't see him but I bet he must be smirking because he knew that he left me with no choice but to speak in accordance to his liking.

"Good." That's all he said and cut the call. I looked down and stood up and left for my room without saying a word. I fell on my bed and closed my eyes.

A strange feeling of being void filled me. Like I am not living and I can't feel a thing. I continued to stare at the ceiling for I don't know how long. All my feelings were drained from me. I stood up and looked at my messy form. My messy hair and since I am home today, I didn't bother to change my nightwear. I am still in my grey trouser and black tank. I was looking at myself as I put a hand on my waist and began to wonder, Why does he even want to marry such a low girl like me. I mean there are more alluring girls. I have seen the pictures of him with his previous wife, She is an epitome of beauty, what a charm she possessed, I wonder why he divorced such a lady. Well, It's none of my business...

I went to the hall and saw my mother serving dinner. After dinner, I began to walk around the house. I still feel like whatever happened is a dream. I continued to look around. Our house isn't too small. I and Eugene grew in that house. It's our house. This holds too many memories...

I came to the hall again and began to watch TV but then the doorbell rang. Mother was washing dishes so I had to open the door. Me being careless, I opened the door without checking or asking.

My eyes widened in horror as my throat dried. He was standing in front of me. My heart began to pound as I lost my strength in his crushing presence. My quivering lips called mother, "Mother! Come Here!" Mother came and she was also shocked like me upon seeing him. On the other hand, he was amused by our reaction. Unlike me, Mother regained her posture and said,

"Welcome, Please come in." Mother smiled and said politely.

"Thank you very much but, I would like to take Sophie out for a drive, is that all right?" He asked decently. Where was this manner when we were alone? Still being bewildered by his sudden appearance, I remained stoic and my mother said, "Ask Sophie."

When Mother said that, I looked at him. He looked at me with his void gaze. Since I was too shocked to say anything I stood still and being irritated by my lack of response, he asked,

"Can I have a glass of water?" Mother nodded and left. After mother left he shook me, dragging me out from my thoughts.

"What are you thinking? Come, We need to talk." He said- no he ordered. My lips formed a thin line as I looked away. Mother came with a glass of water and I said, "I'll go and change." I went to my room and realized I am still in my messy form. I quickly changed in my casual red checked shirt and black jeans. I combed my hair and walked out. I didn't dare to meet his dire gaze as I left with him.

We left and being a gentleman- from outside, he opened the door for me. He was driving and the crushing silence took over once again. But since I have a few things to tell him, I have decided to break that silence as I said,

"Listen.." I don't know how to call him so I avoid calling his name.

"Hmm?" I began to say,

"Why do you want to marry me? You can get any girl with your money. So, why a middle-class girl like me?"

He stopped the car and looked at me for a second. I pressed my cold fingers against themselves as my legs went numb under his malevolent dark eyes. I looked down and shut my mouth. And a feeling of 'you are not allowed to speak unless spoken' filled me.

"You are stuck and can't betray me, no matter how much you want." That's all he said and began to drive again.

After a few seconds, he spoke up again,

"I want to marry you as soon as possible." But, I don't. No matter how much I want to tell the truth I replied with an 'okay'.

"I don't want to be known as a gold-digger..." I said to myself but he heard it and said,

"You are marrying me for money." His cold words stabbed my heart like an arrow.

"I know but still I don't want it.." I said in a low depressed tone as tears brimmed in my eyes. I bit my cheek and looked out of the window.

"No one can degrade you." He said as I looked at him in disbelief. He can say comfy things too? Oh, how wrong I am. He spared a glance at me and completed his sentence, "Except me." My whole being stopped as I looked away and a tear I was trying so hard to hold rolled onto my cheek. I wrapped my around my waist and hugged myself tightly.

A continued to look out of the window filled with anguish, I felt hopeless... absolutely hollow...

After a while, the car stopped. I looked at him and he looked at me with those dominant and sinister eyes. I couldn't bear to look at him and lowered my gaze.

In an instant, he moved closer and was a few inches away from me. My heart began to race when I felt his breath on my face. A shiver overflowing with fear travelled to my very core. I shut my eyes because of the ominous feeling building inside me. I moved farthest away from him and said timidly,

"Please get away." Under the stress of being panicked by his action. I remain still. I sensed him moving away as I slowly opened my eyes and looked at him. He seemed pleased like he did it on purpose just to see my reaction. His eyes glisten with a dark and lethal look that gave me a bad omen about what is going to happen next.

"P-Please take me h-home. My m-mother must be w-worried." I shudder in fear. I can't spend a second with him.

He glanced at my tensed form as a smirk was formed on his lips,

"Such Innocence..." He said in a low but vehement tone. I looked at his unfathomable gaze. For a second I thought that he is doing this just to know something about me which I don't know what. But I consider this absurd and shrugged this thought off. His eyes, which hold expressions which are beyond my understanding. His mystifying eye avert from mine and he began to drive back, "Next Week." and I looked at him and being perplexed, I asked,

"What?"

"Next week is our marriage."

"That's too early," I complained.

"I told you. I want to marry you as soon as possible." He said monotonously as I scoffed and looked away again.

We reached my home and I was about to leave but he stopped me.

"Before you go, sign these papers." He gave me some papers. I took them and read them. These are contract papers based on what we talked over dinner.

I gave him a pleading look and said,

"Please don't... I have already sold myself to you. Please don't make my marriage a business deal." I said hoping he might understand.

"Sign. Them" He said in a dark tone. I shook my head 'no'. He held my elbow and yanked me to him.

"You. Will. Sign. Them" He growled. Tears prick at the corner of my eyes and I plead again, "Please.. don't.." But he became oblivious to my cries as he scoffed and said, "I don't make the same mistake twice." Unable to understand his statement I continued to cry.

"Do it!" He said loudly as I startled and began to let out convulsed gasps of dread. He let go of me as I signed the papers with my shaky hand. Feeling utterly broken, I wiped my tears and gave him an infuriated look. I slammed the papers in his hands and looked at him,

"Now that you have made this marriage nothing but a mere contract. Let me tell you one thing, Mr Christian Elvis," I said coldly. As I was about to get out, I gave him one last furious look and said,

"This marriage will be toxic for both of us."