The Deceiver's Game

Chapter 2: Terms of Surrender

ARABELLA

My steps echoed in the hallway as I stormed towards my fathers office after the celebration.

“Great evening miss, congratulations on your—”

“Where’s my father?” I asked his assistant who just walked out the door to his office.

She just stepped aside while struggling to get hold of all the papers on her arms and pointed the door using her thumb.

“He’s inside, talking t—”

I didn’t let her finish and forcefully opened the door just to be welcomed by the man sitting in my father’s chair. Cold expression with his feet on the table while my father is sitting in a chair across him.

“What are you doing here?” I asked in a low voice while glaring at him, trying hard to intimidate him which is obviously a dumb thing to do considering that it is rumored that he fears nothing.

“Is it bad for me to be here? Am I not welcome?” he asked as my father turns to face me with a serious face.

“Ella, don’t—”

“Is the answer not obvious to you? Don’t you feel it Mr. Blackwood?” I questioned him back while taking steps further in like just one and a half meters away from them.

“Oh, I do feel it, my love” he stated and put his feet down and looked at my father. I didn't even mind his endearment because that's not what's important right this moment.

“I feel the warm welcome coming from this man right here" I frowned, stepping further in towards their direction.

"Well, that man over there happened to be my father. Don't you know how to show respect?" my irritation keeps filling my whole self. I swear, if he'll continue being a jerk like he always does, I'll—

"Ella, calm down" my father commanded while looking directly at my eyes "You know that I'll never agree to this without an important reason"

And silence took over while I was assessing if he deserves to be given a chance.

"Guess you two need a little father-daughter time" he said and stood up to leave. He walked past me, moving closer to the door when I saw it.

I was trying to do what my father said. I really was.

But then I caught a glimpse of his smirk through my peripheral vision and that very act of him cut my little string of patience making me march towards his direction and slapped his thick face as hard as I could.

Everyone was stunned by my action which I think is already an overreaction. I just slapped a man and they think that's a big deal?

"I don't deserve that" he said a moment after recomposing himself but still holding his reddened cheek.

"I'll be the one to decide if you don't. Now leave" I commanded but his brows frowned and eventually relaxed before a side of his lips rose up

"You're a strong-willed one, but you'll need a lot of fixing"

It's not the time to get offended but—I need a lot of fixing? That fiend is clearly unaware of his own defects. How dare he tell me I'm the one who needs to be fixed?!

"I don't need any fixing. Do that for yourself"

"Let's see about that. I'm also expecting a thank-you soon" he replied before walking out the door. The little decency in him made him close the door which is the only acceptable thing that he did for this night.

"Dad—"

"Everything was going down" he cut my sentence as he pushed back his seat and settled into his own chair, motioning me to sit across from him which I obliged.

"Everything didn't go as planned. All was having problems. Other companies always get the properties we wanted and somehow, they know what we we're planning to do with those. We were having too much—"

"I could've helped in this kind of situation if you just let me into that world of yours as soon as I said so"

He never did. They never trusted me and that's what made me kind of rebellious. They always say that I should just behave like an heiress should be but how could I be the heiress if they never showed and taught me what I ought to know?

"He helped. Darvian did. He did everything he could to save our company and that was his condition, to marry you. It's not forever, he said that it'll end eventually when—"

"You sold me off to him, right father?"

I don't know what to feel. This is too much. I would understand if he'll make me marry someone just for business because that's common in this society we're in. But to make me marry the man I hate, and knows that, isn't making any sense to me.

"You have no choice" he said so I stood up, readying myself to leave.

"This engagement is off. I don't want anything to do with that man. You know what he did and you even made me face the consequences for what he did!"

I turned to my back when he said something to make me have second thoughts.

"Then you won't get anything from this family. That'll be the end of this if you don't agree, might as well make you experience it earlier"

I can't.

Living a wealthy life made me dependent to my family's money. I never realized what's right until the past two years and I'm still exploring what I can do. By that, I still won't be able to live by myself without anything from them.

I took a sigh and turned around. I'll accept everything, but as soon as I can, I'll free myself from this engagement's grip.

"Fine"

Then the door suddenly flew open.

“Father-daughter time over” Darvian walked in, his hands in his side pockets and behind him, a man walked with an envelope on his hand.

I wanted to snatch that envelope and turn it into shreds. I know what’s in that. But most importantly…

“Did you just eavesdropped on us?” I asked as he comfortably sat on a sofa while the guy after him laid the envelope on the table.

I stared hard at the envelope like it’s possible to burn it with my eyes when a pair of hands opened it and got what’s inside.

“Go” my father whispered and I obliged.

I sat on the couch opposite him. Our eyes locked as he slides the paper with a pen resting above it towards my direction.

“Go ahead, do I need to wait for hours?” I took a sly glance to him and subtly rolled my eyes before finally picking the paper up.

“If I could just make you wait for an eternity”

I can feel him smirking on my response but strangely, he’s still wearing no expression when I take a quick glance at him.

“I admire your confidence. You think you’re that special that I’ll wait for you for a day to sign a mere marriage contract while other ladies would gladly sign it in less than 5 seconds without even reading” he said with a hint of sarcasm.

“I expect you to sign it in less than five minutes—”

“And I expect you to keep your mouth shut while I read the whole thing. Your voice irritates me” I glared at him and he responded with an amused smile which is already gone in a flash.

This is just the usual marriage contract. No conditions are written. However, the duration of the marriage isn’t specified.

“For how long—”

“As long as I want”

I slammed the paper down and glowered at him. I can’t take this. He’s making fun of me and my family.

"If I have a choice, I'll never let you go and you'll be stucked with me until you love me back. Unfortunately, your father told me that I couldn't do that so..." I was taken aback by his statement.

I'll never love manipulator like you.

I pushed the contract away from me before having a staring contest with him.

“Father, I think it’s just right for me to refuse. I don’t appreciate being fantasized by a self-deluded casanova”

“Ella, please reconsider—”

“I will if he reconsiders his choice of words and behavior”

I heard my father sigh. He usually has the upper hand but obviously not this time. He needs me to marry this man and forcing me won’t do any good.

“I also will if you refrain yourself from being too confident and rock headed”

“I will if you stop being a jerk and say everything you want”

“I will if you won’t be stubborn, do as you are told and sign the f*****g contract” he said the last four words with intensity with a hint of irritation.

“I will but I’ll have my own terms. This marriage will have no love as I can’t give you even a peck of that. No intimacy, and more importantly, no submission”

Our staring contest became quiet for a moment like he’s assessing everything that I said but the tension around us remains.

The two other people in the room didn’t even have the chance to talk. I don’t know if that’s their choice or they just can’t get in between me and the monster.

After a minute, he blinked before bringing his composure back.

“Agreed. But I’ll also have my own condition”

I shot one eyebrow up and crossed my legs and arms. I don’t feel that it’ll be good. Anyway, I can’t refrain him from saying his own conditions as I just added mine.

“Let’s hear it”

He leans forward while resting his arms on his knees.

“You’ll play the role of being a wife in front of the public. The usual one. Loving and devoted. Also, once you feel even a little love for me, you should say it so I can get my hopes up”

And we’re back in our staring contest. Doing it this time brings me discomfort for whatever reason. Also, his condition…I'm defined not sure that I can do it.

“Is the loving part necessary?” I asked and he just nodded.

What will I do? How can I do that when I don’t feel any care for him? How can I act as loving when there’s no love at all? But then, do I have any choice?

“I’ll try”

“You won’t try. You don’t have any choice, you will do it” he replied as he slides the paper back to me.

I hesitantly picked the pen up and signed it while holding my breath. I feel my hands tremble like my own body doesn’t agree on everything that is happening right now. I’m doing it all against my will but I’m doing this for my family.

“Other conditions may be added and discussed by both parties after the wedding. Just a tip, I always stick to the rules, terms and conditions so think as much as you can. After the given time, everything’s up to me”

“You’re so bold to say that to my daughter in front of me, Mr. Blackwood” my father finally spoke after so long of being silent.

“You don’t really have a choice, do you?”

The fiend may have won this round, but the battle isn’t over. I’ll definitely have a strike back. And when I do, I’ll make sure that it’ll ruin your whole self. Just be ready for it, because I’ll be your downfall.