Contract Husband.

Rosalind ran through the large hallway, she held her dress Up to ease her pace and hasten her steps, she ran from the hallway to the stairs like crazy, like her life depended on it. She managed to get to large family living room, she was still panting as she ran her eyes through every corner of the room, her mother, her father and a family members of the household were all standing at different corners of the room, she also noticed a few people in the room which she had never met before. "It must be them" she whispered as she brushed through the small clusters of people in the room and headed towards her father. "The marriage would commence in a week Sir Alberto" one of the strangers, who seemed to be a very prominent man spoke. "Sure it would, we would make the necessary preparations in respect to that" Rosalind's father smiled as he exchanged a handshake with the stranger. "No I won't be getting married, there will be no wedding or marriage!" Rosalind screamed as she ran towards her father, "father, mother I won't be getting married!" she continued to scream. The whole room went still, so still that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone in the room turned their eyes to Rosalind who fearlessly walked closer and closer towards her father. Her father let out a sigh, took in a deep breath, and turned to his daughter. "Rosalind you shouldn't be here" he said. "Why is that? You want to cart me away to a man I don't even know talk less of love?" Rosalind asked as she stood in front of her father. "Child please get back inside" her mother pleaded as she crept out from behind her husband. "Mother NO! What's all this, does anyone not care about how I feel or what I think!?" Rosalind yelled, tears had already began to fall from her brown eyes onto her tender fair face, she bit her small red lips to stop any sound from escaping through it. "You are getting married to Victor and that's final" her father answered sternly. "But....." "No buts young lady, it's final" her father interrupted as he turned back and continued his talk with this stranger. "Dad you can't do this to me, I'm your own daughter!" Rosalind yelled, still in sobs. "Guards, please take her away" her father ordered as he continued his talk with the stranger. "No father you can't do this to me, you just can't!" Rosalind yelled as she was slowly dragged out of the living room, she continued to yell and struggle till she was tossed out of the living room and the large doors shut before her, she knelt in front of the door, covering her face with her palms and began to sob loudly, "this isn't happening, it's just not happening" she cried. A terrible rain fell that night swinging the fruit trees in the large mansion from side to side, Rosalind sat on her window plain as she watched the trees, her eyes were all red and swollen, her black curly hair was all messy, her lips were bruised and swollen. She opened her window and the strong wind blew into her room accompanied by drops of rain, she closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of rain that filled the air and smiled to herself, just then, she heard a knock on the door. "My Lady" a voice called out "Yes who is it?" Rosalind responded "You father wishes to see you, please come down to the living room" the voice announced once again, Rosalind sighed as she shut the window. "Tell him I would be down in a minute" she said. "Alright my lady" the voice responded. Rosalind stood from where she had been sitting and made her way straight to the door and opened it. She continued to walk through the hallways and stairs till she got to the living room, this time, there were no guards at it's entrance and the doors were in fact opened, Rosalind walked into the living room nonchalantly, her few relatives paving the way as she walked in, her father and mother stood at the far end of the room, they both turned when they heard footsteps approaching them. Rosalind got to were her parents stood and stopped. "Oh baby look at you, you look terrible" her mother gasped. "You two are the reason I look like hell" Rosalind cut in swiftly. "Tame your tounge young woman" her father cautioned, his cold glare meeting Rosalind's swollen, empty eyes. "Why? Why have you all decided to treat me this way, like a slave, when I am in my own house" Rosalind complained bitterly, tears were began to well up in her eyes again, her voice cracked as she spoke. "Child it's for your sake and our sake, please be reasonable" her mother spoke softly. "Oh I should be reasonable? I see, no one thinks about my feelings, it's all for your prestige and power and for that reason I must pay the price and be with a man I have never seen in my life!" Rosalind yelled. Her tears and sadness had turned to bitterness and anger, her whole body jerked in anger, she clenched her fists hard and bit her already bruised lips again. "Would you shut up young lady! Do you think I wanted this?!" Her father yelled. "Yeah right" Rosalind muttered as she followed her arms, her father got infuriated by her actions, he yelled and stormed towards her and slapped her. "Alberto stop!" Her mother yelled as she stopped her husband from slapping Rosalind from slapping Rosalind again. "Bertha your daughter is getting on my nerves, she doesn't just get anything!" He yelled. "You are getting married in a week and that's final!" Rosalind's father announced. "Then why was I called out when my fate has already been decided? I'll be upstairs and I won't want to be disturbed" Rosalind announced as she stormed off the room, everyone present gasped as she left the living room. "Maybe you should be patient with her Alberto" Bertha spat as she walked out of the room leaving her husband. Everyone began to leave the room murmuring and talking to each other. Sir Alberto stood in the room all alone, he let out a big sigh and sat in one of the fancy sofas in the living room, "she doesn't get it, my dear Rosa doesn't" he sighed as he removed his hat, "no one ever does" he continued. "Rosalind can I talk to you?" Bertha asked while she knocked at Rosalind's room door. "Go away mother, I do not wish to see you!" Rosalind yelled from inside of her room. "Sweetheart let's talk, please, I won't take much time" Bertha pleaded. After about two minutes, Rosalind opened the door, "come in mother" she muttered, "oh thank you" her mother said as she let out a smile. "What is it mother?" Rosalind asked as she sat on her bed, her mother sighed as she walked towards her daughter and sat besides her, she placed her pale hand on her daughter's shoulder but Rosalind wouldn't budge, she sat still and stared at the empty ceiling, Bertha sighed again. "Rosa dear can you let me explain?" Bertha asked. "What else do you want to explain mother?" Rosalind asked without even looking back at her mother. "Your father never intended for things to get this bad, but he didn't have a choice" Bertha said softly. "Yeah sure so I should make up for it" Rosalind spat. "Rosa listen to me, the whole household depends on you right now, we are very vulnerable at this point, we lost your brother through poisoning five months ago and there is no one left to uphold the family legacy and shield us from our enemies. We have enemies within already and the family is becoming a shadow of itself" Bertha said softly but sorrowfully, Rosalind slowly turned and sat face to face with her mother. "What?" Rosalind whispered softly, "Yes my daughter, your father has been keeping everything that goes on in the family a secret in other to protect us all, the only way this family could be saved is if you married a very powerful man, marrying an influential man would guarantee the safety of this household" Bertha said. "But why didn't father ever mention the state of this family to me or anyone in the family?" Rosalind asked desperately. "You know your father, he never wants anyone knowing his problems or heartaches, besides there are enemies all around, your father doesn't want to expose the family's weakness to anyone, even though the signs are there" Bertha continued. Rosalind's eye sunk, she shook her head in despair, she stood up from her bed and paced the room unsteadily, then she stopped and walked towards her mother, she knelt down in front of her mother and took her mother's hands as she looked into her eyes desperately. "Mama, I-I, I didn't know all these" Rosalind stammered. "I know my dear that's why I'm telling you now" her mother smiled. "But mama there is a problem" Rosalind said, her head dropped as she spoke. "What is the problem my daughter? Talk to me" Bertha said as she lifted up Rosalind's face. "I'm in love with someone else" Rosalind whispered. Her mother gasped, "oh Rosalind" she whispered, "I don't know what to do" Rosalind muttered, "It's your choice my dear, you can choose your heart or to save your family" her mother whispered. "Not like I got a choice" Rosalind said, "you do, I know you well, you are as stubborn and strong-willed just like your father" her mother giggled. "The choice is yours my dear, but the Blanco family needs you, you should know that" Bertha said, she stood up and quietly walked towards the door, "Goodnight my dear Rosa" she said as she shut the door behind her. Rosalind sat on the floor, her eyes were not just sad this time but confusion was now in the mix, she scratched her head, but no ideas came in. "What do I do now?" She thought to herself but no answers came into her mind, she lay on her bed to see if she could sleep it over but sleep wouldn't come.