Contract written with tears and sorrow

Chapter 5

Jasper’s words echoed in the quiet of my room, filling the air with unsaid stress. “What I have to say will change everything.”

I stared at him, my heartbeat irregular. His face was unreadable, but the weight of his look was overwhelming. My feelings screamed to run, but my feet refused to move. “What do you mean?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

He took a step closer, closing the door behind him. The sound of it clicking shut felt final, like the world outside no longer existed. “Sit down,” he directed, his tone leaving no room for debate.

Reluctantly, I sat on the edge of the bed, holding the hem of my dress. He stood across from me, his presence overwhelming the room. For the first time, I saw a crack in his composure—a spark of doubt in his cold blue eyes.

“What is it, Jasper?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “There are things about our arrangement—about me—that you don’t know. Things I didn’t want you to know.”

My stomach twisted with fear. “What things?”

Jasper’s face hardened, as though bracing himself for what he was about to say. “Your father’s debt—it wasn’t an accident. The company he owed money to was a subsidiary of Jasdor Corporation.”

The room seemed to tilt, his words hitting me like a physical blow. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that your father’s downfall was orchestrated,” he added, his voice flat. “He was targeted because of his connections to you.”

My mind raced, trying to make sense of his statement. “Why? Why would anyone do that?”

Jasper’s jaw tightened, and he shifted his eyes. “Because I needed a wife, and you were... perfect. Your desperation made you cooperative. Your loyalty made you safe.”

My breath caught in my throat, the betrayal ripping through me like a blade. “You did this,” I said, my voice shaking. “You ruined my family’s life just to trap me in this marriage?”

“It wasn’t supposed to go this far,” he said, his tone protective. “But once it started, there was no turning back.”

I shot to my feet, the chair scraping against the floor. “You destroyed my life, Jasper! My father is dead, my mother is sick, and now you’re telling me it was all part of some twisted plan?”

His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of sorrow. “It wasn’t personal, Lila. It was business.”

“Business?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You tore my family apart, and you have the audacity to call it business?”

Anger rushed through me, blotting out the fear and confusion. I shoved past him, pacing the room as my thoughts spun. “You’re a monster, Jasper,” I spat, my hands shaking. “How could you live with yourself after everything you’ve done?”

He flinched, the first sign that my words had struck a nerve. But his reaction was cold and precise. “I did what I had to do. You wouldn’t understand.”

“No, I don’t understand,” I snapped, turning to face him. “I don’t understand how someone can be so heartless, so cruel.”

His face hardened, and he stepped closer, his tall presence sending a shiver down my spine. “You think this was easy for me?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “You think I wanted to hurt you?”

“Didn’t you?” I challenged, meeting his eyes.

For a moment, the room was silent, the energy between us sparking like a live wire. Then he turned away, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly.

“I didn’t expect you to matter,” he admitted, his words barely audible.

The statement hung in the air, leaving me reeling. I wanted to scream, to cry, to hit him. But all I could do was stand there, stunned by the weight of his words.

The days that followed were a blur of pain and anger. I avoided Jasper as much as possible, fleeing to the safety of my room. But even there, I couldn’t escape the crushing weight of his deception.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father’s face, heard my mother’s weaker voice. The understanding that their pain had been organized by the man I was forced to call my husband was heartbreaking.

I tried to busy myself, throwing myself into boring jobs around the house. But the walls felt like they were closing in on me, each room a reflection of the jail I now called home.

One evening, as I sat by the window, looking out at the vast grounds, I heard a soft knock at the door.

“Lila,” Jasper’s voice called, uncertain for the first time.

I didn’t answer.

“Please,” he said, his tone softer than I’d ever heard it. “We need to talk.”

Against my better sense, I opened the door. He stood there, his normal bravado replaced by something almost... fragile.

“I know I’ve hurt you,” he started, his voice calm but low. “And I know I can’t undo what’s been done. But I need you to understand—it wasn’t meant to be like this.”

I stared at him, my heart fighting between rage and the slightest hint of sorrow. “Then what was it supposed to be, Jasper? Another one of your cruel transactions?”

He winced at my words, but he didn’t deny them. “I made a mistake,” he admits. “A big one. But I want to fix it.”

“You can’t fix this,” I said, my voice breaking. “You’ve destroyed everything.”

Before he could reply, the sound of breaking glass broke the nervous quiet. We both turned toward the window, where a rock lay among bits of glass on the floor. Attached to it was a note, scrawled in uneven handwriting.

“You think you’re untouchable, Ildon. Watch your back.”

Jasper’s face changed quickly, his weakness replaced by a hard purpose. He strode to the window, scanning the dark gardens outside.

“Get away from the window,” he demanded, his voice sharp.

“What’s going on?” I asked, my heart racing.

“It’s nothing,” he said, but the tightness in his stance told a different story.

“It doesn’t look like nothing,” I pressed.

He turned to me, his face serious. “Stay in your room. Don’t open the door for anyone.”

“Jasper, you’re scaring me,” I admitted, my voice shaking.

“I’ll handle it,” he said strongly. “Just do as I say.”

As he left the room, my mind ran with questions. Who had sent the message? And what risk was Jasper hiding from me? The man who had controlled every part of my life was suddenly breaking, and for the first time, I felt a flicker of fear—not just for myself, but for him as well.