The Contract

Chapter4

“Tanie…”, She called out softly.

"Are you okay?".

“ Did you get hurt anywhere??" He asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, she stuttered.

She suddenly held on to her head, she shook her head repeatedly.

Just then the memory of the day before, came rushing into her head.

“ The acid…” She took her gaze to the little that spilled on the billboard; which left a clean spot on the billboards then back to Tanie's face.

Lottie's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at Tanie, disbelief written all over her face.

She could hardly comprehend what had just happened.

The acid meant for her had inexplicably failed to harm him.

"How... how is this possible?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

"It didn't have an effect on you because you are a vampire?" She drawled.

Tanie stared at her, totally dazed.

How did she regain her memory back?.

"A vampire?" He raised his brows.

"What are you talking about?", He waved off laughing hysterically.

"I'm not playing here!".

"I need a genuine reply!”, she yelled.

He stared at her for a while, then he suddenly burst out laughing.

And then the laughter suddenly disappeared.

His hands went to her shoulder, gripping her hard. He pulled her.

Tanie sighed, his gaze fixed on her.

"I suppose there's no point in hiding it any longer," he began reluctantly.

"I'm not exactly human, Lottie."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean you're not human?"

Tanie hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I'm a vampire."

Lottie's mind reeled, trying to process the confirmation.

"A vampire?" she repeated incredulously.

Tanie nodded, a smug smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Yes, a vampire".

His eyes slowly turned reddish in color.

His two fangs slowly grew out.

He gave Charlotte a weird smile, a charming demonic smile.

Charlotte stared at him partially shocked.

“ Let me make a quick introduction”.

"I'm Nathaniel Gilbert, the head of the Vampire clan”.

“And not just any vampire”.

“ I'm centuries old, with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortals.”

" I'm a blood sucking monster, a monster all human should fear”, He chuckled,. followed by another hysterical laughter.

The acidic liquid on his back slowly drew out of his body, forming a large ball of water.

And then it landed on the floor splashing everywhere.

"Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!" Lottie yelled, covering her eyes.

Tanie angrily removed the hands she used in blocking her eyes.

He stared at her with a sinister grin.

" Tell me, do you still want to get married to me now?”, He asked.

Lottie stared at him, she was short of words.

Her mind raced with a million questions, but before she could utter a word, her phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID and her heart skipped a beat – it was the hospital.

With trembling hands, she answered the call. "Hello?"

"Ms. Daniels?" Came the voice on the other end.

"This is Madam Smith from St. Michael's Hospital."

Lottie's breath caught in her throat.

"Yes, Madam Smith. What's wrong?"

"There's been an accident," Madam Smith replied gravely.

"Your fiancé, Francis, has been admitted to the emergency room."

Lottie's blood ran cold.

"Is he... is he okay?"

Tanie stared at her.

And immediately he went back to his normal self.

"I'm afraid his condition is critical," Madam Smith said gently.

"You should come to the hospital right away."

Lottie felt a wave of panic wash over her.

Francis was in critical condition, and they didn't know if he would survive.

She turned to Tanie, her voice barely a whisper.

"I need to go to the hospital."

Tanie nodded, his expression unreadable.

"I'll take you there."

**

Tanie pulled out the car at the parking lot.

Lottie rushed out, dashing into the hospital, heading to the emergency room.

Her heart pounding in her chest.

She found Madam Smith waiting for her, her expression grim.

"Ms. Daniels, I'm afraid Francis's condition worsened and went out of our control," Madam Smith said softly.

"We did everything we could, but..."

Lottie's heart sank. "But what?"

Madam Smith hesitated, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Daniels. Francis... he didn't make it."

The words hit Lottie like a physical blow.

She felt as though the world had been ripped out from under her feet.

Francis was gone – her ex fiancé, the man she had planned to spend the rest of her life with, was dead.

Tears filled her eyes as she sank to her knees, the weight of grief crushing her.

And as she sobbed uncontrollably, Tanie watched from the sidelines, his expression unreadable.

He watched in silence as Lottie cried bitterly over the loss of her ex-fiancé.

His heart ached for her, but he knew there was nothing he could say to ease her pain.

Almost immediately, Francis's family rushed into the hospital.

Mrs. Wilson rushed to the doctor immediately.

“ Where's my son?", She asked impatiently.

“ How's my son?!"she yelled, staring at the sorrow filled eyes of the doctor.

“ I'm sorry ma'am, we lost him", The doctor finally replied.

“ You.. you did what??!!", She yelled.

“ If you lost him then find him!!".

“ How could you endeavor to lose my son?!",Her voice cracked.

Tears rolling down her cheeks.

“ I'm sorry ma'am", The doctor repeated before walking away.

“ My son.. Someone find my son!", Mrs Wilson sank to her kneels, crying uncontrollably.

" Ma.. Please don't cry.. “, Lottie tried consoling, but her voice gave her off.

Showing that even she needed consoling.

The expression on Mrs Wilson's face suddenly turned to anger.

"He died because of you!" Francis's mother spat, her eyes burning with hatred.

"He was driving recklessly because you cheated on him and had the audacity to call off the wedding!", His father who had been standing in a corner grieving softly accused.

Lottie stared at them, her heart aching.

They wasted no time in blaming her for their son's death, hurling accusations at her with venomous words, for nothing she knew nothing of.

Tanie suddenly walked up to them, seeing how shattered Lottie was.

“ I guess you guys just love to put blame on others don't you?".

“ You claimed she killed him”, He scoffed.

“ Tell me was she driving the car!", He yelled.

The two couples stared at him, their words hung in their throat.

" Let's go”, He grabbed Lottie by the hand.

Lottie took her glance to the ward room, catching a glimpse of Francis' dead body that was already covered up.

Without a word, she turned and left the hospital, her heart heavy with grief and guilt.

**

Tanie slowly opened up the door, allowing a gloomy looking Lottie to walk in.

“ Should I make tea?", He asked even though he new nothing about her house, not even where the kitchen was.

“ No.. I will just go take a shower", She gave him a al smile before walking upstairs.

The pains in her eyes were vivid to him.

Why mask it up with a smile?

" I would stay over for the night! “, He yelled after her but no response came in.

**

Tanie slowly walked into her room.

She stripped naked and walked into the bathroom.

She puts on the shower and slowly slides downwards, hitting her butt on the floor.

The cold water pouring on her sinas I'd watching her sins away.

Everything came flushing back.

How she met Francis.

Their memories together.

How he proposed to her.

How she broke up their engagement.

And now his death.

His mother was right.

She caused it.

**

NEXT MORNING

Lottie got out of bed in an hurry.

She walked into the bathroom and had a quick shower.

Grabbing her toothbrush, she did justice to her teeth.

In few minutes she was all creamed and all dressed in black.

She trodden downstairs, heading outside.

“ Good morning", Tanie gave a smile.

His eyes suddenly trailed down her body.

“ Where are you off to?", He asked.

“ To Francis' funeral", She replied.

“ I thought they made it clear that they despise Yiu now?", He said frustrated.

" I know but I still wanna go”, Her voice cracked up.

" Fine!”,He half-yelled.

" Let's go”, He said calmly, heading for the door with Lottie trailing behind.

**

“ Please wait here, I would be quick", Lottie requested, holding the flower in her hand firm.

“ You can go, I wouldn't like to go in anyways", Tanie scoffed.

Lottie nodded and slowly walked into the funeral.

She slowly approaches Francis's casket.

Almost immediately Mrs. Wilson caught sight of her.

Her anger rate increased rapidly.

She stormed toward Lottie, stopping her just in time for her to place her flower on his casket.

She grabbed the flower and flung it away.

"What are you doing here?", She seethed.

" Get out!", She pointed at the entrance.

“ I won't", Lottie retorted.

"I have every right to be here!", She added.

"You have no right to be here!" Francis's father bellowed, his face twisted with rage.

“ It's all your fault! You drove him to his death!", Mrs. Wilson accused.

"You should never have been with him in the first place!", He said

"I loved him! And now he's gone!", She said bitterly, her voice cracking up.

"You're not welcome here. Leave now!", She suddenly heard a familiar voice, it was Violet.

"You've caused enough pain to our family already kindly leave!”, Francis' father clasped his hand.

“ Francis was a part of my life!"

"Not anymore”, His mother said.

"Violet is our new daughter-in-law now”, She boasted.

"What?!”, Lottie voiced out, completely shocked.

“ So, Get out!", She added.

Lottie stared at each one of them and then to her shattered flower that laid on the floor.

" Goodbye Francis “, She managed to utter before walking out.

**

"Are you okay?", Tanie asked noticing herood immediately as she came into the car.

"No... I'm not okay".

“ My ex-fiancé is dead and his family blames me for it.”

“ I… “, Her voice cracked up again.

"They're wrong, Lottie”.

“ You're not responsible for his death”, Tanie consoled.

"I know, but it still hurts”,She confessed, sobbing like a baby.

“ Hey.. It's okay", He patted her hair softly.

Her phone suddenly buzzed off

She slowly grabbed it, swiping the answer button.

"Hello?".

"Ms. Daniels?.. I'm calling from the General Hospital”.

“ Your mother got shot and was rushed here a few minutes ago”, The caller informed.

"What?!”, Her phone slipped off her hand immediately.