Mayor's Dutiful Wife

3. Fooled

I woke up to sun rays streaming in through the glass window. I stretched my arms above my head. I needed Martha's Coffee.

I freshened up and wore a blue floral sundress and skipped down the stairs.

"What the f**k are you doing here?" An annoying high-pitched voice fell on my ears.

"Good morning to you too, Nancy," I said rolling my eyes

"It's her house, Nancy. Don't you forget that" my dad's voice rang throughout the room making Nancy tremble with fear.

"Good Morning, Hannah"

"Good Morning, dad" I smiled

"Come to my study for a second" he ordered and I followed him.

"I need to sell some old properties of mine since they are all in your name, I need your signatures"

"Sure," I said

I don't know why I was getting nervous. My father had this powerful aura surrounding him that would make anyone nervous.

He took out some files and place them in front of me. I opened them to read when he said: "Can you make this quick, Hannie bear? I need to be at the office in ten minutes"

"Sure, Dad" I signed all of them within the next two minutes.

He smiled triumphantly and picked the files. He strode out of the office without giving me a second glance.

"Now who's going to protect you, b***h," my lovely stepmother said to me

"I am a big girl now, Eva. I don't need anyone to protect me" I said.

It was useless to have a conversation with Eva, she was immature and just plain evil.

I decided to go down to the coffee shop to have breakfast, the one I used to go to with my friends. I entered the coffee shop and the familiar scent of coffee beans and cupcakes filled my nostrils.

"Can I have a latte with strawberry cream cheese croissant"

"Your name?" the man behind the counter asked

"Hannah Clarke," I said and he looked up wide-eyed.

"Hannah Clarke? Ex-Mayor's daughter?" He asked

"Yes?"

"I am Todd, Todd Hemingway"

"Oh my God, Todd. How are you?"

"Well, as you can see. I own this little cafe now, so I've been good" he smiled goofily.

"No way!"

"Hemingway" he retorted and I laughed at his lame joke.

"But you are now some hotshot designer, I heard," he said

"You are looking at the Co-founder of C&W."

"That is so cool"

We sat there in the cafe and talked for hours. He told me about everything that has happened since I left and I told him all about my life. We laughed at our awful childhood memories. We used to be neighbors and he was the first guy I became friends with at school. My phone rang breaking our conversation.

"Dad?" I answered

"Where are you?" He asked agitated, his voice cold and distant

"I am at the Hemingway's café"

"I'll send a car for you. Meet me at my office"

"But-" He hung up on me.

"Everything okay?" Todd asked

"Yeah, my dad wants me at his office like now"

"Oh, I could drop-" he got cut off by a deep voice.

"Miss Clarke?" A man dressed in a black suit asked

"Yes"

"Your father has sent me to fetch you, follow me please," he said professionally.

I followed him to the black limo parked outside. When did dad buy that? He opened the door for me and I slid in. The whole car ride was boring I kept texting my friends back in New York. I missed them.

The car came to a halt and the door opened, I stepped out and then I noticed the inscription on the car's number plate as it drove away.

HARDING

I sucked in a sharp breath.

The earth shifted below my feet, fear built up in my stomach

"Miss Clarke, please follow me" a woman neatly dressed in a pencil skirt and white shirt approached me.

I followed her mindlessly, the name 'Harding' kept playing in my mind over and over again. We stopped outside a large wooden door.

"Your father is waiting for you inside," she said and left me there. I entered and saw my father sitting in his seat working on his laptop.

"Dad"

"You are here. Why don't you sit down" I sat opposite to him and raised my brows in question?

"Look it's going to be a lot to digest but you are a big girl you can handle it," he said plainly

"Now, I am scared" I laughed a little.

"I made you sign some papers this morning"

"Mhm..." My palms were sweaty.

"That was your marriage contract," he said so casually like he didn't just give me a heart attack.

"Excuse me?" I shouted

"Don't raise your voice at me, little girl. I am your father" he roared

"What do you mean?" I leveled my voice.

"That was the official marriage contract that you've signed willingly and I filmed you signing it"

"What are you saying, Dad? I d-don't g-get it" I stuttered

"According to the law, you are now a married woman. All we have to do now is prepare a ceremony for the public"

"Is this some k-kind of a joke, Dad? Please t-tell m-me it's a j-joke" my eyes teared up

"When was I ever the one to joke around, Hannah?" He said seriously

"You can't do this to me!"

"Yes, I can. I have confiscated your passport and ID. You are on a contract with me for two years. You can't leave and if you still tried. I'll crush your tiny little business back in New York and have your business partner, what's his name?" He snapped his fingers trying to remember his name. "Ah, Luke, I can have him killed, and don't challenge me, little girl, because you know I can do that"

"Why are you doing this?" I cried

"Did you really think for a second that I'll give my empire to an immature and idiotic little girl like you? Look at yourself, you were dumb enough to sign your marriage contract without even reading it because I told you to make it quick"

"I never asked you for empire, I have never asked you for anything" I yelled frustratedly.

Tears were streaming down my face uncontrollably. He was the one who kept hoarding my bank accounts. I have told him thousands of times that I don't need his money but he doesn't listen.

"Well, as you are my only legitimate heir, I had to do something about it," he said leaning back in his seat.

"How can you talk about this so easily? You ruined my life and you don't even care?" I asked unbelievably.

"I did you a favor. You call that playing 'dress-up dolls' your life? It's pathetic really. I can't believe you are my blood"

"Dad, please stop whatever you are doing please I beg you. If you ever loved me then please don't do this to me" I cried helplessly

"You will be honored here, you will live with respect. It's just for two years, after that you can leave, I don't care" He shrugged nonchalantly.

"May I ask to w-whom a-am I married to?"

"Of course, you'll be glad to hear his name" he smiled

"......"

"Sebastian Harding," he said and I died inside, right there, sitting on that very seat.

I sobbed into my hands. This can't be happening to me. My sobbed echoed in his office, my shoulder shaking vigorously with each whimper. Someone rubbed my back and I look up to find my father beside me.

"I am not the villain here, your mother also wanted this for you"

"No, please don't use her, please"

"You think she only left you letters? She left me one too" he said and pulled out a crumpled paper from his pocket. He handed it to me and I took it with shaky hands.

________

Dear, Mason

When you'll read this, I'll be gone.

Far away from you and Hannah.

I can't keep doing this and I can't keep living my life pretending that everything is fine. I know you cheated on me multiple times. I know whatever we had between us is long forgotten and gone but I will always love you. I love you and only you till my last breath.

Please take good care of our daughter, she is a symbol of our love.

I hope my daughter can live a happy life unlike me. I know whatever you'll do for her will be in her best interest. Even though you don't love me but I know you love our daughter.

I know I couldn't give you a son, the son you have always wanted but I can relieve you from my unnecessary presence. So, you can marry another woman and bear a son with her.

My only wish is for my daughter to live happily and she will never be happy if my worthless shadow is above her. I am killing myself for her, So she wouldn't have to see me destroying myself with each passing day. I see the fear in her eyes when she sees my anorexic face. She is scared of me, I need to get rid of myself for her sake. She has so much to live for but with me, she will be stuck here. So, I am leaving you and her to live your best life.

Goodbye Mason, I actually meant it when I said till death do us part, I love you.

Your Sophia

________

A great tremor overtook me. Tears raced down my cheeks. I placed the letter against my chest as I sobbed hysterically.

"She died for you, Hannah. She knew I'll only do what was best for you. The least you can do for her is listen to me" he said in my ear and I cried out loudly. Gut-wrenching sobs tore through my chest.