Chapter 2: The Signature
910 Words
The night was long.
Amelia didn’t sleep. She sat on the floor of her tiny apartment with the contract spread out in front of her, a cheap pen in her hand, and the pregnancy test in her pocket.
Five million dollars.
Medical care for Dad.
A roof. Food. No more collection calls.
All she had to do was sign her name and marry a man she barely knew.
Her phone buzzed at 6:00AM.
[Driver outside. Mr. Blackwood expects you at 8:00AM.]
She didn’t answer. She just got up, showered, and put on the only decent dress she owned. Navy blue. Simple. It used to be her mom’s.
At 7:55AM, she was standing in front of the glass doors of Blackwood Tower again.
The same driver. The same silent elevator. The same cold penthouse.
Damian was already there. No suit jacket this time. White shirt, sleeves rolled up. He looked like he hadn’t slept either. Papers were spread across the coffee table. Lawyers’ papers.
He looked up when she walked in.
“You came,” he said. Like he wasn’t sure she would.
“I had a choice,” Amelia said quietly. “It just wasn’t a good one.”
Something flickered in his gray eyes. Surprise? Respect? It was gone in a second.
He gestured to the chair. “Sit.”
She did. Her hands were shaking again. She clasped them together so he wouldn’t see.
Damian slid the contract toward her. It was thicker in the morning light. 12 pages.
“Read it,” he said. “Every clause.”
“I don’t need to,” she whispered. “I know what it says.”
“You need to.” His voice wasn’t unkind. Just firm. “Because once you sign, there’s no going back.”
So she read.
Clause 1: Marriage for 1 year.
Clause 2: Public appearances required. No mention of contract to press.
Clause 3: Child custody goes to Damian Blackwood after birth.
Clause 4: Amelia Carter receives $5,000,000 upon signing + medical coverage for father.
Clause 5: No romantic relationship. Separate bedrooms.
Clause 6: Confidentiality. Breach = $10,000,000 penalty.
Her throat went dry at Clause 3. Child custody goes to Damian.
She looked up. “You’re taking my baby?”
“I’m giving my child my name. My protection. My future,” Damian said. “You will have visitation rights. Two weekends a month. But the child lives here. With me.”
Tears stung her eyes. “That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, Miss Carter.” He leaned forward. “But I’m not a monster. You’ll be taken care of. The baby will be taken care of. Your father will be taken care of. That’s more than you have right now.”
Amelia stared at the last page. A line for her signature. Next to it, Damian’s was already there. Bold. Black ink.
One signature and her whole life changes.
She thought of her dad in that hospital bed. She thought of the eviction notice. She thought of the tiny heartbeat she couldn’t afford to feed.
Her hand shook as she picked up the pen.
“Wait,” Damian said suddenly.
Amelia froze. “What?”
He reached across the table and took the pen from her hand.
“If you’re doing this because you think you have no other choice, then don’t sign.” His voice was low. “I need someone who can handle this. The press. My family. My board. If you break in 3 months, it ruins everything.”
Amelia laughed bitterly. “You think I want this? You think I woke up and chose to be a contract wife?”
“No,” Damian said. “But I need to know you won’t run.”
She met his eyes. Stormy. Tired. Honest for the first time.
“I’m not running,” she said. “I’m surviving.”
She took the pen back.
And signed.
Amelia Carter.
The ink was still wet when Damian’s assistant walked in with two other men in suits.
“Congratulations, Mr. Blackwood. Mrs. Blackwood,” the lawyer said. “The marriage certificate will be filed today. It’s a private ceremony. Judge will be here in 20 minutes.”
20 minutes.
Amelia’s heart hammered. “Today?”
“Today,” Damian confirmed. He stood and adjusted his cuff. “We don’t have time to waste. My father has 2 months left. He wants to meet you.”
Before Amelia could respond, the judge arrived. A short ceremony. No guests. No flowers. Just vows she didn’t mean and a ring that was too big on her finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the judge said.
Damian slipped the ring on her finger. Cold metal. Heavy.
It was done.
She was now Mrs. Damian Blackwood.
The second the judge left, Damian turned to her.
“Pack your things. You’re moving in today. We leave for the hospital to see my father at 3PM.”
Amelia nodded, numb.
As she walked to the guest room to drop her small bag, Damian’s phone rang.
He answered. Listened. His jaw tightened.
He hung up and looked at her.
“My ex-fiancée just saw the marriage filing,” he said. “And she’s furious.”
Amelia stopped breathing.
“Welcome to the Blackwood family, Amelia.”
”END of Chapter 2 -- Who is The EX fiancee and what Trouble is she About to Cause ?”
- Writer
