My Contract With The Beast

chapter 4

He hugged me. His body was shivering from the cold.

"Mia, will you... will you still be my real wife after the contract ends? Without any contract?"

I was shocked. Was this a proposal?

Just then, there was a sound of clapping from behind.

We both turned back.

Grandpa was standing there, with his phone in his hand, and tears in his eyes.

"Wow, Adrian. Finally you had the courage," Grandpa said, smiling. "I called Sophia only so that you would realize how much you love Mia. This was my test. And you passed."

Me and Adrian started looking at each other.

"What do you mean?" Adrian asked.

"It means the contract is over. From now on, your relationship is real. And Sophia? I paid her to come and act!"

There was complete silence in the garden, then we both started laughing.

Adrian hugged me so tightly that I couldn't breathe.

To be continued...CHAPTER 13 - NO MORE CONTRACT

The pieces of the contract were still flying in the cold air.

Adrian was still holding my hand. His hand was warm now.

Grandpa said, "Go inside, both of you. You will catch a cold. We will talk tomorrow."

He left us alone in the garden.

I looked at Adrian. "So, you paid Sophia?"

Adrian quickly said, "No! Grandpa paid her. I really thought she was my ex. I was so jealous when I saw you with her."

I smiled, "You were jealous?"

"Of course I was. You are my wife. Contract or real, you are mine."

He came closer. The cold was gone. Now I could feel only his warmth.

"Mia," he whispered, "I don't want to wait. I want to marry you again. For real this time. No papers, no rules."

I felt tears in my eyes. "Are you proposing to me again, Mr. Adrian?"

He went down on one knee, right there in the garden, on the wet grass.

"Mia, will you marry me? Again? For forever?"

I laughed and cried at the same time.

"Yes, Adrian. Yes, I will."

He stood up and hugged me. This time I could breathe, because this hug felt like home.

From the window, Grandpa was watching us and clapping again.

THE END of contract. START of love.CHAPTER 14 - THE REAL WEDDING

The next morning, the whole mansion was different.

Grandpa had called everyone. The servants were decorating the garden with white flowers. The same garden where Adrian proposed.

I came downstairs in my simple dress, still confused.

"What is all this?" I asked.

Grandpa smiled. "Your real wedding. No contract this time."

Adrian came from behind. He was wearing a black suit. He looked so handsome that my heart stopped.

"Mia," he said, taking my hand, "Yesterday I proposed in an old t-shirt. Today I want to do it properly."

He looked into my eyes. "I don't have a ring yet, but I have my whole life. Will you spend it with me?"

I started crying. "Adrian, we are already married..."

"I know," he said. "But this time, I want you to say yes because you love me, not because of a paper."

Everyone was watching us. Grandpa was already recording on his phone again.

I nodded. "Yes, I love you, Adrian. I love you without any contract."

Adrian hugged me and lifted me in the air. The servants clapped.

Grandpa shouted, "Now this is my grandson! Now kiss your real wife!"

And Adrian kissed me. For the first time, it was not a contract kiss. It was real.

Just then, the main gate opened. A car stopped. Someone got out...

To be continued...CHAPTER 15 - THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

We all turned towards the main gate.

A black car had stopped. The door opened.

It was Sophia.

But this time she was not acting. Her eyes were red, like she had been crying.

Grandpa was shocked. "Sophia? I told you your work is done. Why are you here?"

Sophia looked at Adrian, then at me. "I know you paid me to act, Grandpa. But... I didn't know it would be this difficult."

Adrian left my hand and stepped forward. "What do you mean?"

Sophia took a deep breath. "Adrian... I am really your ex. I was not acting. I really was your girlfriend in college. Grandpa found me and asked me to come, but I said yes because I wanted to see you again."

The whole garden became silent.

I felt my heart beating very fast. I looked at Adrian. His face was pale.

"Mia, I swear I didn't know," Adrian said quickly. "I thought Grandpa hired an actress..."

Grandpa said angrily, "Sophia, what are you saying? You told me you never met him before!"

Sophia started crying. "I'm sorry. I lied. I just wanted one more chance."

I was holding my wedding flowers so tightly that my hands started shaking.

Adrian came to me. "Mia, look at me. You are my wife. Only you."

But I stepped back.

"Is she really your ex, Adrian?" I asked.

Adrian didn't answer. He just kept looking at Sophia, shocked and confused.

And for the first time after the contract ended, I felt scared to lose him.

To be continued...CHAPTER 16 - WHO DO YOU CHOOSE?

Adrian was silent for a few seconds. His silence was hurting me more than anything.

Finally he spoke. "Yes. Sophia was my girlfriend. In college. But that was 5 years ago. It ended."

Sophia cried, "It didn't end for me, Adrian. You left without saying anything. I waited for you."

Grandpa shouted, "Enough! This is Mia and Adrian's real wedding day. Sophia, you need to leave."

But Sophia didn't move. She looked at me. "Mia, I know you are a good girl. But Adrian and I have a history. We loved each other."

I felt tears in my eyes, but I didn't let them fall.

I looked at Adrian. "Adrian, tell her. Tell her you love me now. That I am your real wife."

Adrian held my hand. His hand was cold again.

"Mia," he said, "I love you. I love you more than anything. Sophia is my past. You are my future."

He turned to Sophia. "Sophia, please go. I am married now. I love my wife."

Sophia smiled sadly. "If you love her, then prove it. In front of everyone, tell her you never loved me."

Adrian took a deep breath. "I... I did love you once. But now I love Mia. Only Mia."

I felt my heart break and heal at the same time.

Sophia wiped her tears. "Okay. I understand. Congratulations, both of you."

She turned and started walking towards her car.

Just when I thought everything was over, Adrian's phone rang.

He looked at the screen. His face changed.

It was a hospital call.

To be continued...CHAPTER 17 - THE HOSPITAL CALL

Adrian picked up the phone. "Hello?"

Everyone was silent.

"What? When?" His voice was shaking. "Okay, I am coming."

He cut the call and looked at me.

"Mia, it's Grandpa's doctor. Grandpa's reports... they are not good."

Grandpa frowned. "What reports? I am perfectly fine. I was dancing yesterday!"

Adrian said, "Grandpa, you told me you went for a check-up last week. The doctor said your heart..."

Grandpa's smile disappeared. He sat on the chair.

I ran to Grandpa. "Dada, what happened?"

Grandpa held my hand. "Nothing, my child. Old age. Doctor said my heart is weak. But I am fine."

Sophia stopped near her car. She was also listening.

Adrian said, "Doctor wants us to come to the hospital right now."

The white flowers, the wedding decoration - everything suddenly felt wrong.

I said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."

Adrian looked at Sophia. "Sophia, please leave. We have a family emergency."

Sophia nodded. "I understand. I hope Grandpa is okay."

She left.

Adrian picked up Grandpa. "Come on, Grandpa. Let's go."

Grandpa looked at me and Adrian. "But your real wedding..."

I cried, "Dada, your health is more important than any wedding."

We all rushed to the car. The beautiful garden was left empty, with white flowers flying in the wind.

To be continued...