The blackmail

Chapter 1 Elsa was having mixed feelings on her way back home after the meeting with Dave Rodriguez at his office. What Dave demanded from her in return to help her out was unbelievable. She never expected such a weird offer from him but she accepted it anyway. She had no choice. Her family needed the money that came with the contract. Especially her mom who needed urgent treatment at the hospital. Elsa braced herself for what was to come when she faced her father with Dave's offer. The moment she stepped inside, Mr. Sam, Elsa's father, stood up. Anxiously awaiting what news Elsa returned with. "How did it go, Elsa?" Mr. Sam asked with curiosity written over his face. Elsa couldn't bring herself to speak, so she handed him the paper which contained the agreement she signed up with Dave to read for himself. Mr. Sam quickly grabbed the paper from her and put on his goggles to get a better view of the paper's content. His hands were shaking vigorously as he kept fumbling with the paper. Elsa could sense the grip of anxiousness on him. Elsa's heart was beating fast as she awaits his reaction. "What? This is unacceptable!" Elsa Heard her father say, raising his voice in anger after he had gone through the contract. Elsa knew he was going to react like that. "Dad, I know it doesn't seem right but we don't have much choice left" "That's not true. How could you accept such an offer from him? We barely know him personally" Dad reminded Elsa. "I know Dad, but it's just for a year. That's all. We need the money and you know that" Elsa said in a hushed tone, trying to make her father, Mr. Sam, understand. "True. But am more concerned about you, Elsa. How would you be able to cope living with him?" Mr Sam queried, sounding worried. "You don't have to worry about me, Dad. We had a signed deal. He won't get too close. He has to respect my privacy " Elsa explained to her Dad. Mr Sam was trying to believe Elsa but his curiosity about Dave's offer of a one-year contract marriage with his only child still baffled him. "Why would Dave want you to be married to him for just a year, promising not to get intimate with you? It doesn't make any sense to me!" Mr. Sam says, expressing his confusion over Dave's contract marriage offer. " I did inquire about that but he said it was highly confidential. It's either am in or I should decline the offer. It was that simple to him" Mr. Sam shook his head and sighed heavily. "It's weird Elsa and to be honest, I don't like this idea. He should have loaned you some money instead and included an interest rate to it" Elsa's father suggested. Mr. Sam was worried about what Dave might be hiding. He doesn't want Elsa to get into trouble while trying to get his business and her mom in good shape. "I tried that option too, but it didn't work out. I had no choice but to accept. Besides, we need the money to pay off those pesky shareholders and Mom's hospital bills" Elsa reminded Mr. Sam. "If not for the pandemic, we wouldn't be stuck in such a horrible situation," Mr Sam said in an emotional tone. His eyes got red and almost teary. He was feeling bad that Elsa would have to go through the horrors of being married to someone she had never met before. It was a slap on his face, but he couldn't do anything about it. That's what even pained him the most. Elsa saw the look of misery on his face, she knew exactly what was going on in his mind. "Dad, don't beat yourself up about this. Remember that all businesses were affected by the pandemic also. You've done all you can. It wasn't your fault " Mr. Sam just looked back at Elsa and nodded. Elsa patted her Dad on the shoulder before she left for the bathroom to shower. Elsa was feeling nervous about what to expect in the mysterious marriage. She felt like cutting off the deal but her family was the priority. She was their only hope of restoring her father's business and rescuing her mom from dying in pain. Elsa was plunged in thought as she kept wondering what Dave might be hiding from her. "Why would he want me to be in a contract marriage with him? Is he not worried that I am a total stranger? Elsa wanted to get married but this was not the type she dreamt of because Dave Rodriguez was a total stranger to her. She only knew him to be the CEO and heir to the Rodri-Firms company of his father, Mr. Rodriguez, a popular business mogul in Chicago. Elsa changed up and decided to go and pay her mom a visit at the hospital. While she was about to step out, her father was in the living room tuned to the television. Ever since the pandemic hit, Mr. Sam doesn't miss the news. He was hoping the government would find a way to restore the economic crises. "Any news yet?" Elsa asked Mr. Sam turned to look at her before shaking his head in disappointment "Okay…uhm… Am about to go see Mom at the hospital. I need to see how she's doing" "Alright. Just don't tell her about the contract yet. She definitely won't be in support and you know it" Elsa had already thought about it before her Dad even proposed it to her. " I wasn't planning on doing that. The news might worsen her health. I had hoped you wouldn't tell her either" "Not at all! Your Mom can be stubborn. There's no way we would ever be able to convince her that Dave's offer would be of help to us" Mr Sam said emotionally. Elsa could feel the shame in her father's voice each time he talked about the contract. "I understand. I'll be back soon" Elsa says. But before Mr. Sam could reply to her. An engine sound roared outside as a Porsche vehicle drove into their courtyard And parked there. Perplexed, Elsa and her dad looked outside through the window to know who it was. But the car windows were completely tinted. Nothing could be seen from the outside. Mr. Sam looked over at Elsa. She also looked back at him. "Are you expecting someone? "No Dad," Elsa replied. "Me neither. who could it be then?