PASSION'S CONTRACT

CHAPTER 4

Antoine and Marie walked through the garden and into the main house. He hated having to attend family gatherings. Not for any particular reason; he just didn't always want to be around his family members, especially the extended ones. It just seemed like a waste of time to him.

As they took their seats at the table, Cynthia, Antoine's stepsister, joined them. She was a short lady with a high-pitched voice. She wore heavy make-up and seemed to be interested in color rioting, as all she wore, from her hair to her makeup to her clothes, and then her shoes were all in contrasting colors.

"Wow, I love your hair," she said, feeling Marie's hair lightly.

"Oh, thanks."

"But the color anyway, it makes me remember those irritating rashes Sonia had on her elbow some time ago." She said, gesturing to her brother, smith, who was already seated at the table. "Do you remember, those tiny, numerous rashes on her skin?"

"You should leave our guest and take your seat, Cynthia," Sonia said while Cynthia rolled her eyes.

"And why on Earth are you dressed in corporate clothes? Are you so illiterate not to know what to wear for dinner?" Smith commented. He was the only son Diana gave birth to. He was dressed like a pop star, with tattoos all over his body.

"Uhm-I-I-", Marie stammered.

"I am sure she had to rush from work. She seems to be a very busy person." Diana, Antoine's stepmother, came in.

"More like a job seeker," Hannah, Antoine's aunty, smirked.

"So how is my business going, Antoine?" Mr. Donovan asked.

"It's my business now, not yours. And it's not your business how I run it anyway," Antoine said, taking a sip of his wine.

"I am trying to get something straight here, Antoine. Is this lady your girlfriend?" George, one of Antoine's uncles, asked.

"She is my fiancee. And we are getting married in two weeks," Antoine declared, causing a reaction from every direction in the room. Even Marie was surprised at the announcement.

Two weeks was way too early.

The aunt's and uncle's on the dinning, felt like they were being force-fed dog food.

How would they accept this while sitting down and saying nothing?

"Welcome to the family," Diana welcomed with a smile on her face, yet her eyes were calculative.

"Your fiancee? How could you suddenly have a fiancee?" Dorothy started in a rather high tone.

"And what's wrong with me having a fiancee?" he replied when his full mouth was empty.

"Well, you barely know this girl. When did you meet? Have you been-"

"Dorothy, I do not think that it's your business whether or not Antoine has a fiancee," his stepmother interfered.

"Marie, dear, could you properly introduce yourself?" Sonia smiled brightly at Marie. Ah, yes, another green tea.

"Ohh. Of course, uhm-", Marie tried so hard to find her words. She wasn't so sure of the kind of atmosphere that was present. It didn't have the feeling of warmth and joy that she knew a family should have.

"You can't speak?" Mr. Donovan said, making Marie jump in her seat.

"I-I-I am a business entrepreneur. Sir."

"What type of business?"

"I run a bakery, sir," she said, her voice still trembling.

"Really? That's good. You know, I have this special likeness for confectionaries," Diana said, smiling, to Antoine's confusion. His stepmother definitely did not like pastries. He could vividly remember that he was never allowed to take them when he was younger because his stepmother termed them "junks."

Marie felt much more comfortable. At least she seemed to be welcomed by Antoine's stepmother. And in fact, she was content with that. Her relationship with the others might not matter, but she needed to be in a good relationship with his stepmother. But did she even really need to be in a relationship with any of them at all? It was just a contract marriage, so what's the use of investing so much in it?

"What is the essence of your relationship? Do you wish to get married to her?" Mr. Donovan asked his son.

"Yes, Father, I wish to marry her as I said earlier. And soon".

"You will do no such thing", Hannah angrily declared, rising to her feet.

"You will not disobey me on my table," Mr. Donovan exclaimed. Making the flared-up Hannah sit like a deflated ball.

"I am so sorry, brother," Hannah said calmly, and Marie decided there and then that Hannah was the craziest of the three aunties.

"Do whatever you see fit, boy," the head of the house said, rising from the dining room into his living room.

"Yes, father," Antoine replied.

"What exactly are you talking about, Antoine?" His stepmother started, "We have never met her before which means you haven't been together for a long time. You two need to know each other properly first before venturing into marriage"

Marie suddenly started to imagine what having a stepmother would be like and how much life would be easier. She would have agreed to Antoine's stepmother if not for the fact that this was not a real marriage.

"Diana, that remains my decision," Antoine replied. He didn't give her the respect of calling her mother, and he never would.

"I advise you to watch her properly; she could be a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Marie wanted to scuff; at least she had the right to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, but some didn't mind being a wolf without hiding it.

The people who were all bark had no bite.

"Marie, let's leave," he said, pulling Marie's hand to stand up. Marie looked at the untouched meal with longing before going out with him. Not without saying goodbye to everyone and only getting a reply from Diana.

After Antoine left, Diana stood up from the table to smack her children on the back of their heads.

"By tomorrow, if you both don't start dressing like actual nobles, you'll be disowned by me." After speaking, she walked out of the dining room to hatch a plan. It was way too fast; that boy wasn't giving her enough time to think.