THE DECISION
364 Words
Episode 3
The pen hovered above the contract.
5 million shillings.
My future, renovating my parents old house, e.t.c
I stared at the paper.
Sign... or walk away?
Damion Carter didn’t look up.
He was pretending to read something on his phone.
But I saw it. The slight twitch in his jaw.
He was praying I’d say yes.
The room was colder than a morgue.
I shivered, even in my coat.
This was a deal with a ghost.
A man who’d never loved anyone.
Who’d never needed anyone.
And I... needed to survive.
I thought of the orphanage.
Sister Akinyi's words: "You’re 22 now, Freya. Time to make your own way."
No one told me the way was a contract with a stranger.
I looked up.
Damion’s eyes snapped to mine for 0.5 seconds.
Ice cold.
Then back to his phone.
He doesn’t care if I say no.
He doesn’t care if I die.
But... he wants this deal.
And that’s when I saw it.
A flicker.
A muscle in his cheek. Tension.
He’s scared I’ll walk away.
Why?
---
My mind flashed back 3 years ago.
Summer heat. The orphanage’s dusty courtyard.
A rich-looking man had come to donate. 1 million shillings.
Me: 19. Barefoot. Uniform faded.
Sister Akinyi pushed me forward.
"Freya, thank the gentleman."
But he wasn’t looking at me.
He was staring at the broken tiles.
And I... was scrubbing them. Hard.
"Why are you cleaning?" he’d asked. Voice deep.
"I want to earn shoes," I said.
He didn’t give me shoes.
He gave me a nod.
And left.
That night, Sister Akinyi whispered,
"Freya, he donated 5 million instead of 1. Because of you."
Damion Blackwood.
---
I hadn’t remembered until now.
He hadn’t looked at me then either.
But he’d watched me.
And now... he wanted me.
---
His grandfather had died 6 months ago.
The old man’s last words (rumor):
"Find a wife. Give me a grandchild. Or the company dies with me."
Damion needed a wife.
And I needed 5 million.
The pen felt heavy.
I lowered it.
Tipped the ink onto the paper...
Damion head snapped up.
For a second, I saw something human.
Please...
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