The Contract Wife

CHAPTER THREE

Sophie pushed the key into the lock of her apartment, she was exhausted and had not eaten anything the whole day, it was already evening. The door creaked as she opened it slowly and turned on the switch. She was shocked at the sight that greeted her, her living room was in shambles, broken furniture and glass was on the floor, the whole place was upside down.

A note laid in the middle of the mess and it read.

“I WILL GET YOU SOPHIA!!!”

Sophie dropped to the floor shivering in fear, she knew very well who the message was from and she knew it was not an empty threat. She was tired of living in fear because of choices she had made in the past. She was helpless and had no one to run.

Her father was an absentee father who abused her mother every chance he got. Her mother spent her days getting drunk or using drugs. Sophia had to raise herself and younger sister, it had been a terrible experience, and they could barely feed themselves. She did odd jobs to cater for the family. Sophia had left home when she was eighteen with her younger sister.

She recalled how she had first met him.

It was one of those days when she was tired and wanted to give up on life, she had gone to a nearby park that morning to clear her head.

“Do you want a cigarette? It helps” he had said as he sat next to her on the park bench.

“I don’t smoke” She said passively she was not here for chit chat she needed to clear her head.

“What’s your story?”

They had started to talk and James became the friend she needed.

They began to date. He had been sweet at first but with time she saw a side of him she had not expected. The first time he hit her, he had begged and cried. she waved it off as a mistake but it became more frequent and more intense. James got angry at anything and everything.

Every time Sophie tried to leave the relationship he would threaten to hurt her and hurt himself. He stole any money she tried to save up for herself. She got fed up and she decided it was time to get out of the hell hole. She parked up and moved from the city and had kept a low profile. That was well over a year ago and now he had found her again.

*********

Lucas flipped through the file Tom had just handed to him.

“Sophie Lily Anderson, never went to college…., You know what, I will look at this later.”

“With what we have sir, this could be the perfect Cinderella story, it will show the media that you have a good and humane side and you don’t care about class”

“Do I arrange a meeting sir?” Tom continued as he adjusted his glasses.

“No, don’t worry about it I will take it from here”

Thomas looked at his boss strangely but nodded anyway.

“You may leave I will let you know when I need anything”

“Alright sir”

Mike walked in just as Tom was leaving the office.

“You should learn to answer your calls Mr CEO” he said as he sat down opposite Lucas.

“I’m sorry man, I have just been busy with work” Lucas replied.

“I wonder what will happen when you get married”

“Speaking of which, I think I found my contract wife”

“Who is it?” Mike leaned in curiously

“Her name is Sophie, the waitress from the dinner last week”

“No way! You could have chosen any other girl, this is serious business Lucas”

“I know, that is why I chose her”

Mike stared at his friend in disbelief wondering what had come over him.

********

Sophie spent her week fixing what could be fixed in between shifts. She could barely sleep. She did not have enough money to move to a new city and she was already in debt. Her choices were limited with the amount of debt she had accumulated.

It was Saturday and she had a free day today. She lay in bed for the most part of the day hardly eating anything. Her friend Emily brought her lunch.

“So you're telling me that you met Lucas Blackwood in person?” Emily shrieked.

“Yeah, what’s the big deal?” Sophie asked

“Girl! If it were me, I’d be pregnant by now”

“Too bad I’m not you” Sophie laughed.

“Do you know who this man is?”

“Yes, he is human just like the rest of us”

“Ok I get it, I really hope you get the job babe”

“I doubt it” Sophia sighed.

Sophie’s phone rang at that moment and she almost jumped out of her skin.

“The damn phone” she swore under her breath.

“Who is it?” Emily asked.

It was an unsaved number, she did not pick it on the first ring hoping whoever it was would leave her alone. Maybe it was James, she thought with her heart pounding aggressively.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

She didn’t want to tell Emily about James.

The phone rings again and she picks it up this time waiting for the person on the other side of the line to speak.

“Hello?” A male baritone spoke at the other end.

“Hi” Sophie responded

“Am I speaking with Sophie Anderson?” He asked

“Yes”

“This is Lucas Blackwood”

“Oh! Hello sir” She sat up straight in anticipation.

“This is about your application with Blackwood Holdings”

Sophie held her breath unsure of what the news would be.

“I have a better offer and I would like to have a meeting with sometime next week, it is a sensitive issue so the meeting will be at my house”

What was he playing at? What did he mean by better offer? Sophie knew where this was going, he wanted to sleep with her, why would he want a meeting in his house?

“Are you there?” his asked

“Mr Lucas if this is anything about getting me in your bed I would have to decline”

The line went silent for a while.

“Who said anything about sleeping with anyone? I have no interest in you and you are not my type of woman to begin with” Lucas fired back

Sophie felt like she had been hit in the chest, she was too forward.

“My secretary will send you the address and time” he paused for a second “And wear good shoes”

The phone beeped dead before Sophie could say another word.

“Damn you Lucas Blackwood!” she screamed into her pillow.

“Who was that?”

“Mr Blackwood, he wants me to meet him at his house next week”

“OMG! We need a new dress, your hair, everything has to be perfect” Emily shrieked

“Calm down, I am not going”

“What? Not on my watch, you are going even if I have to tie you up and deliver you to him”

“How did I end up with a friend like you?” Sophia laughed.

“I know, you love me. Now let’s go get you a dress. Don’t worry I am paying” she said, dragging Sophie up from the bed.