CONTRACTED DESTINY

CHAPTER ONE THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED The sky usually dark that evening, thick clouds rolled across the heavens and the wind howled like it was carrying bad news from somewhere far away. I was only five, sitting on the floor of my small pink bedroom, playing with my dolls unaware that my world was about to collapse. The door creaked open, I looked up and saw my father standing there his eyes were red, his face looked drained like all the life had out of him "daddy?" I asked, smiling innocently.He walked towards me slowly his steps heavy, when he reached me, he knelt down and held my shoulders "Jessa" his voice trembled "your mother .... she's gone " I blinked gone? "gone where?" I asked he closer his eyes tightly, and a tear slipped doen his cheek. "she's dead" . The words meant nothing to me at first but when he pulled me into his chest and began to cry. I felt something shift inside me. I started crying too not because I understood death, but because I knew something terrible had happened that night, my childhood ended. Years passed by the time I turned eight, my father decided I needed a mother figure in my life. He married a woman named rose. Rose was young, beautiful...and cold. She had a son my age Tarry unlike his mother. tarry was kind, we became friends by something stronger than blood. But rose never liked me. she treated me like an unwanted guest in my own home. When my father wasn't around, she would insult me, push me aside, and sometimes starve me as punishment for things I never did,Tarry would cry beside me at night when she seperated us into different rooms." don't worry", he would whisper"I'll always protect you". But even he couldn't protect me from what was coming. On my eighteenth birthday, rose handed me document"sign it ", she ordered "what is this" I asked " a marriage agreement" My hands trembled."yes" she replied you're getting married next month . You'll leave this house and never return" she said. I stared at her in disbelief " dad would never agree to this" she smiled slow and cruel." he already has" that was the day I realized my father had chosen peace over me. The engagement party was grand. CEOs, inventors, wealthy families-every one was there.I had done my research on the man I was supposed to marry.Harden Daniels. cold, arrogant,ruthless in business,the kind of man who didn't smile deep voice which sounded like bass,the doors of the ballroom opened dramatically. And there he was tall sharp featured, Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, every girl in the room turned to stare.He didn't look at them but he looked at me instead. I turned quickly and walked away and collided straight into him.His drink spilled all over my dress for a second, we both froze.Then he smirked,"well", he said calmly "that's one way to get my attention". And that was how my nightmare began. THE ARROGANT STRANGER The drink soaked into my dress like humiliation sinking into my skin"I'm sorry" i muttered, stepping back. Harden did not move. Up close he was even more intimidating, sharp jaw calm eyes the type of expression that didn't reveal thoughts"it's fine", he said cool."Accident happen". But his tone suggested he wasn't used to accidents. Before I could say anything else, rose appeared at my side, gripping my arm tightly."Harden! so good to finally meet you properly", she smiled sweetly "This is Theresa Nora Lu or you c call her tessa" she said."I know" he replied. His eyes didn't leave mine. There was something in them -not hatred not affection...........curiosity. THE CONTRACT The next morning, I read the marriage contract carefully. It wasn't a normal agreement"this isn't marriage" I whispered "it's business", Harden replied from behind me i jumped. He stepped closer to" you need financial security. I need a respectable wife also. " it's simple , simple like a transaction "." why me?". i asked he studied me carefully."because you don't love me" that answer confused me more than anything.