The Billionaire's Contract Wife

Chapter Two

~Astrid~

Astrid couldn’t help but stare in awe at the mansion she had just walked into. From the moment he drove in, she was mind-blown; the entrance gate looked like something out of beauty and the beast; the security men stood at their posts in almost every corner of the entrance; and he drove into an underground garage filled with fleets of expensive cars. She hoped she didn’t look the way she felt.

What kind of guy needs armed security men, a fleet of cars, and a mansion?. He doesn’t even look above thirty. Is he some kind of Mafia lord of something?

He pushed a button, the doors opened and he stepped out, so did she.

“Follow me.”

It’s not like I have a choice.

When they entered an elevator, Astrid almost scoffed. Of course, he had an elevator. The elevator stopped at the third floor, and the moment the doors opened, the external view of the house was child's play. What she was looking at was out of this world. Grey, black and white were the only colours there were, but it still managed to look magical; it had this darkness to it because of the colours, chandeliers, and perfectly dimmed lights. Despite its beauty, she couldn't help but cringe at the sounds their shoes made due to how empty it was, there wasn’t a single person in sight.

“You must be famished. What would you like to eat? I will get the chef to make it for you.” He said as he got to the seating room. The sofa’s were all black, adding to the overall dark appeal of the mansion.

Yeah, right. I’m not stupid.

“Who are you, and what do you want with me?”

He sat down and motioned for Astrid to sit as well, and she did.

“I’m Simon Andrews, the executive director of KH&S athletic outfits and modeling firm. What I want is simple, I have some scores to settle with Dillon, and you are her daughter. You are going to give me answers to all my questions.”

Astrid chuckled, then nodded.

“Ask away.”

“I am looking for someone—a girl, Kayla; she is twenty.” Simon scrolled through his phone and passed it to her. Astrid looked at the photo, and her eyes went wide.

It’s the rookie who started working with Dillon three months ago.

“Have you seen her?”

“Uh…”

The phone started ringing, and Simon snatched it from her. He looked at the caller ID and pinched his nose bridge in frustration.

"Sorry, I have to take this. Stay here and don’t touch anything.” He ordered before he walked away. If there was one thing Astrid never did, it was following orders. She sat still for a few minutes, waiting for him to be out of sight, then stood and started exploring. There had to be something small enough to carry—maybe a couple of watches. The sound of Simon's voice makes her freeze. She turns towards the direction of his voice. He was in a room filled with boxes, like a warehouse. She peaked through the opening of the door.

“We are making progress... She demands I marry... I understand that… I am trying my best to... yes, Father... I will find someone before the end of this week. The contract will be yours; I will make sure of it.” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, although she didn’t hear what the other person on the line said; it was his father. She picked up that much, and he was probably the CEO of the firm he mentioned earlier. She turned around, quickly tip-toeing to the sitting room. She sat, and the door slammed.

She couldn’t steal anything, but she could use what she heard to her advantage. Today is Wednesday, and he has only three days to find a wife. She had nowhere to go, and she’d never actively put Ro, her best friend, in danger. Astrid had to find a way to convince him to accept her as his wife. Simon walked into the sitting room and sat back down.

“I know her.”

“Perfect, tell me everything you know.”

"Gladly, but you can’t possibly expect me to give you information for free, do you?”

Simon chuckled cynically.

“I saved your life.”

“No, you didn't; I would have survived just fine if you hadn’t shown up. It’s not my first rodeo.”

“Fine. How much do you want?”

“It’s more of a question of what. I want to be your wife.”

The mocking gleam in Simon’s eyes was long gone and now replaced with rage.

“I F**KING TOLD YOU TO STAY PUT!”

“Your anger will change nothing. You have three days to find a wife, and because you haven’t found one so far, I am your only option.”

“What do you think you have to offer me?

“Anything you need.”

“That’s a very dangerous word, Miss Forbes.”

“I have nothing left to lose. I hate Dillon, possibly more than you do, and I will be glad to see her rot in jail just as much as you do. Is it a yes or a no?”

The silence that followed was so loud. It made Astrid uncomfortable—the way Simon looked at her—from her black, thick curls that now looked like a rat’s nest with dried blood at her temple, to her chest, where her bra is now partly on display because Dante ripped it, to her feet that were dirty and musty from running barefoot. She felt like she was under a microscope; she itched to shift, but one show of lack of confidence could earn her a no. She will not have it.

“You have spunk, Miss Forbes. Let’s talk business.”

For the next two hours, Simon explained everything that concerned a contract marriage, what was required of her, and their job to Mrs. Heather, the woman who was to pass the contract over to Simon if they succeeded. He also explained to her that they had competitors who were already married or had families; hence, they had to be better than everyone else. He gave her the contract and an NDA to sign. Astrid had never been so thankful that she pulled through high school.

Two hundred thousand dollars a month?

She couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping.

“If everything is clear, follow me, and don’t touch anything.”

Astrid followed him through a flight of stairs; they took a left to a hallway, and there were rooms on every side. He stopped and opened a door at the end of the hallway, ushering her in.

“This will be your room for the next six months; if you need anything, there is a button on the wall over your bed. Push it, and a maid will come to you.”

“A lawyer would be here in a few weeks to hear everything you know about Dillon. Gather your thoughts.” He added.

With that, he turned and walked away, but she called out to him.

“Can you drive me back tomorrow?”

“Why? Finally decided you can’t do it?”

“No. I have something I need to retrieve.”

“Be ready by five p.m." He said and left.

Astrid took the liberty of exploring her new room; the colours were the same, and the bed was massive. A king-sized bed, and she couldn’t wait to get comfy in it, but she had to shower and get rid of these bloodied clothes first. She walked further to the right, moving the curtains, which revealed two glass doors leading to a balcony. She opened them and walked out. The air was cool and crisp against her cheeks; all she could see for miles were trees. She was safe here.

Astrid tossed and turned in her sleep. In more ways than one, she was a cursed child. A cursed child that had been cursed by her mother. On nights just like this one, her mother, Dillon, haunted her even in her dreams.

The air smelled musty like hell again. How was I back here, and why couldn’t I move? The moment I opened my eyes, I caught a looming figure at the foot of the bunk. I tried to speak, but all I could make were garbled noises. I had been gagged. The figure came closer, revealing Dillon and her sinister smile,sending chills down my spine.

“After everything I’ve done for you, you get up and leave? Do you think you can survive without me? You think you can leave me here in the dust? Never! You and I are tied by something stronger than you think, and if I go down, you go down as well.”

Dillon walked over to the bed, grabbed a pillow, and covered my face. I thrashed and screamed as my lungs burned.

“No one is going to hear you or save you. Not even in your dreams!”